Kashawn AITCHESON

Defense
6’1/198
Left
Barrie Colts/OHL

Related: Jackson Smith

Kashawn Aitcheson is a left-handed defenseman who was born on September 21st, 2006, making him only about a week away from being eligible for the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. He was drafted in the third round, 50th overall by the Barrie Colts at the 2022 OHL Priority Selection. Aitcheson broke onto the scene in a big way last season, scoring eight goals and 39 points through 64 games with the Colts. To give you an idea of his playstyle, he also racked up 126 minutes in the sin bin. At 6-1 198lbs, he is not the most physically imposing player on the ice, but he is not afraid to play with an edge and punish his opponents. These displays of violence do not summarize his game. Aitcheson consistently shows some decent two-way ability. He logs a lot of minutes on a nightly basis, featuring on both special teams units. Let’s take a close look at his game, how he stands out, and what interested teams can expect from him. Aitcheson is a workhorse in Barrie. He’s used in all situations and plays a physical style. He gaps up with authority and never backs down from engaging in the trenches. Aitcheson’s puck handling and offense have evolved this year. He’s already contributed 20 Goals, 24 Assists, and 44 Points in 53 games with 75 PIM. He’s impacting games offensively with Barrie but is unlikely to be a producer at the NHL level. However, his hockey sense and technical abilities will be sufficient enough to let his other tools do the work. He remains a bit raw but has the jam and tenacity to endear himself to any fanbase. Truly, a guy you love to have on your team, and hate to play against. Kawshawn Aicheson is a safe pick for teams in the middle of the first round looking for a reliable defenseman, who could develop into a top 4 option.

Size/Strength Great
Skating Good
Shot/Scoring Average
Puckhandling Average
Physical Play Great
Offensive Play Good
Defensive Excellent
Hockey Sense Excellent
Competitiveness Excellent

Strengths

1 He’s a hyper-competitive defender who doesn’t back down from physical play and likes to agitate. He has the bite NHL teams will love.
2 He’s a good skater with strong enough hands and hockey sense to make plays at higher levels even if offense will likely never be his calling card.
3 He’s such a strong presence, a real physical force of a player, who is great at taking space away from opponents and shutting down their opportunities.

Weakness

1 Aitcheson isn’t the most outstanding skater and his playmaking can be a bit of a mixed bag.
2 He’s not likely to provide the offence level of offence at the next level.
3 He can go over the line at times with his agitation.

Scouting Report

Kashawn Aitcheson is a throwback defenceman that plays with a ton of snarl and bite. He has formidable details in his approach to the game and stands at 6’1” 200 lbs, already an NHL body.
He’s a hyper-competitive defender who doesn’t back down from physical play and likes to agitate. He has the bite NHL teams will love, even if he does go over the line at times. He’s a good skater with strong enough hands and hockey sense to make plays at higher levels even if offense will likely never be his calling card. Teams love his old-school approach and positive attitude. He’s not likely to provide the offence level of offence at the next level that he does in junior. Whether he gets there is his story to write, but there’s real potential. He’s such a strong presence, a real physical force of a player, who is great at taking space away from opponents and shutting down their opportunities. His physicality is the best attribute of his game because he’s willing to get involved with just about anyone. He’s also putting up better numbers than I think most people expected this year. He’s averaging over 24 minutes of ice time per game and being deployed in all situations. Aitcheson is a strong skater and relentless competitor who plays with a physical edge. He never shies away from contact and gaps up to kill plays on his blue line. Kashawn Aitcheson has all the tools to develop into a physical two-way defenseman at the NHL level. I’d expect his best projection to be a second-pair blueliner. Aitcheson is comparable to Charlie McAvoy the star defenseman for the Boston Bruins who has a similar play style; McAvoy has a reputation as a defenseman who excels playing against top players and isn’t afraid of laying a big hit to change momentum. He’s impacting games offensively with Barrie but is unlikely to be a producer at the NHL level. However, his hockey sense and technical abilities will be sufficient enough to let his other tools do the work. He remains a bit raw but has the jam and tenacity to endear himself to any fanbase. Truly, a guy you love to have on your team, and hate to play against. Aitcheson has the floor to be a top 6 shutdown defenseman and a ceiling to be a top pair two-way defenseman, which makes him an ideal candidate to be selected in the middle of the first round.

Skill: Throwback Defenceman that plays with a ton of snarl and bite

NHL Comparable: Charlie McAvoy

NHL Potential: Top 4 Two-way Defenseman

Season	Team	League	GP	G	PTS
2023-24	Barrie Colts	OHL	64	9	43
	Canada U18	WJC-18	7	1	3
2024-25	Barrie Colts	OHL	53	20	44