New York Islanders rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer was awarded the NHL’s Rookie of the Month title for October. Schaefer stood out among rookies, ranking third in points after scoring three goals and providing five assists in 11 games.
In addition, Jack Eichel of the Vegas Golden Knights was named the league’s top star for the month, followed by Mark Scheifele of the Winnipeg Jets as the second star, and Jakub Dobes of the Montreal Canadiens as the third star.
Hailing from Hamilton, the 18-year-old Schaefer was the Islanders’ first overall draft pick this year. He set a record as the only 18-year-old defenseman to achieve more points in his first 11 NHL games, surpassing Phil Housley’s 11 points in 1982-83 with the Buffalo Sabres.
Schaefer earned the top rookie spot for October, outperforming his competitors from the Montreal Canadiens, Detroit Red Wings, Minnesota Wild, and St. Louis Blues. He made his debut at 18 years and 34 days, becoming the youngest player to record a point in his NHL debut since Scott Niedermayer at 18 years and 46 days.
Moreover, Schaefer became the youngest defenseman to score his first goal since Ross Johnstone more than 80 years ago. He maintained a six-game point streak at the start of the season, contributing two goals and five assists in that period, including a game-winning goal against the San Jose Sharks on October 21.
Meanwhile, Jack Eichel, fresh off signing a lucrative eight-year, US$108-million contract extension with Vegas, led the NHL in October with eight goals and 11 assists in 11 games. His performance played a key role in the Golden Knights’ strong 6-2-3 start.
Mark Scheifele of the Winnipeg Jets also excelled, collecting points in 10 of his first 11 games and scoring nine goals to become the all-time leading scorer for the Jets. The 32-year-old achieved a six-game point streak at the beginning of the season with seven goals and three assists, contributing to the Jets’ 8-3-0 record.
Lastly, Jakub Dobes of the Montreal Canadiens had an impressive October, going 6-0-0 with a 1.97 goals-against average and a .930 save percentage. The 24-year-old Czech goalie made at least 30 saves in three starts and allowed two or fewer goals in four games, contributing to the Canadiens’ 8-3-0 record for the month.