Nashville Rookie's Solid Play Helping Team Claw Back into Playoff Contention
The young Reid Schaefer has been a solid addition to the Predators bottom six.
While there might be another rookie with the last name Schaefer who may go on to win the Calder, Nashville has their own who’s been doing just fine.
Reid Schaefer joined the club and played his first career game on Nov. 28, and since then has potted four goals while showing the league what kind of player he can be.
He was the last pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, selected by his hometown team, the Edmonton Oilers, and did not even last a year in the organization before being traded to the Predators as part of the Mattias Ekholm deal.
Most of his time since then has been spent with the AHL affiliate Milwaukee Admirals, where this season he put up near point-per-game numbers before being called up.
Schaefer stands at an impressive 6’5” and was scouted as a powerful forward with offensive upside, which has so far proven to be true. He has recorded multiple hits in 14 of his 19 career games and has shown strong finishing ability while handling the puck.
His first goal, which came in his third game, was a net-front tally where he stood his ground and found a way to get his shot around the goaltender. It was a special moment for him and somewhat overwhelmed him.
“It was a lot of fun… I kind of blacked out,” Schaefer said. “It went in the net and I was like, ‘Oh, what do I do here?’”
Schaefer’s second career goal showed more of his skill set, as against the Colorado Avalanche he used his strength and size to take the puck out of a scrum in the corner, drive to the net, and score.
He’s done all of this with limited minutes playing on the fourth line. Centered by Michael McCarron and with Cole Smith on the right wing, Schaefer has mostly seen only eight to twelve minutes per game, although he has seen an increase of a minute or two over the past three contests.
Since he arrived on the scene, Nashville has turned its season around. The team has gone 12-7, beating top teams like the Avalanche and Minnesota Wild while rallying to sit just three points out of a playoff spot.
Schaefer and the Predators will look to climb closer to the second wild card spot with a win against the other Schaefer and the New York Islanders later tonight.
-Image courtesy of Nashville Predators/John Russell