Wayne Gretzky makes Hart Trophy case for Islanders’ Matthew Schaefer

The New York Islanders faced the St Louis Blues on Wayne Gretzky bobblehead night in Missouri on Tuesday night. To mark the occasion, Gretzky joined the NHL on TNT crew before the game. While the conversation touched on his brief stint with the Blues, there was one player they could not avoid discussing. Wayne Gretzky says that Islanders rookie sensation Matthew Schaefer should be considered for the Hart Trophy as league MVP.

Gretzky joined the show to talk about Schenn being traded as well as The Schaefer Effect on Long Island and if he should be in Hart discussion pic.twitter.com/W3tizPyobn

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“I have to say, [Cale] Makar and [Quinn] Hughes are so good. Those two guys are probably a notch above everyone else. And Hughes proved that at the Olympics, Makar played great at the Olympics. They’ve both been tremendous NHL players. …You can’t pick [Schaefer] above those guys right now for the Norris. But I’m sitting here thinking, ‘my goodness, would this team be where they are without him?’ What about winning the MVP of the league? That’s how good this kid has been. I’m not saying he’s going to win it, I’m just saying that’s the talk he should be in. Because I’m not sure that team would be where they are without him.”

Schaefer is tied for the rookie lead with 20 goals and is closing in on the all-time record for goals by a rookie defenseman. Taken first overall in the NHL Draft back in June, Schaefer has taken the league by storm and is a near-lock to win the Calder Trophy as the Rookie of the Year.

The Islanders missed the playoffs last year and were not a trendy pick to make the dance coming into this season. But they entered Tuesday in the third spot in the Metropolitan Division, largely thanks to Schaefer’s offensive and defensive presence. Schaefer is an incredible long shot to win the Hart Trophy, but the nine-time winner thinks he has a case.

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