If anyone understands the impact that Jennifer had on Matthew, it’s Jim Nyhuus, one of his former minor hockey coaches and close mentors who will be at the Islanders’ morning skate on Tuesday.
Nyhuus coached Schaefer when he was just 15, playing for the Halton Hurricanes in the South Central Triple A U16 league during the 2022-23 season. That year, he scored 32 points (12 goals, 20 assists) in 25 regular-season games and added 14 points (six goals, eight assists) in five playoff matches. “Jimbo,” as Schaefer affectionately calls him, became a trusted part of Matthew’s support network when his mom was ill.
Even now, Matthew and Jimbo keep in touch with weekly texts.
“At that time, when his mom was sick, I often got emotional with him about it while trying to stay strong,” Nyhuus remembered. “But he always showed such strength.
“Right now, he is living up to his mother’s expectations of him-not just as a hockey player but as a person-because he’s an even better person than he is a hockey player, and that’s saying something.”
A quality that Nyhuus said reflects Jennifer’s spirit, which he experienced firsthand.
On August 25, 2023, Nyhuus, along with his wife Baillie and stepdaughter Maddie were returning home from dinner in Muskoka, Ontario-a little over 120 miles north of Toronto-when another driver crashed into them.
“We all sustained serious injuries; however Baillie’s were the most severe,” he recounted. “She ended up with eight broken ribs, a collapsed lung, four fractured vertebrae, and a significant concussion.. She still has a broken back.”
Around three weeks later-while Baillie was still in intensive care and Jim and Maddie were recovering at home-a gift basket filled with food and other items was delivered to their door by Todd and Jennifer Schaefer along with Johnny.
“Just thinking about it makes me emotional,” Nyhuus said as he fought back tears. “Here’s Jennifer. At that point she was dying; she had cancer. She would pass away early the following year. And this family wasn’t focused on themselves or feeling sorry for themselves-they were there to help my family.”
He paused briefly to regain composure.
<p“Such a humble family,” he remarked. “It's clear where Matthew gets those qualities from.”
<p“I'm really looking forward to seeing him again.”
For this NHL homecoming for Matthew, there won’t be any shortage of supporters eager to echo those sentiments.
NHL. com independent correspondent Stefen Rosner contributed to this report
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