New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer has clinched the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s best rookie. Chosen as the first pick in the 2025 NHL draft, Schaefer, at 18 years and 223 days old, is now the youngest NHL player to win this award, surpassing Nathan MacKinnon’s record set in 2013-14 by a single day.
Schaefer achieved a unanimous victory by securing the top spot on all 198 ballots cast, a feat not seen since Teemu Selanne of the Winnipeg Jets in the 1992-93 season. He made history by setting NHL records for an 18-year-old defenseman with 23 goals and 59 points. Additionally, he led all rookie players in ice time, clocking over 2,023 minutes, and landed fifth among rookies with a plus-13 rating.
The other top contenders were Montreal Canadiens forward Ivan Demidov, who claimed the second spot in the rankings, and Anaheim Ducks winger Beckett Sennecke. Montreal goaltender Jakub Dobes secured the fourth position in the voting process.