Halfway through his first NHL season, Matthew Schaefer is learning that the dream comes with a grind — and that surviving it is just as much about discipline as talent.
At just 18 years old, the New York Islanders’ rookie defenseman is getting his first real taste of what an NHL season demands. The pace is relentless, the margin for error is thin, and there’s no such thing as coasting. “This is definitely a league you want to be in,” Schaefer said Saturday. “But it’s a lot of hard work. There’s always someone trying to take your spot.