[sureLoss]

Steve Ellis of Dailyfaceoff says defenceman Kashawn Aitcheson of the Barrie Colts should be in the conversation to go top 10.

https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/pu...orce-of-nature

“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.”

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.”

“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.”