Canadian defenceman Matthew Schaefer out for rest of world juniors due to injury

Matthew Schaefer has handled adversity and heartache all through his younger life.

One of many prime prospects for the 2025 NHL draft should now overcome one more hurdle.

The 17-year-old defenceman will miss the remainder of the world junior hockey championship after he was injured taking part in for Canada in Friday’s gorgeous 3-2 shootout loss to Latvia.

Schaefer crashed into the opposition web at ferocious velocity off the push on an influence play within the first interval, his left shoulder making clear contact with the purpose body.

The Hamilton product stayed down briefly inside a hushed Canadian Tire Centre earlier than skating off and heading to the host nation’s locker room.

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“Large blow to our staff,” Hockey Canada’s Peter Anholt, who heads the lads’s under-20 program, mentioned Saturday on the staff’s resort in Ottawa’s west finish. “Subsequent man up.

“We’re going to want some higher performances out of some guys on our again finish. We really feel we’ve obtained the individuals again there to do it.”

Schaefer, who had a purpose and help in Thursday’s 4-0 win over Finland that opened the occasion for each groups, is projected to be among the many prime picks at June’s draft.

An offensive driver from the again finish due to an elite skating stride, he has seven objectives and 15 assists for 22 factors throughout 17 video games this season for the Ontario Hockey League’s Erie Otters after overcoming a bout of mononucleosis.

“It’s unhappy, you are feeling for him,” Canadian ahead Easton Cowan mentioned. “You don’t need that to occur to anybody.

“Me and the boys really feel for him quite a bit.”

Vancouver Canucks prospect Sawyer Mynio of Kamloops, B.C., will slot into the lineup for Canada, which is trying to get again on monitor Sunday in Group A towards Germany following one of many worst defeats in this system’s historical past.

“Really feel actually dangerous for the man,” Canadian defenceman Oliver Bonk mentioned of Schaefer. “Nice child, enjoyable being round him. He was taking part in wonderful. It’s undoubtedly a tricky loss.”

The blueliner has skilled a number of that in latest occasions.

Schaefer’s mom, Jennifer, died of breast most cancers in February. That devastating information got here three months after his billet mom, Emily Matson, died by suicide. After which earlier this month after he made Canada’s world junior roster, mentor and Otters proprietor Jim Waters died of a coronary heart assault.

“Robust child,” Anholt mentioned.

“He’s resilient. He’ll come by means of this.”

The six-foot-two, 183-pound Schaefer helped his nation win gold on the under-18 world championship within the spring and once more at this summer time’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup.

“I’m positive Schaefer would need us to win for him,” Canadian ahead Bradly Nadeau mentioned. “That’s the least we might do.”

2:06
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