Isles' Kashawn Aicheson embracing physical game while refining his skill
Islanders coaches and players meet during the third day of rookie camp at the Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow on Saturday. Credit: Newsday/J. Conrad Williams Jr.
Pain and injuries are a part of hockey, especially for those who play a particularly physical game. So if first-rounder Kashawn Aicheson has the NHL career he and the Islanders hope he does, there probably will be the missed practice here or there.
“It’s honestly just wanting to be impactful in all areas of the game,” the 6-2, 200-pound defenseman said when asked about his physical style on Sunday at Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow after the fourth day of Islanders rookie camp. “You still want to be responsible defensively and not just run around with your head cut off looking for big hits.”
Aicheson, selected 17th overall in June, was back on the ice after missing Saturday’s practice for maintenance. Sunday’s rookie camp practice included several checking drills.
“Even doing the angle drills, you can tell that’s a big boy coming,” said forward Matthew Maggio, a fifth-round pick in 2022 entering his third full season in the Islanders’ organization. “Just getting to know him and being able to skate with him, everyone’s seen the big hits that he can throw. But I think I’m more impressed with how he is on the puck. He’s got a sneaky bomb of a shot. He’s got some good hands and he’s a smart player.”
Still, the organization wants to foster, develop and improve Aicheson’s physical presence.
“There’s that old saying that you can’t put stripes on a pussycat, you’d rather have a tiger,” said Rocky Thompson, the coach of the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport, who is running the on-ice drills. “If you can teach a tiger how to check properly, well, he’s still a tiger inside but you’re just making him better.”
The Islanders used one of their three first-round picks on Aicheson after the lefthander compiled 26 goals, 33 assists and 88 penalty minutes in 64 OHL games. He is slated to return to Barrie for his fourth season of junior hockey after participating in the Islanders’ training camp, which opens on Thursday.
Aicheson, who turns 19 this coming Sunday, was suspended for three OHL preseason games for an illegal check to the head earlier this month.
“It happens,” Aicheson said. “That’s kind of what I come with. I’m a super-physical guy. I’ll do whatever it takes for the team and my teammates. If I see a teammate in a vulnerable position, I’m not just going to sit there and watch it happen.”
Notes & quotes: Former KHL standout Maxim Shabanov, who is expected to compete for a role among the Islanders’ top six forwards, continued to stand out during rookie camp, routinely connecting on wrist shots and passes while showing his strength during the checking drills. “His skill set is good,” Thompson said. “I thought he checked good. He’s such a good skater. He’s competitive.” . . . Thompson also was impressed with third-round pick Luca Romano’s passing. “A lot of our drills were about playing fast,” Thompson said. “You had to make long passes and the ice was already roached. And that’s when you can tell who's a good passer. It doesn’t matter if the ice is bad, their puck is still going to get on target, it’s still going to be flat.”
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
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