Brooks Rogowski and Niklas Aaram-Olsen’s hockey journeys have led them places they never thought they’d be.
Both began skating at three years old and were drafted in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, which they discuss as being one of the most exciting moments of their young lives.
Rogowski played AAA hockey until he was 14, when he switched to playing hockey for his high school team, as he figured his path was going to be baseball, and he had his sights on the MLB. When he was playing high school hockey, he was seen by a scout for the Oshawa Generals of the OHL and ended up being drafted in the second round by Oshawa, which changed everything.
“They gave me an opportunity; they gave me a spot my first year as an unproven player, and I owe them a lot for that. I don’t know really what was going through their mind, but it ended up working out,” Rogowski laughed. “My first year was a pretty solid year; it wasn't anything special but wasn’t bad at all and got some great experience with some really good players. Came back for my second year and had a great year.”
The 33rd overall pick is focusing on being a physical and offensive threat and doing that consistently. He has made a checklist for himself from the feedback he’s received from coaching staff and scouts, helping him develop good habits.
“Just having that little checkbox to look back at after every game. Did I do this? Did I do that? It’s something I can think about going to bed, waking up in the morning,” Rogowski said. “You’ve got to hit these every game, and if you hit those every game, you’re probably in a good spot.”
Aaram-Olsen started skating at three years old when his dad would bring him to the rink. The 41st overall pick said the first 10 times he was at the rink were a bit rocky – there were tears, and he was more interested in the concession food – but soon after that he fell in love with the game.
“When I started school, I realized that I can actually be good at this. I find it really fun, just going to the rink with the boys after school, hanging [out] there,” Aaram-Olsen said.
Aaram-Olsen left Norway when he was 15, moving to Sweden to play for Örebro HK. Playing with much older players in Norway, he felt he needed teammates that were the same age as him and that he had more in common with.
“I talked to mom and dad and said I can’t be 14, 15 [years old] playing with guys that are 19, 20, sitting in the same locker room; they drive cars, have girlfriends. [I] moved to Sweden because the players are talented [in the] same age group as me.”
Growing up, Aaram-Olsen said playing college hockey wasn’t on his radar, but when Kim Brandvold was hired as an Assistant Coach at Boston University, he became a point of contact and college hockey became a part of the 18-year-old’s future.
“We have had contact for about two years now, and the past half a year I got more contact. I’ve talked to the coaches and staff [and] it just feels right for me and the right step for me to take,” Aaram-Olsen said.
Listen to this and much more as Rogowski and Aaram-Olsen join Chris Faber on the latest episode of the Canucks Insider Podcast.
