Inside Matthew Schaefer’s journey: How top NHL prospect endured unimaginable loss of his mother and more

Matthew Schaefer is expected to be the first overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. But for the 17-year-old defenseman, draft night will be bittersweet. In just one year, Schaefer has lost his mother, billet mother, and a team owner-mentor—three key figures who shaped his journey. Here’s a look at the heartbreak behind hockey’s brightest young prospect.The NHL Draft is meant to be a celebration—a young player’s first step toward professional greatness. For Canadian defenseman Matthew Schaefer, projected to go No. 1 overall in the 2025 NHL Draft, the moment comes with deep emotional weight.In February 2024, Schaefer lost his mother, Jennifer, to breast cancer after a two-year battle. Despite her illness, she remained a constant source of strength and inspiration. Schaefer often reflects on her positivity, saying, “Just seeing what my mom went through, having a smile on her face with cancer and everything trying to bring her down, but she wouldn't let it bring her down. She's someone I look up to, really strong.”Jennifer played a huge role in Schaefer’s development, even acting as a goalie in the basement so her sons could practice. Schaefer remembers those moments fondly: “When I’m shooting pucks in the basement, she’s probably spiritually having the hockey equipment on, trying to save them. I’m missing the net because she’s probably blocker saving that.”He carries her presence with him every time he steps on the ice. “I know she has a front-row seat every game,” he said. Only three months before his mother passed, Schaefer lost his billet mom, Emily Matson, in a tragic accident. Matson, a local journalist in Erie, Pennsylvania, was killed by a train in what was ruled a suicide in December 2023. She had welcomed Schaefer into her family and home, offering him comfort and stability while he pursued his hockey dreams away from home.Schaefer has also had to cope with the death of Erie Otters owner Jim Waters, who passed away from a heart attack in December 2024. Waters had bought the Otters in 2015 and quickly became a guiding force in Schaefer’s hockey journey. “Jim and his wife, Sheila, were two big parts of my life,” Schaefer shared.Despite these unimaginable personal losses, Schaefer remains mentally strong. A collarbone injury kept him out of the final three months of his season, but he shrugged it off in the context of his grief. “I’ve been through a lot in my life and I’d rather an injury than losing someone I love. There are a lot worse things than injuries.”Also Read: How to watch 2025 NHL Draft: Date, Time, Live stream, and Top picks to watchNow, as he prepares to hear his name called on draft night, Schaefer carries more than just a hockey legacy, he carries the memories and strength of the people who helped him reach this point.