New York Islanders chose Defenseman Matthew Shefer with the first overall pick in the 2025 NHL draft on Friday afternoon at Los Angeles.
Schaefer, which would be 18 years old on 5 September, was played for the Entario Hockey League’s Eri Otters in the last two sessions.
The 6-Foot-2, 183-Pound Hamilton, Ontario-native was limited to 17 games with Eri in the last season after recalling the first nine with Mononuclosis and then broke his right Hansli on December 27, playing for Canada at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Shefer was the second youngest player in Canada’s World Junior Roster, further two months older than Gavin McKenna, who are not eligible to 2026 NHL drafts.
A day before the injuries, Shefer scored an empty-net goal and assisted Canada’s 4–0 win against Finland in the tournament opener.
Shafer lost his mother, Jennifer from breast cancer in February 2024, two months after her Billet mother Emily Matsson, died in a clear suicide.
Despite being the 10th best chance of winning the draft lottery at 3.5 percent, the islands launched the number 1 pick in the 2025 NHL draft last month, the first time since the draft John Taras No. 1 in 2009.
NHL Commissioner Gary Betman was first slate to announce the first round pics for the first time after taking over in 1993. This year it was also marked that the team employees did not attend the draft, but participated from the cities of their home.
“Clubs said for this,” Betman said in February. “I was not looking for any more exposure. I have more than enough. But this is what the clubs told us that they wanted, and we are going to try it. And we will see after this year whether everyone likes it better or not.”
-Bield level media
