Leo Carlsson and Connor Bedard are two NHL stars who financially benefited in the ongoing offseason. While the Anaheim Ducks matched the Philadelphia Flyers' 5-year, $90 million offer sheet for Carlsson, the Chicago Blackhawks and Bedard agreed to a 5-year, $75 million extension.

Recently, NHL.com's Toronto Correspondent Dave McCarthy spoke to Matthew Schaefer at the Smilezone Foundation Celebrity Golf Tournament. McCarthy questioned Schaefer about his thoughts on Carlsson and Bedard's lucrative deals. Schaefer responded:

He added:

Matthew Schaefer was the first overall pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. In the 2025-26 season, Schaefer played exceedingly well for the New York Islanders. The 18-year-old featured in 82 games, scoring 23 goals and 36 assists, for which he earned 59 points.

New York Islanders' ex-captain Anders Lee left the team in free agency during the ongoing offseason. This calls for a new leader to step up. While the Islanders have many ideal candidates who could step up, Schaefer recently spoke about becoming captain.

In his conversation with McCarthy, Schaefer mentioned he's in "no rush" to lead the team. He said:

Matthew Schaefer further added that he aspires to learn from the likes of Bo Horvat and Brayden Schenn. He said captaincy does not matter because the Islanders have many leaders. Schaefer concluded by saying that once the season begins, everyone will step up and have a voice.

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