Aitcheson Helped By Horvat in Offseason Training

Kashawn Aitcheson is entering his second season in the New York Islanders organization with a new perspective and some guidance from newly named captain Bo Horvat.

This offseason, Aitcheson and Horvat spent some time skating together at Muskoka Hockey in Ontario’s cottage country. The Islanders’ top goal-scorer last season helped advise the 2025 17^th-overall pick while they were training. Horvat was impressed with the young defenseman and his desire to push himself.

“His drive and his work ethic is really impressive to me,” Horvat said of training with Aitcheson.  “He was doing our skates, and then he would go back to Barrie, and he would do power skating. So, he's really determined to try to make this hockey team, and I think it showed his work ethic. How obviously his grit speaks for itself and his competitiveness, but you know, I think he's gotten better and better, and he's just going to continue to do that.”

Aitcheson capped his junior hockey career by winning the Max Kaminsky Trophy as the OHL Defenceman of the Year. He didn’t rest on his laurels and instead got an extra push this summer, learning under a vet and taking away new knowledge on the game.

"He's a phenomenal leader, phenomenal person, and he obviously is an unbelievable hockey player," Aitcheson said of Horvat. "Just learning from a guy like him, having him to take me under his wing a little bit throughout the summer and just giving me tips and pointers was you know so huge for me, and I think helped me take a lot of strides forward."

Horvat is confident in Aitcheson and his ability to perform at a high level, especially with the defenseman’s hard-hitting physical style. Aitcheson is slated to make the jump from juniors to pro hockey next season up in Hamilton.

“Everybody's going to know who he is, and his abilities. They're going to know the spaces are going to close,” Horvat said. “He's got so much skill and confidence and in his abilities that he's going to be just fine.”

Training alongside Horvat gave the young defenseman a first-hand look at the mentality it takes to play at the NHL level.

"Just how quick the game is, you know how quickly you have to make plays, and you almost have to know your play before the puck even goes to your stick," Aitcheson about what he learned from Horvat. "Just playing with that type of pace and mental quickness I think it helps you a lot."

Aitcheson put his summer training into practice at Islanders Rookie Camp, which he used to ramp up for Training Camp, where he’ll reunite on the ice with Horvat. He wants to learn more from the Islanders vets when camp opens.

"Try and learn, try and be a sponge," Aitcheson said of his mindset heading into this season. "You obviously want to do as best as you can, and that's first and foremost, but learn as much as you can because there's so much that you don't know, and you got to be humble and kind of just soak everything in."

The 6'2'', 202-lbs. defenseman enters this season with something he did not have at his first camp: familiarity.

"I'm definitely a lot more comfortable," Aitcheson said. "Every time you come here, you know familiar faces, familiar names.  It feels more like home every time, every other day. [It] feels good."

That familiarity now includes a deeper relationship with Horvat after a summer spent training together.