Matthew Schaefer being the first NHL No. 1 pick out of the Ontario Hockey League since Connor McDavid in 2015 is pressure enough. Then there’s following Connor Bedard and Macklin Celebrini into the league.

Bedard with Chicago and Celebrini with San Jose immediately were put into prominent roles. Bedard won the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year, and Celebrini finished third in the voting.

Taken atop the draft by the New York Islanders, Schaefer may not be in that conversation this season, through little fault of his own. He is a defenseman, a position that traditionally requires a longer, steeper learning curve, and the team is not going to rush a potential franchise cornerstone of the future.

“We’re going to give him time,” said coach Patrick Roy, who made the all-rookie team

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