Aitcheson enjoys friendly competitiveness with Schaefer at NY Islanders rookie camp

The first day of New York Islanders rookie camp gave fans an early look at Kashawn Aitcheson, and the defenseman didn’t disappoint. Right away, he felt the pace of NHL life. “Yeah, obviously it was uh super high intensity. Everyone's competing. Everyone's giving it their best. So, it was a lot of fun,” Aitcheson said after stepping off the ice.

While he’s still new to the organization, Aitcheson senses the shift happening on Long Island. “I think obviously there's so many great players on the current roster now and I think the young guys are just trying to learn from them and learn from all the coaching staff here and just kind of take it one day at a time.” That learning, he explained, has already been valuable: “Just a lot of offensive, defensive work, situational awareness, those kinds of things.”

And yes, he’s already squared off plenty with No. 1 pick Matthew Schaefer. “He's always obviously always been a special player… I think obviously we push each other. That friendly competitiveness is great for both of our development.”

For the 18-year-old, rookie camp is more than drills—it’s a building block. “Each place is a stepping stone. Dev camp, then you have rookie camp. So, I think you just want to take in everything you get here and then just kind of keep using that information to push you forward.”

Aitcheson arrived ready after a summer of training. “Yeah, a lot of skating. I was doing a lot of power skating, a lot of skills, and just trying to improve my overall game.” He’s also been measured about expectations: “You just kind of want to play your game, you want to have fun, put your best foot forward and work as hard as you can.”