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  • Associated Press

Oct 12, 2025, 12:17 AM ET

NEW YORK — Matthew Schaefer won’t soon forget his first NHL goal. The 18-year-old defenseman and top overall pick in this year’s NHL Draft dove headfirst into the moment, literally.

Schaefer found a loose puck after a scramble in front of the net and lunged forward, poking it past Washington Capitals goalie Logan Thompson at 4:28 of the third period in the Islanders’ 4-2 loss Saturday night.

“It’s crazy, I love these fans,” Schaefer said of the reaction inside UBS Arena during New York’s home opener. “Getting your name chanted out there. It’s awesome, feels like home for sure. … We want to win for the fans and we want to be there every night for them. They come out every night for us.

“We wish we could have gotten the win for them and for the team in here. We are going to keep working, keep working toward that.”

The goal cut Washington’s lead to two, but the Islanders couldn’t rally while falling to 0-2 on the season.

Still, it was a milestone for the rookie, who made the team out of training camp just months after hearing his name called first in Los Angeles at the draft.

“He kind of took the game over to be honest with you,” Islanders forward Bo Horvat said. “He was our best player tonight. He was moving, he was obviously contributing. He is just so effective out there. He is just getting more and more comfortable every single game. He is a special player, we are lucky to have him.”

Schaefer’s play has already earned the coaching staff’s full trust. After getting an assist for his first NHL point while logging 17:15 of ice time in the Islanders’ 4-3 season-opening loss at Pittsburgh on Thursday, he had a game-high 26:04 of ice time in this one. That was more than four minutes ahead of Mathew Barzal‘s 21:28.

“I’m not balancing anything right now with the way he’s playing,” Islanders coach Patrick Roy said of Schaefer’s workload. “He forced me to play him — he forced us to play him — so we’re going to give it to him.”

Few players have entered the draft with less recent game experience. Schaefer played just 17 games for Erie of the Ontario Hockey League in 2024-25, missing time with mononucleosis and later a broken clavicle sustained while representing Canada at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship. He still managed 22 points (seven goals, 15 assists) and a plus-21 rating.

The Ontario native also captained Canada to gold medals at the 2024 Under-17 World Hockey Challenge and the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.

Now, just 18 and already on NHL ice, his first goal offered a glimpse of why the Islanders are looking for big things from the youngster for years to come.

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Mariners vs. Blue Jays (Oct 13, 2025) Live Score – ESPN

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October 14, 2025

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Mariners vs. Blue Jays (Oct 13, 2025) Live Score - ESPN

1st Rodríguez homered to left (370 feet), Arozarena scored and Raleigh scored. 3 0 1st Lukes reached on infield single to first, Springer scored on throwing error by first baseman Naylor, Lukes to second. 3 1 1st Kirk singled to center, Lukes scored. 3 2 2nd Lukes singled to right, Clement scored, Springer to third. 3 3 5th Polanco homered to center (400 feet), Arozarena scored and Raleigh scored. 6 3 6th Crawford singled to left, Rivas scored. 7 3 7th Naylor homered to right (359 feet), Polanco scored. 9 3 7th Crawford hit sacrifice fly to center, Suárez scored. 10 3

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Julio Rodriguez’s three-run HR gives Mariners early ALCS Game 2 lead

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October 14, 2025

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Julio Rodriguez's three-run HR gives Mariners early ALCS Game 2 lead

The Seattle Mariners got off to a strong start in Game 2 of the American Champions League Series on Monday courtesy of Julio Rodriguez.

The center fielder smashed an 84 mph splitter off Trey Yesavage for a three-run homer in the top of the first inning. The Toronto Blue Jays right-hander had never allowed an extra-base hit on the splitter before, according to ESPN Research.

It marked Rodriguez’s second home run of the postseason as Seattle looks to take a 2-0 lead in the series.

The blast was Yesavage’s first career home run allowed in his fifth career start (regular season and playoffs). Entering Monday, he had allowed only two extra-base hits in 19⅓ innings pitched.

Seattle trailed 1-0 in the first inning in Game 1 before bouncing back to win 3-1 on Sunday. The series shifts to Seattle on Wednesday.

ESPN Research contributed to this report.

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Padres’ Shildt retires, cites ‘severe toll’ of job

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October 13, 2025

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Padres' Shildt retires, cites 'severe toll' of job

  • ESPN News Services

Oct 13, 2025, 12:30 PM ET

Mike Shildt is retiring as San Diego Padres manager with two years remaining on his contract, saying “the grind of the baseball season has taken a severe toll on me mentally, physically and emotionally.”

The 57-year-old Shildt on Saturday informed the team he would retire, nine days after the Padres were eliminated by the Chicago Cubs in a tense three-game wild-card series. He said he made the decision on his own accord.

Shildt led the Padres to the postseason in each of the two seasons he managed the franchise. The club confirmed Shildt’s decision Monday.

“While it has always been about serving others, it’s time I take care of myself and exit on my terms,” Shildt said in a statement given to the San Diego Union-Tribune. “I gave every fiber of my being to help achieve Peter Seidler’s vision of bringing a World Series Championship to San Diego.

“We fell short of the ultimate goal, but I am proud of what the players, staff and organization were able to accomplish the last two seasons.”

Shildt went 183-141 as manager in San Diego. The Padres won 90 games this season and finished second in the NL West before being eliminated by the Cubs.

“I am most grateful for our players,” Shildt said in his statement. “San Diego is rightfully proud of the Padres players. It is a group that conducts themselves with class, is dedicated to each other and the common goal of winning a World Series. I love our players and will miss them dearly!!

“After 34 years of dedicating myself to the rigors of coaching and managing, I can with great enjoyment look back on achieving my two primary goals: To help players get the most out of their God given ability and become better men. Also, to win games.”

Before joining the Padres organization in early 2022 as a player development coach, Shildt was the manager of the St. Louis Cardinals from 2018 to 2021, posting a winning record in each of his three full seasons. He was the NL Manager of the Year in 2019 after leading the Cards to 91 wins and the NL Central title.

“We would like to congratulate Mike on a successful career and thank him for his significant contributions to the Padres and the San Diego community over the last four years,” Padres general manager A.J. Preller wrote as part of a statement.

Preller added that the search for a new Padres manager “will begin immediately with the goal of winning a World Series championship in 2026.”

The Padres’ new manager will be the eighth person to lead the dugout since Preller fired Bud Black in June 2015. Their chief rival, the Dodgers, has been managed by San Diego County product Dave Roberts since November 2015.

San Diego becomes the eighth MLB team with a managerial opening and the ninth to change managers in this offseason. Texas has already hired Skip Schumaker, but there are openings with the Padres, Angels, Braves, Orioles, Twins, Giants, Nationals and Rockies.

Information from ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez and The Associated Press was used in this report.

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