Schaefer honoured and humbled to top McKenzie's mid-season draft rankings

It is every hockey prospect's dream to be taken first overall at the NHL Draft and Matthew Schaefer is on pace to make that a reality.

The Erie Otters defenceman was the unanimous selection for the No. 1 spot on TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie's mid-season draft rankings by a panel of 10 NHL team scouts.

"It’s definitely an honour and it’s definitely humbling," Schaefer told TSN1050's First Up on Thursday. "At the end of the day there's so many talented skaters and players in this draft. But there's [also] a lot of hockey left to be played, and anything can happen with such a talented class going into the draft."

Schaefer has had some very high peaks and low valleys during his Ontario Hockey League career.

The 6-foot-2 left-shot defenceman was drafted first overall by the Otters in the 2023 OHL Priority Draft and put up three goals and 17 points in 56 games in his rookie year last season.

He went on to represent Canada at the Under-17 World Hockey Challenge, Under-18 World Championship, and Hlinka Gretzky Cup, winning gold medals in all three tournaments in the same calendar year.

In the middle of that first junior hockey season, Schaefer suffered the loss of his mother, Jennifer, to breast cancer in February of 2023, which happened only three months after his billet mother, Emily Matson, passed away by suicide.

Despite the losses, Schaefer returned to the ice only two weeks later.

“I obviously miss her so much,” Schaefer told Guillaume Lepage of NHL.com on Dec. 11 about the loss of his mother. “She was definitely one of the strongest people I know because she had to go through so much. And, of course, you never want to see your mom go through that. But I know she's going to be here with me every day, no matter what I'm doing. She's always right by my side with her strength. She's a tough woman.”

Schaefer's 2024-25 season got off to a rough start. He contracted mononucleosis prior to the start of the regular season, causing him to miss the first nine games.

After returning, he put up seven goals and 22 points in 17 games and starred in the CHL USA Prospects Challenge, where he recorded a goal and assist in the two-game sweep over the United States' National Under-18 Team.

The Stoney Creek, Ont., native was one of four players not drafted by an NHL club to be selected to Team Canada for the 2025 World Juniors in Ottawa.

He had a goal and two points before his tournament ended prematurely due to a broken collarbone.

"It was maybe one of the coolest moments or feelings I ever got to experience," Schaefer said on his time with Team Canada. "Playing against Finland [in the tournament opener] in the Ottawa Senators' arena, I just found myself thinking 'Is this real?' Being able to play in some games and play for me country was such an honour. I'd love to do it again and it was amazing."

As Schaefer was with Team Canada, the Otters organization suffered a tragedy of its own when owner Jim Waters  passed away unexpectedly in December.

Waters purchased the team in 2015 and held lead the team to a J. Ross Championship in 2017 and represented to OHL at the Memorial Cup in Windsor.

"From Day 1 when I was drafted by Erie, Jim and Sheila Waters were big parts of why I wanted to go to Erie," said Schaefer. "They would do anything for the team, players, and staff. They just wanted to win, and I was happy to be a part of their lives."

Schaefer's broken collarbone comes with a timetable of at least a three-month recovery.

It will likely end Schaefer's regular season and, unless the Otters go on a deep playoff run, it could end his draft season as a whole.

While Schaefer is disappointed with not being able to play, he is using the injury as fuel for motivation to come back stronger than before.

"Honestly, with the injury, it sucks and it's tough that it happened, but everything happens for a reason." said Schaefer. "When my mom passed away, I look at life a lot differently, where this is only a bump in the road.

"It's not career ending or anything, so I want to come back at 110 per cent and be better than I was. I just want to come back stronger because losing my mom was a really tough thing and there's not many things that can come close to that."