Matthew Schaefer

To project 2025’s top defenseman prospect, Matt Schaefer, let’s just call him a driver from the back end that tilts the ice in his team's favor, and he’s blessed with four-way mobility and is agile playing his defenseman position using his play in transition to rocket him into the NHL to possibly be an impactful 2nd pairing defender . A workhorse of the Erie Otters and in the Hlinka-Gretzky 8 Nations  Tourney, where he was a constant threat offensively and a kid whose skill level in the defensive zone placed him heads above any of the competition as a two way defender. He led the way in his end and the neutral zone. He cleared rebounds, blocked shots and goobled loose pucks and made really good zone exits with crisp outlet passes or by using his quick acceleration to skate pucks out. He made several turnovers and transitioning the puck back up the ice, due to his tight gaps. A continual threat in the offensive zone, using his creativity and ability to get pucks through to the net, or teammates. 

                                                                     --Bill Płaczek--