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NHLFeature
Matthew Schaefer wins Calder Trophy in unanimous vote
TL;DR
Matthew Schaefer, an 18-year-old defenseman for the New York Islanders, won the Calder Trophy for the NHL's best rookie in a unanimous vote. This historic achievement marks the first time in three decades that all voters selected the same player.
Key points
- Matthew Schaefer won the Calder Trophy for best rookie
- He is 18 years old and plays for the New York Islanders
- The vote was unanimous with all 198 voters selecting him
- This is the first unanimous win in three decades
- His win was celebrated with a surprise family moment
Matthew SchaeferNew York Islanders
Iâm not crying youâre crying. | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer was surprised by his family â and his adopted family, the Martins â during a Good Morning America TV performance with the Calder Trophy on Wednesday.
That the 18-year-old phenom took the prize for the NHLâs best rookie in 2025-26 is no surprise; but the way the news was delivered was a poignant, touching moment for a kid whoâs been through a lot and turned his story into an example and inspiration for children facing similar heartache. Watch his reaction, and his dad reminding him this is a good day, in the tweet below:
The vote to award Schaefer the top spot was reportedly unanimous: all 198 voters listed him at the top of their ballot. Thatâs a historic achievement not seen in three decades.
It just adds to the list of historic superlatives from his rookie season when he won over Long Island and beyond.
There are too many to summarize, so just check it all out from the Islandersâ team release:
Schaefer is the sixth Islander to win the Calder Memorial Trophy, joining Mat Barzal (2018), Bryan Berard (1997), Mike Bossy (1978), Bryan Trottier (1976), and Denis Potvin (1974). He is also the 13th first-overall pick to be awarded the Calder and just the fourth defenseman to do so, joining Aaron Ekblad (2015), Berard and Potvin. Notably, three of those four defensemen played for the Islanders. Schaefer is the eighth player to win the award in their 18-year-old season. At 18 years, 223 days on the final day of the regular season, Schaefer is the youngest Calder Trophy winner in NHL history.
Schaefer had a record-breaking rookie campaign in which he registered 59 points (23 goals, 36 assists) over 82 games. He tied Brian Leetchâs record for the most goals by a rookie defenseman in a single season. Schaefer also set NHL records for the most points by an 18-year-old defenseman, average time on ice by an 18-year-old skater (24:41) and the most overtime points (4) by a teenage defenseman. He added another notable milestone on March 24, logging 31:59 of ice time, the most in a single game by any NHL teenager since the statistic began being tracked.
Q&A
Who won the Calder Trophy in 2025-26?
Matthew Schaefer won the Calder Trophy for the NHL's best rookie in the 2025-26 season.
What is significant about Matthew Schaefer's Calder Trophy win?
Schaefer's win is historic as it was a unanimous vote, with all 198 voters selecting him as their top choice.
How old is Matthew Schaefer, and what team does he play for?
Matthew Schaefer is 18 years old and plays for the New York Islanders.
When was the last time a player won the Calder Trophy unanimously?
Matthew Schaefer's unanimous win is the first of its kind in three decades.