After his playing career, Schaefer most recently served as head coach, general manager and president of the Surrey Eagles of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL).

Schaefer continued to improve in the WHL the following season, putting up a junior career-high 123 points, fourth overall in league scoring.

Schaefer assisted Team Canada in winning the gold medal at the IIHF U20 World Junior Championships in Geneva, Switzerland in 1997.

After being invited to the Vancouver Canucks' 2010 training camp on a tryout basis, he was signed to a one-year, two-way, contract worth $600,000 on October 7, 2010.

[5] Becoming an unrestricted free agent, he signed overseas with German team ERC Ingolstadt of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) in January 2011.

[6] After his playing career ended, Schaefer became an assistant coach of the Surrey Eagles of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) for the 2012–13 season.