The Punisher: 2025 NHL Draft’s Kashawn Aitcheson is a force of nature

Credit: (Steven Ellis/The Nation Network)

The inaugural Connor McDavid OHL Top Prospects Game in Brantford on Wednesday had three fights – and another two were inches away from breaking out.

Everyone expected Barrie Colts defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson to be part of at least one of them. He’s a tough-as-nails defender, tracking to eclipse 100 penalty minutes. He has fought five times since the start of the OHL pre-season, according to HockeyFights.com, and he’s credited with 18 over the course of his OHL career.

“I like to make big hits, and you know you’re probably gonna have to answer the bell sometimes,” Aitcheson said.

And when he landed a massive hit on Michael Misa just minutes into the all-star showcase, Aitcheson looked around, expecting someone to jump him. Except, it didn’t happen – nobody approached him. He instead went back on his merry way, and just seconds later, his Eastern Conference team evened the score at 1-1.

“Opponents are just too afraid of him,” one scout said shortly after the hit. “Nobody wants to tempt fate because they know they won’t win.”

In the end, Aitcheson never dropped the gloves during the game. After getting involved in just about every single altercation during the two-game CHL USA Prospects Challenge in late November, Aitcheson found a way to be physical without needing to throw punches.

Aitcheson has quickly become one of the most difficult players to go up against in the OHL. The third-year Barrie Colt had an outstanding Draft-1 year, registering 39 points and a whopping 126 penalty minutes. He capped the year off by playing a crucial defensive role at the U-18 World Championship in May, winning gold with Canada.

Scouts saw him as a potential mid-first-rounder in 2025 but wanted to see improvements with the puck. Suddenly, we’re talking about a defender who could potentially go in the top 10. He’s on pace for 20 goals and nearly 50 points, with scouts appreciating his decision-making as a passer and improved shot accuracy.

Ka$h, as he is known, isn’t flashy. But his biggest focus is making himself as difficult as possible to play against. As a defenseman, that’s the goal. He won’t look to just crush you physically, but he’s quite strong in his own zone – perhaps one of the best pure defensemen in this draft class.

“I think I can take on every team’s top line and do a good job with it,” Aitcheson said. “So I just just focus on that every game and being hard to play against.”

Going back to the CHL/USA series, Aitcheson was one of the top players as he looked to make a notable impact every time he hit the ice. Whether it was a big hit, a smart pass or a quick rush down the ice, Aitcheson never wanted to be a passenger. And it showed in how he played in front of all 32 NHL teams over those two days – all gas, no brakes.

“He can hit, but he’s so much more than that,” one said. “He’s no slouch offensively, either. He needs to fire his shot more because he’s got a weapon of a release – it feels like he’s only scratching the surface.

It’s one thing to bully teenagers, and it’s another to do it at the next level. Aitcheson isn’t huge at 6-foot-1, but he’s built like a tank. 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.

Aitcheson said he likes to watch players like Charlie McAvoy, Miro Heiskanen and Mikhail Sergachev closely.

“I think they’re sound, two-way players,” Aitcheson said. “McAvoy and Sergachev are more on the physical side and defensive side. So I try and model my game after them.”

Aitcheson is the 15th-ranked North American-based skater in the latest NHL Central Scouting rankings, with Daily Faceoff placing him seventh overall. The allure of having a young, moldable defenseman whom teammates and coaches alike are fond of is alluring. When you put the complete package together, there are few prospects in this draft like Kashawn Aitcheson.

“If I was chasing after the puck along the boards and saw him there, I’d skate away,” one scout said. “I don’t want to die out there – and there’s no chance I’d be coming out alive against him. He’s a menace in every way possible, and teams will love him.”

SPONSORED BY bet365

The Punisher: 2025 NHL Draft’s Kashawn Aitcheson is a force of nature

Recently by Steven Ellis