With the 17th overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, the New York Islanders selected defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson.
The 18-year-old blue liner is known for his physical style — he’s Alexander Romanov if he can shore up his skating — but also has an offensive touch as he scored 26 goals in 64 games for the Barrie Colts this past season.
I caught up with Aitcheson a few times during development camp to get his thoughts on what the week was like for the recent draftee: