Matthew Schaefer Opens Up About Winning Calder, Honoring Late Mother Through Northwell Partnership
Matthew Schaefer discusses winning the Calder Trophy, partnering with Northwell Health, and honoring his late mother through the Jennifer Schaefer Child Support Center.
On Monday, New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer announced that he was partnering up with Northwell Health to make a difference in the community while also honoring his late mother, Jennifer, who passed away from breast cancer in February of 2024.
The Islanders Children’s Foundation made a $150,000 donation to create a child support center called the “Jennifer Schaefer Child Support Center.”
“My mother was someone I looked up to immensely,” Schaefer said. “I remember sitting by her side while she was battling cancer, and she always had a smile on her face. She was full of joy. By teaming up with Northwell Health, I hope we can bring a little of her joy to others who are fighting cancer, and to their families as well.”
Here was his Instagram post:
On Wednesday, after appearing on Good Morning America, Schaefer was heading to Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New Hyde Park to discuss the support center coming this October.
But that wasn’t all that was going to be celebrated. Little did he know that during his Good Morning America appearance, he was being surprised with the Calder Memorial Trophy as the 2025-26 Rookie of the Year.
We had the chance to talk to Schaefer at the event about the center and what it means to him to win the award
Q: What does today mean for you?
Matthew Schaefer: “Today, I came in here to do visits with the Islanders. I knew this was something I really wanted to be a part of. Everyone here just respects each other like family. When you’re abttling things, you’re bringing people to Northwell, you know you’re gonna get their respect. Everyone’s gonna give you the time of day and put all their time and effort into helping you and whatever you need. It’s such an honor to be a part of this. I can’t wait to do so many great things. It’s gonna be super fun. This is obviously a very close spot to my heart. You're able to do something like this for my mom and everyone who’s battling cancer at the hospital. So this is gonna be super fun, and I can’t wait to get started.”
Q: What was your reaction to winning the Calder?
Matthew Schaefer: “Obviously, coming into today, I knew I was going on Good Morning America, but especially coming to visit all the kids at Northwell. I didn’t know what for. I knew I wanted to visit them, but it made it even more special that I could bring the Calder Trophy with me. It’s definitely an honor to be named the Calder finalist and things like that. There’s Demidov and Sennecke, two other great finalists who have done such great things in the league. Just to see all the other Islanders that have gone through it. Most recently, Barzal, Trottier, and all of them. They’ve done such a great job with bringing this organization to where it needs to be and setting a very high standard. I'm coming in, I know they’ve set a great example for me as a young kid coming into the league too. They really kept that standard at a high level. I gotta thank everyone in the Islanders organization and the Northwell family. They support us with being on the Islanders and Northwell. They do a lot to help me. It goes a long way when all the guys on their team, it’s my trophy as much as theirs. All the teammates and staff in the Islanders organization have helped me so much. It’s truly an honor to be a part of it, but also getting named the Calder.”
Q: What is it like to meet all these kids?
Matthew Schaefer: “It’s awesome. I’m still a kid, too. I know what it feels like. I know it can be a little nerve-wracking, meeting someone who’s a little bit older than you and plays in the NHL, things like that. Honestly, I’m just Matthew Schaefer. I’m not the hockey player Matthew Schaefer. Being able to do things like these goes a long way, and it’s really all about the kids. I don’t care who I am or anything. Just being able to come here and showcase people and try to bring a light to their face, a light to their life, enjoy, and happiness. You know, sometimes when you’re battling things that are so tough, and you’re at the hospital, it can’t be fun, but what Northwell likes to do is make it a happy place. You can see on the floor that they have animals. They tyry to make it a more happy space than oh it’s the hospital. I think every time I hear Northwell, I get so excited cause of what they’re doing. Just so honored to be able to be a part of Northwell and help kids and families in need.”
Q: Did any specific interactions stick out?
Matthew Schaefer: “I met this little girl named Quinn. She was awesome. Coming and being able to talk to her, I remember saying she had these really cute pink socks on. I was like, ‘Are those for me?’ She goes ‘No, go to the store.’
“I can’t say there was a favorite one. Just being able to be a part of it this other guy’s birthday, and he was with our hockey fights cancer when we had that. It goes much farther than anything in life itself, and hockey, too. I’m just happy I’m able to be a part of it to help these kids. It’s not easy what they’re going through. To see how happy they are with everything they’re going through, it’s easy to think, and they’re role models for me.”
Q: What brought about those emotions on Good Morning America?
Matthew Schaefer: “Obviously, I didn’t know my parents were gonna be there today. That was an eye-opener. I thought they were still at home. To be able to experience that with them, when I got drafted and won this trophy, is special. I think my mom’s a big part of it. That comes to mind right away. Just with how much she’s done for my family and me, and how she brought my brother and me up. Just the person she was. I’m so lucky to be able to do this to really help cause I’ve been through it with my mom. I saw how happy she was, how strong she was. All these kids and families are so strong, too. It takes a lot. It takes a lot out of you and your family. You just feel for them. It’s just crazy. They may never get to play hockey as I do, they may never get the chances that I do. So I want to help bring these moments that I get to experience to help them, because they may never get to experience things like this. I want to experience it with them. This is, obviously, I won this trophy, but with all these kids, it’s all their trophies too. It’s not just mine. To be able to be with these kids, to experience it, it’s awesome.”
Q: How excited are you to visit kids in the hospital during the year?
Matthew Schaefer: “It’ll be awesome. It’s something so cool that Northwell and everyone just really went the extra way and extra mile to make it so special. I’m so lucky. It’s just nice cause they’re a family. We want to help all these kids. We want to find out the best way possible. These kids, they’re smiling, these kids are playing games, they’re getting their minds off what they’re going through so they can enjoy life and have fun. At the end of the day, if they’re smiling, I think we did our job. It’s just so fun to work with them. It’s gonna be something special to me and super cool. I can’t wait for it to open and all these kids and families can experience it.”
Q: Your dad was 10 floors above you, and you had no idea. What was that surprise like to have your dad and family there?
Matthew Schaefer: “It’s crazy to think he was 10 floors above me, saying his FaceTime and stuff doesn’t work. So he wasn’t answering me the last two days. Part of me was like, he doesn’t know how to work a phone. So I was like, OK, I can see how it’s not working. But it’s super special for them to be here today. This day is just so special to me cause I get to experience it with all you guys, but especially the kids here at Northwell. I love it here.”
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