On a night he’ll never forget, Matthew Schaefer made NHL history. The 18-year-old defenseman not only debuted for the New York Islanders against the Pittsburgh Penguins but etched his name into the league record books by becoming the youngest defenseman in NHL history to record a point in his debut, registering an assist at 18 years, 34 days.
The previous record had stood for more than three decades, held by Scott Niedermayer, who notched a point at 18 years, 46 days on Oct. 16, 1991.
Schaefer’s milestone came fittingly, showing great vision and making a perfect pass to Jonathan Drouin in the slot to tie the game at 1-1.