Did Matthew Schaefer Just Figure Out McDavid?

Matthew Schaefer just played Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl for only the second time in his career — and helped keep both of them off the scoresheet in a 1–0 win.

In this video, I break down how Schaefer defended, not with highlight plays, but with positioning, patience, and smart decision-making. This isn’t about “shutting down” elite players — it’s about understanding what actually works defensively against the best offensive talent in the world.

Schaefer is the 1st overall pick with massive expectations, and performances like this show why. Despite all the hype, he was also left off Canada’s Olympic roster, which makes this game an interesting snapshot of where his game already is — and where it’s still going.

If you’re a defenseman, coach, or someone trying to improve their hockey IQ, this breakdown focuses on:
managing space against elite speed
defending without chasing
winning shifts even when nothing “happens”

This is a full defensive analysis — habits over highlights.

#MatthewSchaefer #ConnorMcDavid #LeonDraisaitl #NewYorkIslanders #EdmontonOilers #nhl #Defenseman #HockeyIQ #NHLBreakdown #LearnHockey #DirtyLittleShifts

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Chapters:
0:00 - Intro
0:55 - Scheafer's Struggles
2:25 - Scheafer Starts Figuring It Out
8:11 - 3-on-2 Shutdown
9:15 - Scheafer vs McDavid AND Draisaitl
10:42 - Draisaitl Penalty On Scheafer
11:59 - Final Minutes
13:28 - Summary
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