NY Islanders prospect Kashawn Aitchenson self aware and focused on improvement

A year ago, Kashawn Aitcheson arrived at New York Islanders development camp as one of the organization's most intriguing young defensemen. Twelve months later, he believes he's a much different player and he's the first to admit there's still plenty of work left to do.

Now entering his second summer in the Islanders' development program, the 17th overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft said the biggest difference isn't necessarily one specific skill, but rather the overall growth in his game.

"I think just all around," Aitcheson said when asked how he's changed since last year's camp. "I think there's so many things that I've tried to work on throughout the year and worked with the development guys and coaching staff through video and a lot of talking."

For a player known primarily for his physicality, edge, and offensive upside, Aitcheson believes his defensive game has taken significant strides over the past year. "I think my defensive game has come a ways," he said. "There's definitely some room to still improve in skating and all that. Honestly, I think it's just keep getting better overall."

That self-awareness may be one of the most encouraging signs for the Islanders. Aitchenson was one of the most dynamic and productive defenseman in OHL history, and it could be easy to simply rely on that to exceed on the next level, but he appears very aware of where his games needs to get.

Development camps can often be exercises in confidence-building, with prospects highlighting the areas where they've made dramatic improvements. Aitcheson, however, appears to have a clear understanding of both how far he's come and how far he still has to go.

For Aitcheson, it's another opportunity to prove that while he's already a different player than he was a year ago, he's still nowhere close to becoming the player he ultimately believes he can be.

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