The New York Islanders surprised 20 local kids with a special task.

The team invited children who have lost a parent to meet 2025 first overall pick, Matthew Schaefer , and give him his first NHL contract on Monday.

Schaefer, who lost his mother to breast cancer in February 2024, talked to each family and signed autographs in a video posted by the Islanders.

“It’s never going to be easy, but I guarantee when you guys are playing baseball, she always has a front row seat to every game you play,” Schaefer told one kid in the video. “She’s the umpire calling out ‘strikes, strikes.’”

After, a young fan named Cole presented the Islanders prospect with one last thing to sign: his rookie contract.

The young defenseman then inked his name on the three-year entry-level contract as Cole and I

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