Islanders select Kashawn Aitcheson No. 17 overall in 2025 NHL Draft
A very good rearguard with a lot of upside has found his first NHL home. The New York Islanders selected defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson, 18, with the 17th overall pick Friday night at The Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
The Islanders received the 17th overall pick, as well as the No. 16 selection, in the deal that saw them send defenseman Noah Dobson to the Montreal Canadiens earlier on Friday. The Isles took Swedish prospect Victor Eklund before taking Aitcheson.
Aitcheson came into this year’s draft regarded as one of the top blueliners in his class. NHL Central Scouting had the Toronto native listed as the ninth-best North American skater, third among defenders behind the likes of Matthew Schaefer and Radim Mrtka. Daily Faceoff draft expert Steven Ellis has Aitcheson as the 10th overall prospect heading into the draft, and the third available defenseman behind Schaefer and Jackson Smith.
Aitcheson has earned the reputation of being a solid two-way defender with the Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League, along with playing with a little bit of an edge. He played parts of three seasons with the team, becoming a full-time OHLer during the 2023-24 campaign. That year saw Aitcheson pot eight goals and 31 assists for 39 points, along with registering an astounding 126 penalty minutes.
While he didn’t notch a career-high in PIMs this past year, Aitcheson scored more goals (26), assists (33) and points (59) than any other season in Barrie, finishing seventh in the OHL in scoring among defenders. His efforts helped the Colts advance to the Eastern Conference Final, ultimately losing to the eventual league runners-up, the Oshawa Generals.
Along with his growing junior career, which saw him play for Team CHL in the CHL USA Prospects Challenge this past season, the North York Rangers product played for Team Canada at the 2024 IIHF Under-18 Men’s World Championship, helping the team bring home the gold medal.
While he might not be the tallest defenseman in his draft class, standing at 6-foot-1, the near-200-pound skater brings some strength to his game. Ellis says that aspect of his game made him a possible top-10 pick, among other things.
“He’s built like a tank,” Ellis wrote. “That’s why many think he won’t have much to worry about when he adjusts to the pro game. He’s absolutely fearless and has little regard for his safety at times – and that’s just the physical adjustment. Up top, scouts think he has above-average hockey sense, and he’s getting better at managing the game under pressure.”
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