New York Islanders rookie defenseman, Matthew Schaefer, received the NHL’s Rookie of the Month award for his outstanding performance in October. Schaefer stood out among all rookies, ranking third in points with three goals and five assists in 11 games.
In addition, Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel was named the league’s first star, followed by Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele as the second star, and Montreal Canadiens goalie Jakub Dobes as the third star for the initial month of the season.
Hailing from Hamilton, the 18-year-old Schaefer was the Islanders’ top pick in this year’s draft. His performance of earning eight points in his first 11 NHL games as an 18-year-old defenseman is second only to Phil Housley’s record of 11 points in 1982-83 with the Buffalo Sabres.
Schaefer’s remarkable achievements in October placed him ahead of other notable rookies, including Montreal Canadiens’ Dobes, Ivan Demidov, and Oliver Kapanen; Detroit Red Wings’ Emmitt Finnie; Minnesota Wild’s Zeev Buium, and St. Louis Blues’ Jimmy Snuggerud.
Setting a record as the youngest player to earn a point in his NHL debut at 18 years and 34 days, Schaefer also became the youngest defenseman to score his first goal since Ross Johnstone over 80 years ago.
Maintaining an impressive point streak of six games with two goals and five assists, Schaefer secured his first game-winning goal against the San Jose Sharks on October 21.
On another note, Jack Eichel, after signing a lucrative eight-year, US$108-million extension with Vegas, dominated the league with eight goals and 11 assists in 11 games, propelling the Golden Knights to a strong 6-2-3 start.
Mark Scheifele of the Winnipeg Jets showcased consistent performance by collecting points in 10 out of his first 11 games, scoring nine goals and becoming the all-time leading scorer for his team. The 32-year-old maintained a six-game point streak at the beginning of the season with seven goals and three assists, contributing to the Jets’ 8-3-0 record.
Meanwhile, Jakub Dobes of the Montreal Canadiens excelled with a 6-0-0 record in October, boasting a 1.97 goals-against average and a .930 save percentage. The 24-year-old Czech goalie made significant saves in his six starts, allowing two or fewer goals in four games.