D Matt Schaefer - Erie Otters, OHL (2025 Draft)

[Siignal]

Incredibly late birthday for this draft as well

 

[Oak]

Does anyone have a link to a recent shift by shift video of Schaefer? The one AMS did was good but looking for something newer.

 

[BKarchitect]

Looks like we could be heading into an era-defining run for Team Canada future defensive pillars:

2025: Schaefer
2026: Verhoff
2027: Dupont

 

[frontsfan67]

Incredibly late birthday for this draft as well

11 or 12 days and would’ve been in the same draft as Mckenna

 

[Dominance]

Looks like we could be heading into an era-defining run for Team Canada future defensive pillars:

2025: Schaefer
2026: Verhoff
2027: Dupont

Hopefully a good portion Byram, Harley, Guhle, Power, Clarke, Zellweger, Korchinski, Mateychuk, Dickinson, Yakemchuk, and Parekh will have asserted themselves as elite options alongside Makar, Dobson, Bouchard by 2029, to give them some competition.

 

[Mathieukferland]

Since Dahlin I haven’t seen a player cover so much ice and do so many things at that age, incredible player and having another great game tonight. Hits, blocks, sticks in passing lanes, rushes, offense, passing

 

[Mitch nylander]

He's looked incredible.

 

[Mercedes Benn]

This kid’s tools are crazy. Hard to believe he is 17.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

He really does look like the complete package for a defensemen.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

I don’t know how anyone could pass on him this draft.

 

[ConnorMcMullet]

Just feels like there’s not a single question mark in his game. The fact that he’s nearly eligible for next year’s draft is insanely impressive. I’m not sure how you pass on him at 1st overall.

 

[MrCreamm]

Since Dahlin I haven’t seen a player cover so much ice and do so many things at that age, incredible player and having another great game tonight. Hits, blocks, sticks in passing lanes, rushes, offense, passing

Yeah he's the first dman since Dahlin whos looked so dynamic and NHL ready, and people forget how much hype Dahlin had in 2018 this might start getting the hype train going.

 

[Eternal Leaf]

#1 pick for me.

One of the best defensive prospects to come up in a while that does everything right with superstar skill.

This type of quality is rare.

 

[eojsmada]

Physical Tools and IQ for days.

If Shaefer puts on like 15-20 pounds, he's gonna be a menace in the NHL. Only reason not to draft him over Hagens is if your need for scoring forwards trumps your need for D.

 

[Breakfast of Champs]

I doubt he will go #1. Not necessarily because he isn't worthy or isn't amazing (he is) but just looking at draft history taking a Dman #1 doesn't have the best track record. He's also not as good or dynamic as Dahlin, which is not a knock but Dahlin was just that good.

Especially when there are dynamic forwars avaliable. Again, no knock on him because he's absolutely got #1 D qualities , I just personally don't see a GM taking him 1st OA. I could be wrong though

 

[57special]

I can see GM's liking Schaefer's NHL size over Hagens lack thereof. Schaefer has just about every tool you can want, and also plays a smart game. Hagens seems to have a special sense of the game, though. We'll see who steps up against tough competition, but even then, it's only one tournament.

 

[FrankMTL]

He's an incredible prospect and has no weaknesses in his game. He will be able to play 25-30 minutes a game and be a difference maker at both ends of the ice. If I was a betting man, I think there's an extremely good chance he's going 1st overall at the moment. He's on a completely different level from some of the other defensemen who were taken 1st overall in the last 25 years such as Owen Power, Aaron Ekblad and Erik Johnson. I personally think he can be better than Rasmus Dahlin. This kid just has that "it" factor.

 

[Castle8130]

Him and Hagens are separating themselves from the pack in this tournament. I think it will be a race between these 2, but Hagens lack of size might give schaefer a slight edge.

 

[emptyNedder]

Him and Hagens are separating themselves from the pack in this tournament. I think it will be a race between these 2, but Hagens lack of size might give schaefer a slight edge.

Scouts either have a dilemma or can't go wrong if drafting 1st/2nd. I tend to think the latter. Schaefer's size and being 20 months younger would have me lean every so slightly to taking the D.

Edit: 10 months younger--yes typoooo

 

[Castle8130]

Scouts either have a dilemma or can't go wrong if drafting 1st/2nd. I tend to think the latter. Schaefer's size and being 20 months younger would have me lean every so slightly to taking the D.

Yeah age too. Although Hagens looks like a complete 200 ft center. You can say what you want about his size, but I'm pretty confident he holds down the center position in the NHL. I can't say the same about most other high-end prospects

 

[BKarchitect]

Scouts either have a dilemma or can't go wrong if drafting 1st/2nd. I tend to think the latter. Schaefer's size and being 20 months younger would have me lean every so slightly to taking the D.

You mean 10 months younger? 20 would mean they are in different draft classes

 

[crazynaiman]

Scouts either have a dilemma or can't go wrong if drafting 1st/2nd. I tend to think the latter. Schaefer's size and being 20 months younger would have me lean every so slightly to taking the D.

I really don't understand this "hype" about Hagens' size. C'mon, he absolutely looks like a future elite first-line center. His size is normal for a modern center. Why on Earth should we be concerned about his physique when we have Jack Hughes and Connor Bedard? And why should we overrate the size factor for a QB defenseman when we have Quinn Hughes and Lane Hutson in the league? I just want to say that Matt and James are both fantastic players who could easily be franchise players for any NHL team. So GMs will simply pick based on what their team needs, whether it's a defender or a center.

 

[57special]

Scouts either have a dilemma or can't go wrong if drafting 1st/2nd. I tend to think the latter. Schaefer's size and being 20 months younger would have me lean every so slightly to taking the D.

Finger slipped on the keyboard?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I really don't understand this "hype" about Hagens' size. C'mon, he absolutely looks like a future elite first-line center. His size is normal for a modern center. Why on Earth should we be concerned about his physique when we have Jack Hughes and Connor Bedard? And why should we overrate the size factor for a QB defenseman when we have Quinn Hughes and Lane Hutson in the league? I just want to say that Matt and James are both fantastic players who could easily be franchise players for any NHL team. So GMs will simply pick based on what their team needs, whether it's a defender or a center.

Worth stating that Celebrini was measured at 5’11 3/4 at the draft combine. Hagens has been listed at 5’11 even (so maybe rounded up or not, no way to know) for BC all season. For all we know, he’ll be as tall or taller than Celebrini at his draft combine.

If he ends up like half an inch taller than he must’ve measured in like August and you can round up his height to 6’0, no one will be questioning his size, as they don’t for Celebrini.

 

[FLAMESFAN]

I think if you had Celebrini & Hagens side by side, that Celebrini will be noticeably bigger.
But, this thread is about Schaefer and he is making the case to be the best DMan in the draft for some time. He will be a monster next year at the WJC.