Islanders' Schaefer Is Making NHL History While Carrying One Of The League's Heaviest Workloads

Early in his sophomore season, New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer has found new ways to take his game to heights that put him in among the NHL's elite.Matthew Schaefer is continuing to set a new standard for young defensemen in the NHL.The New York Islanders blueliner scored his 25th career goal Sunday against the Dallas Stars, moving past Orr for the second-most goals by a defenseman before his 20th birthday. Only Phil Housley scored more.It's an extraordinary accomplishment for a player who won't turn 20 until next September, but Schaefer's offensive production isn't the only thing worth examining.The 19-year-old is already playing the kind of minutes normally reserved for established No. 1 defensemen. And lately, the Islanders have been asking even more of him.Related storiesThe Workload Behind The MilestoneThrough the first six games of the Islanders' 12 game this season, Schaefer averaged 25:25 of ice time per game. Over his latest six appearances, that number has climbed to 28:01, averaging nearly three minutes more in short succession.But the most interesting detail is where those additional minutes appear to be coming from.His average power-play time has actually declined, from approximately 4:11 during his first six games to 3:39 over his latest five. In other words, the increase in Schaefer's overall workload isn't simply being driven by additional power-play opportunities.Schaefer is averaging 22:21 of even-strength ice time per game this season, tied with Zach Werenski for second among all NHL players. They are both only behind Quinn Hughes (22:38).His performance on Oct. 22 against the Los Angeles Kings offered a particularly striking example. Schaefer played 29:24, scored a goal and recorded nine shots in the Islanders' 3–2 overtime loss.Those nine shots accounted for just over 20 percent of New York's 43 shots that night.Schaefer somehow managed to one-up himself in the ice time department on Tuesday, setting a career-high with 32:16 TOI while playing all five minutes of the Islanders' overtime period in their 4-3 win over the Nashville Predators.an extraordinary offensive contribution from a teenage defenseman already carrying one of the NHL's heaviest workloads.And Schaefer's workload isn't coming at the expense of his underlying results.The Islanders have controlled just over 58 percent of shot attempts and over 53 percent of expected goals with him on the ice at 5-on-5 this season, according to Natural Stat Trick. That's up from 50.02 percent and 50.66 percent, respectively, last year.What The Bobby Orr comparison actually tells usPassing Orr on a teenage scoring list obviously doesn't mean Schaefer is on track to become Bobby Orr, but it demonstrates how rarely teenage defensemen produce at Schaefer's level.What's arguably more impressive than his production is that he's achieving it while carrying one of the heaviest even-strength workloads in hockey.For now, the Islanders have a 19-year-old defenseman who is on a historic offensive pace, can play more minutes than almost anyone in the league, all while driving excellent underlying results in the process.Together, those accomplishments make Schaefer one of the NHL's most impressive young players.For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free.