As per TSN’s Bob McKenzie, Team Canada will be without Top 2025 NHL Draft prospect Matthew Schaefer for the rest of the evening following following an injury.
Schaefer exited the game versus Latvia in the first period after colliding with the Latvian goal post at full speed.
Update from @HockeyCanada : Matthew Schaefer will not return to tonight’s game.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) December 28, 2024
When Schaefer exited the game, it was tied at 0-0 and was a rough first period for Canada following the injury.
The 17-year-old had one goal and one assist in Canada’s 4-0 opening victory over Finland. Schaefer logged 20:26 minutes of ice time and 27 shifts throughout that game. Canada started off their quest to win gold on home ice on the right foot with a 4-0 win. It was fellow OHLers Luca Pinelli and Schaefer who would score goals in the final five minutes of the game to seal the deal for Canada.
With Schaefer now out, Canada will look to fill that hole on the defense which could see them turn to the likes of Vancouver Canucks prospect Sawyer Mynio or Calgary Flames prospect Zayne Parekh.
Daily Faceoff prospect analyst Steven Ellis listed Schaefer as one of his top 10 NHL prospects to watch at the 2025 World Juniors, having this to say about the Erie Otters defenseman, “Don’t be surprised if Schaefer ends up becoming one of Canada’s best players,” said Ellis. “There isn’t a better, more deceptive skater on the blueline in this draft class, with his mobility being among the best we’ve seen in recent years. Schaefer is as good of a puck distributor as you’ll find, too, and it’s only a matter of time until he pops off in the OHL. That’s partly because he thinks that game is at such an advanced level at his age, often luring opponents in before pulling off a deceptive deke and getting the puck where it needs to be.”
The Hamilton, Ontario native has racked up seven goals and 15 assists for 22 points in 17 games with Erie in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) this season. With his current points pace, Schaefer could rack up over 70 points this campaign.
Canada will get ready for Sunday’s game against Germany before suiting up for their New Year’s Eve matchup against the United States.