New York Islanders’ defenseman Matthew Schaefer clinched the NHL’s top rookie spot for October, announced on Saturday. Schaefer stood third among all rookie players, bagging three goals and five assists in 11 games. Additionally, Vegas Golden Knights’ center Jack Eichel secured the league’s first star, while Winnipeg Jets’ center Mark Scheifele claimed the second star, and Montreal Canadiens’ goalie Jakub Dobes earned the third star for the initial month of the season.
Hailing from Hamilton, 18-year-old Schaefer was the Islanders’ first overall pick in this year’s draft. He outperformed other 18-year-old defensemen by garnering more points in his initial 11 NHL games. Notably, Phil Housley had achieved a similar feat in 1982-83 with the Buffalo Sabres, accumulating 11 points.
Schaefer’s impressive display in October overshadowed the performances of other rookies like Dobes, Ivan Demidov, Oliver Kapanen from the Canadiens, Emmitt Finnie from the Detroit Red Wings, Zeev Buium from the Minnesota Wild, and Jimmy Snuggerud from the St. Louis Blues. Schaefer set a record as the youngest player to score a point in his NHL debut on October 9 against the Pittsburgh Penguins at the age of 18 years and 34 days, surpassing Scott Niedermayer’s previous record.
Moreover, Schaefer holds the title of the youngest defenseman to score his debut goal since Ross Johnstone more than 80 years ago at the age of 17. With a season-opening streak of six games, Schaefer showcased his talent by recording two goals and five assists during that period, including his first game-winning goal against the San Jose Sharks on October 21.
On the other hand, Eichel, fresh from signing an eight-year, US$108-million contract extension with Vegas, led the NHL with a remarkable performance, tallying eight goals and 11 assists in 11 games, aiding the Golden Knights to a strong 6-2-3 start. Scheifele from Winnipeg also shone bright, maintaining a point streak in 10 out of his first 11 games, scoring nine goals and becoming the all-time scoring leader for the Jets. Meanwhile, Dobes from the Canadiens excelled with a 6-0-0 record in October, boasting a 1.97 goals-against average and .930 save percentage, contributing significantly to his team’s 8-3-0 start to the season.