Blackhawks Draft Profiles: Matthew Schaefer

The 2025 NHL Entry Draft will take place on June 27 and 28 in Los Angeles, CA. Our first set of Blackhawks Draft Profiles will focus on the possible targets for the third overall pick. Today, we’re looking at defenseman Matthew Schaefer.

Tale of the Tape

Date of Birth: September 5, 2007
Place of Birth: Hamilton, ON
Position: Defenseman
Shoots: Left
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 183 pounds
2024-25 Team: Erie Otters (Ontario Hockey League)

Player Profile

The 2025 NHL Entry Draft differs from the past couple of years because there is no consensus No. 1 pick. There is no Connor Bedard or Macklin Celebrini in this year’s draft. Gavin McKenna is already the No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft, but this year’s draft doesn’t have that lock for the first overall selection.

If any player is close to that status, it’s Schaefer. Had he played the whole season, he’d likely be the ‘can’t miss” No. 1 pick. There is still a very good chance that he goes number one, and if the New York Islanders don’t take him there, the San Jose Sharks will likely jump on him with the second pick.

Schaefer is the prototypical No. 1 defenseman in today’s NHL. He’s an elite skater with a dominant two-way game. He glides effortlessly across the ice and changes directions in the blink of an eye. The young blueliner has incredible vision, allowing the play to develop before making the correct play. As great as his offense is, his defense is just as good. He is not afraid to block shots or throw a big hit. His elite vision that helps him with the puck also gets him in the proper position to break up plays when he doesn’t have it.

The 17-year-old blueliner had seven goals and 22 points in his 17 OHL games with the Otters. He had a goal and an assist at the World Junior Championships before suffering a season-ending broken clavicle in his second game. He will return to juniors next season, and unless he transfers to an NCAA school, is ineligible to play in the American Hockey League until the 2027-28 season.

What Experts are Saying

“Schaefer hasn’t played since suffering an injury during the World Juniors, but it definitely hasn’t hurt his draft stock. That’s a rarity when you have a fight near the top of the draft, but scouts love everything he brings to the table. He’s so smart, so skilled, and the results at just about every single level have been so promising. You can see some similarities between Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes in the way he moves and makes decisions with the puck. Schaefer is hard to beat in 1-on-1 situations, and despite playing close to 30 minutes a night with Erie, he still found ways to have some outstanding underlying analytics. Schaefer is a special talent, and he’s going to be a No. 1 defenseman in the NHL sooner rather than later.” – Steven Ellis, Daily Faceoff

“Schaefer is a marvelous skater who can move the puck up the ice quickly with his feet or his hands. His offensive instincts are top-notch. He can make plays; he can score goals. He’s totally fearless — the broken collarbone happened while driving hard to the net — and he’s constantly looking to be in attack mode. He can run a power play; he can walk the blueline and get shots through from the point, and even if he’s caught deep in the offensive zone on offensive forays, he can swiftly race back into defensive position. Without the puck, he can defend physically or cerebrally. He has a great stick; his gap control is excellent. He’s a premier penalty killer and his game is suited to all situations in all zones.” – Bob McKenzie, TSN

“When you consider that Schaefer was less than two weeks away from being eligible for the 2026 draft, and the maturity and smarts that already exist in his game, there’s a lot to get excited about. But it’s his brilliant, frankly incredible skating (he’s the best-skating D in the class) that really elevates his projection as a potential No. 1 D and two-way transition monster. Schaefer looks like a projectable No. 1-2 defenseman who covers a ton of territory, can influence play in all four corners and three zones of the rink, and is never in a bad spot because of his ability to flow and gallop across the ice.” – Scott Wheeler, The Athletic

Blackhawks Fit

It’s hard to say that the Blackhawks don’t need Schaefer; every team needs an elite puck-moving defenseman. But, general manager Kyle Davidson drafted Kevin Korchinski seventh overall in 2022 and Artyom Levshunov with last year’s second pick to be that guy. They are both still very early in their development and can reach that point. There is nothing wrong with having another potentially elite defenseman in the system, but it starts to get redundant. It would be a hard sell to Blackhawks fans to draft Schaefer when the need for another elite young forward is greater. Fortunately for Davidson, that sell job is likely unnecessary because it’s doubtful Schaefer will still be on the board at No. 3.

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Additional Draft Profiles

Michael Misa
James Hagens
Porter Martone
Anton Frondell
Caleb Desnoyers
Jack Nesbitt