How Macklin Celebrini Extension Impacts Matthew Schaefer, NY Islanders

As shared by Elliotte Friedman on X, the superstar forward agreed to a five-year extension that will pay him $18.8 million annually. He is now the highest-paid player in the NHL, based on AAV, surpassing Leo Carlsson.

Carlsson signed an offer sheet with the Philadelphia Flyers this offseason that paid $18 million annually over the course of five years. The Anaheim Ducks matched, which has put them in a salary cap crunch as a result.

Coming off a season in which he recorded 115 points, scoring 45 goals and handing out 70 assists with a plus/minus ratio of +8, it was only a matter of time until Celebrini signed a lucrative long-term extension with the franchise.

What does this mean for the Islanders? They now have a baseline to work off when discussing long-term contract numbers with their homegrown star.

Schaefer isn’t a forward like Celebrini is, but it would not shock anyone if he approached the max salary, which is 20% of the NHL’s upper salary cap limit. For the 2026-27 season, that max is $20.8 million, and it will only be on the rise as the salary cap continues to climb.

A defenseman getting paid that kind of money would be a seismic shift in spending for the league, but it is something that could certainly happen. Right now, the highest-paid defenseman, based on AAV, is Bowen Byram, who will make $12.5 million annually.

Matthew Schaefer's extension could set records

That is likely the starting point for any negotiations between Schaefer and the franchise. And if he builds upon the production he provided as a rookie, that asking price is going to continue climbing.

Given what Celebrini signed for, Carlsson’s $18 million, the $15 million annually that Connor Bedard agreed to, and the rising cap, Schaefer is certainly seeing dollar signs.

If he signs an extension after his second season in the NHL, as Celebrini did, the max he could receive is 20% of an estimated salary cap of $113.5 million. It is expected to rise even more for the 2028-29 campaign to $123 million.

The longer Schaefer waits to sign an extension, the more likely it becomes that he not only shatters the AAV record for a defenseman, but could be in a position to become the highest-paid player in the NHL.