LOS ANGELES — Matthew Schaefer stood up when his name was called.
The emotion was too much. Thinking about the person he wished more than anything could be by his side overwhelmed the 17-year-old defenceman.
The tears flowed soon after.
The New York Islanders did the expected Friday, selecting Schaefer with the first pick at the 2025 NHL draft.
His big moment inside Peacock Theater was tinged with a level of sadness. The teenager's mother, Jennifer, died of breast cancer in February 2024.
Schaefer, who spent two seasons with the Ontario Hockey League's Erie Otters, kissed the cancer awareness ribbon on his Islanders jersey after pulling it on, pointed to the sky and then broke down.
"I couldn't control the tears … thinking about my mom a little extra today," said the Hamilton native. "I know she'd be very proud. I'd love her to be here in person. But obviously cancer sucks, so she's with me in spirit.
"I know she's not suffering and she's happy, smiling down and always with me."
Schaefer had been viewed as the slam-dunk top selection for months despite not playing since December after suffering a broken collar bone while suiting up for Canada at the world junior hockey championship.
His mother's death came three months after his billet mom was struck and killed by a train in what was ruled death by suicide. Schaefer then was rocked during the world juniors when mentor and Otters owner Jim Waters died of a heart attack in December.
The six-foot-two, 186-pound blueliner with elite skill at both ends of the rink joins an organization that was busy in the hours before calling his name. The Islanders traded defenceman Noah Dobson to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for forward Emil Heineman and the 16th and 17th overall picks.
The San Jose Sharks took forward Michael Misa second overall. Once the hands-down presumptive first pick in 2025, the six-foot-one, 182-pound centre from Oakville, Ont., led the entire Canadian Hockey League in goals (62) and points (134) in 2024-25 playing for the OHL's Saginaw Spirit.
"It was awesome," Misa said. "Just a moment of relief, excitement, a little emotional with my family — they've meant so much to me and supported me."
The Chicago Blackhawks selected Swedish forward Anton Frondell at No. 3.
The six-foot-one, 204-pound centre had 25 points in 29 regular-season games playing against men in Sweden's second division this season with Djurgardens.
Caleb Desnoyers went fourth overall to the Utah Mammoth.
The centre for Moncton of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League took home the circuit's playoff MVP honours after putting up nine goals and 21 assists in 19 games, helping the Wildcats reach the Memorial Cup. Desnoyers also won the Mike Bossy Trophy as the league's top professional prospect.
"I had a great feeling with them," the St-Hyacinthe, Que., product said of the Mammoth. "Heard a lot of great things."
The Nashville Predators picked Brady Martin to round out the top-5. Instead of flying to Los Angeles for the draft, the centre for the OHL's Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds was back home working on his family farm in Elora, Ont.
The Vancouver Canucks took centre Braeden Cootes at No. 15, the Calgary Flames snagged centre Cole Reschy at No. 18, and the Ottawa Senators chose defenceman Logan Hensler at No. 23 after trading down two spots.
The Winnipeg Jets went with blueliner Sascha Boumedienne at No. 28 before the Flames rounded out the first day of the draft by nabbing centre Cullen Potter at No. 32. The Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers previously traded their first round picks. Rounds two through seven go Saturday.
The 2025 showcase event marks the NHL's first decentralized draft in a non-pandemic environment — a format similar to the NFL and NBA where teams make selections remotely instead of all being in the same venue on-site.
No decision has been made on how the draft will look next year, but deputy commissioner Bill Daly said earlier Friday the vote in favour of decentralization among teams this time around was 26-6.
Celebrities and special guests named each pick after Schaefer, including actor Adam Sandler, who announced centre James Hagens going to the Bruins at No. 7.
"One of the coolest moments I've ever had," Hagens said. "It's something that doesn't feel real."
There were, however, some hiccups. Players entered the so-called "NHL Draft Room" after getting picked to speak with their new general managers, but one example of things not going exactly according to plan came when Boston's video feed froze as Hagens was speaking to the team's brass.
The night, however, belonged to Schaefer.
"I don't usually cry as much as my dad and brother," he said. "My dad's like, 'Ah, you won't cry.' And then I'm kind of biting my tongue, and my name gets called, and then they start flowing.
"Happy tears … I just wish my mom could be here."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 27, 2025.
Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press
