Islanders’ Matthew Schaefer in Olympic drug testing protocol

It seems the Team Canada brass has taken note of a hot start for the 2025 first-overall pick.

New York Islanders rookie defenceman Matthew Schaefer confirmed that he is currently in Olympic drug testing protocol for Team Canada, per Newsday‘s Andrew Gross.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was first to report the news in Wednesday’s 32 Thoughts blog.

Placing Schaefer in protocol will make him eligible to be selected when Team Canada rounds out its final roster decisions ahead of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics, but according to Gross, the 18-year-old defenceman remains totally focused on the Islanders at this time.

Schaefer, whom the Islanders selected with the top pick in June, has taken the league by storm in his first year, leading all rookies in points with 15 in 20 games, whilst averaging 22:30 on ice.

Schaefer’s Islanders currently sit fourth in the Metropolitan Division with an 11-7-2 record.