Inside what makes Islanders superstar Matthew Schaefer one of the best skaters in the world: ‘He’s literally flying’ By Ethan Sears Published Sep. 30, 2026, 1:30 p.m. ET The Islanders' Matthew Schaefer poses for photos at the Islanders training facility in East Meadow, Long Island. Charles Wenzelberg/NY Post If you ask Matthew Schaefer about the skill he is best at — the thing he can do better than almost anybody on the planet, which gave him the foundation for a historic rookie season that ended in a unanimous Calder Trophy — he cannot break it down in detail.
He can tell you he started skating at the age of 3. He can tell you he was taught mostly by his dad, Todd, and his brother, Johnny. He can tell you he roller-bladed around Stony Creek, Ont., as a kid, and that he assumes being naturally bow-legged helps. But, mostly, he just knows he’s good at it.
Why, he’s not really sure. There’s not much reason for him to have ever thought about it.
“I like to go fast,” Schaefer told The Post. “That’s what I really like to do. I like to go fast.”
