Mathew Barzal believes the Islanders made the right call by drafting defenseman Matthew Schaefer first overall. Barzal praised Schaefer’s talent during his appearance on the Fore Play podcast, and he called the 17-year-old a complete player, comparing him to Avalanche star Cale Makar.Cale Makar, drafted fourth overall in 2017, is one of the NHL’s top defensemen. He had 92 points last season and averaged over 25 minutes of ice time.Barzal said that teams never trade defensemen like Makar, and he sees Schaefer in the same way.“I think he's a complete stud, he's one of those guys that you can't get until you draft. Teams don't let guys like that ever go, like Cale Makar is never leaving Colorado," he said.Matthew Schaefer was selected first overall by the Islanders in the 2025 NHL draft at L.A. Live’s Peacock Theater. Before his injury at the World Juniors, he recorded 22 points and a plus-21 rating in just 17 games with the Erie Otters. Though a broken collarbone ended his OHL season early, the Islanders focused on his strong two-way play and long-term potential.On draft night, Schaefer gave an emotional speech about his late mother. He said (via NHL.com),“I wish my mom could have been here, but I know she’s with me,” and he also said he was excited to join the Islanders.Barzal is currently in the third year of his $73.2 million deal with the Islanders, and he sees Matthew Schaefer as a player who can lead the team’s defense for years.Matthew Schaefer is happy to “have a coach like” RoyLast week, Islanders' prospect Matthew Schaefer was present at a charity golf event in Brampton, Ontario. There, he praised coach Patrick Roy as one of the best coaches. Schaefer said Roy has been great to him and is also a good person."Obviously, he’s one of the best,” Schaefer said to the media, via NHL.com. “When I walked into the Upper Deck offices recently, I saw things about him all over the place. He’s been awesome to me. He’s such a great guy, too. ...a great human being, so to have a coach like that is awesome.”Matthew said the Islanders are fully behind him. He is now focused on training before the September preseason games.The morning after draft night, Schaefer boarded a private jet for the first time—an experience he later described as “sick."“It was sick,” Schaefer said on the First Up podcast. “The legroom is elite.”There, he also talked about how the draft experience has been 'super crazy'.