At the age of 16, Matthew received a call that he had been afraid for a long time-“I would never have wanted to see my mother so”

The phone rings. On the screen says Dad.

Matthew Schaefer has been afraid of the call for a long time, but still respond.

Canada Todd Asks his 16-year-old son to return home from the United States. Todd’s wife and Matthew’s mother Jennifer56, lying in hospital hoses.

– It was one of the most terrible things I had to face. I would never have wanted to see my mother so, Matthew recalls.

The boy hugs his mother, gives her kisses and tells her how much loves this.

A couple of days later, Jennifer was gone. The battle against breast cancer had ended.

First loss

Schaefer, 18, who has been booked number one in the NHL last summer, has encountered an exceptionally large number of tragedies that have raised him.

Just two months before the death of Jennifer mother, one December Sunday evening, the mother of Schaefer’s foster family Emily Matson committed suicide.

– No one understood it, not friends, not his spouse Ryan. There were no signs of it, Todd Schaefer says.

Matthew Schaefer had moved to a foster family at the age of 15 after hockey when he left Canada to the United States to represent Eri Otters.

Emily, who worked as a journalist, had suffered from mental health problems and depression after the family had lost a child five years earlier.

Still, nothing referred to self -destructive plans.

“It was the first big loss of my life,” says Schaefer.

Role model

Already as a child, Schaefer, who has been distinguished by his excellent skating skills and gameplay, ended up his big brother nine years older Johnny Inspired.

– He was a big role model for me.

Schaefer uses the game number 48 because it was Johnny’s game number. Big brother played with it because the former NHL star Daniel Briere carried four pants on his back.

The brothers refined gaming skills on Kotikatu, where Jennifer’s mother was often involved.

“Jennifer was quite bruised because he was a goalkeeper for the boys,” says Todd Schaefer.

Jennifer was real hockeywho rushed his sons for games and workouts. He didn’t normally miss any match. In his last day, Jennifer tried to watch Matthew’s game, but the forces were so at the end that he fell asleep in the middle of the game.

“I stayed home for a moment after my mother’s death, but if I had been there longer, my mother would have shouted me from heaven,” Back to the ice! “, Schaefer says.

“Outboard motor”

In addition to civilians, Schaefer also experienced tough in the rink last season, when the youngster’s collarbone broke in the second game of the Under-20 World Cup.

The season was there in the package, and the defender’s left shoulder is now adorned with a huge surgery. Schaefer was off the ice three months after the injury.

Since then, the Conscientious Trainee has trained, among other things, former Norris winner Mark Giordano with. Some also expect a Norris-level defender from Schaefer.

– Schaefer is an elite skater, a top -notch to carry the reels in transits and in the attack area. He has a very wide toolkit for a reel operating: the supply range is wide, the shot is sharp and accurate, and everything is finally based on manipulation and blurred by opponents, Lassi Alanen described last summer to Iltalehti.

Alanen is the director of EliteProspects European player monitoring.

“Schaefer has all the features you need to make hard results in today’s NHL while acting as an outboard for her team,” says Alanen.

“Really proud”

Schaefer ran away in OHL last season even alone, which is rare for the defender. It tells about the young man’s attack that sometimes goes to Lauka.

However, Schaefer did not end up being a number one reservation simply because of the gaming earnings. He is mentally exceptionally mature for his age. Schaefer has a lot of leadership qualities and has served as a skipper on the Canadian junior team.

Outside the trough, Schaefer treats all people in the same way, whether it is a child or a club boss. He also always has time for fans.

“I’m really proud of him,” Todd-father says of his son, who would probably have succeeded in any industry.

Big boots

New York Islanders made a tough decision last summer when it traded its Franchise-level defender Noah Dobson Montreal. The return mail came with two first round reservations used by the club To Victor Eklund and Kashawn to Aitcheson.

Even though Dobson got two hard bookings, the Islanders would never have traded the star kit if the club had not been able to reserve Schaefer.

So the youngster will have huge boots to fill in the future, but there is also a huge potential. Schaefer has been compared to, for example, Ottawan To Jake Anderson. Alanen thinks Schaefer reminds Dallas Miro Heiska.

– Schaefer has many similarities with Heiskanen. Both are exceptionally good skaters who are able to control the flow of the game and to contract giant minutes effectively and economically, Alanen opened last summer.

– Time will tell if Schaefer develops equally strong in defense, but on the other hand he has more potential in the offensive.

Next night, Schaefer will play the first NHL game of his career. In the face of Sidney Crosby led by Pittsburgh Penguins. Many could pound a little pacifier, but Schaefer has already had so much harder in his life that he doesn’t get stress.

– I play my mother every day.

Sources: Sportsnet, The Star