We have another installment of our 2025 NHL Entry Draft outlook to share; and this time we’re going a little off the board. We previously reviewed a skilled left-shooting rearguard, Cameron Reid, and how he brings elements to the cupboard of which the organization can use a bit more. Staying in the same position, there’s another prospect in the upcoming Draft who, for different reasons, is undoubtedly on the radar for a lot of teams. In fact, he’ll probably be taken quite a bit before the Kings even get their shot at the podium in round one.
Four words describe this hopeful prospect, and it embodies a theme Kings management look for: “Tough to play against.”
Kashawn Aitcheson
Vitals
Date of Birth: September 21, 2006
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 198 lbs
Shoots: Left
Position: Defense
2024-25 Season Review
Aitcheson spent the entirety of the 2024-25 season playing for the OHL’s Barrie Colts. In 64 games, he led the team with 59 points (26 G, 33 A). In the playoffs, he tallied 12 points (6 G, 6 A) in 16 games.
A Lover (of Hockey) AND a Fighter
The throwback physical defenseman has played 151 career OHL games to date (along with 11 in the playoffs). Per hockeyfights.com, he has fought at least 20 times.
Tough Yet Humble
Scott Wheeler wrote a great piece on Aitcheson. While cataloguing the rugged player’s journey in junior hockey, his commitment to those who have brought him this far was not lost:
RememBrandt
Avid followers will hopefully recognize Aitcheson’s junior team of the Barrie Colts. Right shooting defender Brandt Clarke was teammates with him back in the 2022-23 season.
Rankings by Independent Scouting Services
Ranked No. 19 by Sportsnet’s Jason Bakula: “Aitcheson is a bit of a throwback. He’s a very intense, competitive, physical defenceman who plays with a presence. Opponents can’t sleep on him when tracking through the neutral zone with the puck on their stick. Aitcheson gaps up with authority and finishes his checks. He’s also willing to drop the mitts on occasion.”
Ranked No. 20 by Sam Cosentino. “Has points in 10 of his past 11 games, and is now up to 25 goals. Those numbers can’t be taken lightly. Add in the old-school nastiness and you have a unique combination.”
Ranked No. 12 by Future Considerations. “Aitcheson is a physical, left-shot two-way defenseman who blends size, skating, and a strong competitive edge into a reliable all-around game that impacts both ends of the ice. He consistently plays with an aggressive and abrasive style, often getting under opponents’ skin and using his physicality to separate players from the puck, finish checks with authority, and control space in his own zone. His defensive game stands out for its responsibility and effectiveness—he excels at blocking shots, winning board battles, clearing the crease, and denying net-front presence through assertive cross-checks and disciplined positioning. He supports his defensive partner well, recognizing dangerous breakdowns and reading coverage to offer smart outlets and
bailout options in transition. Offensively, Aitcheson demonstrates calculated instincts, knowing when to activate off the blue line or join the rush without compromising defensive structure. He owns a heavy, accurate shot that he uses liberally from the point and can jump into the slot to create pressure in traffic between the dots. His puck skills are solid if not elite; he makes clean breakout passes under pressure and shows the poise to handle puck retrievals and initiate controlled zone exits. His skating includes strong straight-line speed to support the rush and solid edgework that allows for tight gaps and quick changes in direction when defending. Though he flashes playmaking ability, particularly on the power play, his decision-making in the offensive zone could be sharper, as he sometimes delays on puck movement or elevates shots too high to generate rebounds.”
See For Yourself
Video of Aitcheson vs. Brampton of the OHL:
Final Comments
The Toronto-born blueliner is an all-situation rugged defender who undoubtedly will win over the hearts of fans and coaches for whichever team is fortunate enough to draft him. Let’s start with some areas of improvement first.
Aitcheson’s puck management has shown some spottiness. When he keeps the play simple, the tough defenseman is effective. However, the breakout and stretch passes often have missed the mark, leading to unnecessary turnovers. There are also times when the lauded aggression gets to be too much with his decision making. The rugged blueliner loves to jump in on the attack, and sometimes springing in isn’t appropriate for the situation, and Barrie found an outnumbered chance against them.
Another question comes into general upside. The biggest blocker for younger prospects to enter the NHL is the need to build on strength. Aitcheson is already very physically fit, and so the question is how much more will he grow?
However the physique improves, Barrie’s blueliner boasts plenty of qualities that will still endear observers. His competitiveness is second to none, and whether it’s throwing the gloves down or battling in front of either his or the opponent’s net, people have to battle for every inch against him.
While we earlier commented on how Aitcheson can be overly aggressive and how playing a simple game is important, he’s a highly intelligent player. More often than not, the Toronto native recognizes when there’s support which affords him to join in on the attack. While there’s not a high level of stickhandling ability, Kash forces defenders to respect his space and consider him a threat.
Defensively, he’s solid as long as the play remains in front of him. While only 6-foot-1, Aitcheson has a good reach and active stick which is good at poking the puck away or covering up a passing lane. The defender could stand to look around the ice more to identify additional dangers, and thus is prone to some blind spots. Ice scanning usually improves with experience and coaching, so it’s not as concerning as the other points previously discussed.
In the long run, Aitcheson has the tools to be a regular top-four defenseman. He’s mobile, physical, and intelligent. Articles which cover him talk about his personality and likeability off the ice – the type of player you love to have on your team but hate to play against. While the rankings above put him in the late teens, we expect the blueliner to go top-15. Los Angeles would need to exercise a lot of creativity to move up so they could acquire him.
Chat with David: You can find him on Twitter @Davidenkness to talk more hockey.
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