- Matthew Schaefer brought his Calder Trophy to Cohen Children’s Medical Center on Wednesday to surprise patients in treatment
- The Islanders Children’s Foundation is donating $150,000 to open the Jennifer Schaefer Child Support Center in October
- Read below for Schaefer’s tribute to his late mom and the new partnership with Northwell Health
Matthew Schaefer didn’t keep the Calder Trophy to himself for long.
Hours after his dad and brother surprised him with the rookie of the year award on ABC’s GMA3 Wednesday morning, the 18-year-old Islanders defenseman walked into Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New Hyde Park with the trophy in tow. He visited patients before announcing plans to open the Jennifer Schaefer Child Support Center, named after his mother, who died of breast cancer in February 2024.
Set to open in October at the R.J. Zuckerberg Cancer Center, the room will give kids a dedicated space while their parents go through cancer treatment. It will be decked out with Islanders memorabilia, gaming consoles, bubble hockey, and a private area for grief counseling.
Schaefer was asked what being part of the project means to him.
“It’s such an honor to be a part of this, and I can’t wait to do so many great things. This is obviously something close to my heart, just being able to do something like this for my mom and everyone who’s battling cancer.”
The Islanders Children’s Foundation is pledging $150,000 to make the space happen, with Northwell Health hosting the room on Long Island:
Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche talked about who Schaefer is when the cameras are off.
“He’s a better young man than he is a player. Today there’s media, but he does a lot of these things without the cameras. It’s great when good people get rewarded.”
Schaefer also opened up about what his mom meant to him when the partnership was first announced earlier this week.
“My mother was someone I looked up to immensely. 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.”
Wednesday capped a day that started with a Calder Trophy ambush on national TV and ended with an 18-year-old turning his own hardware into something bigger than hockey.
