Color of Hockey: Park hoping to follow uncle to career in NHL

William Douglas has been writing The Color of Hockey blog since 2012. Douglas joined NHL.com in 2019 and writes about people of color in the sport. Today, he profiles Aidan Park, a forward for Green Bay of the United States Hockey League, No. 94 on NHL Central Scouting's final rankings of North American skaters for the 2025 Upper Deck NHL Draft at L.A. Live's Peacock Theater in Los Angeles June 27-28. He is also the nephew of retired forward Richard Park.

Aidan Park says he owes his start in hockey to his uncle Richard Park, who was the second player born in South Korea to reach the NHL.

“Growing up in California, hockey wasn’t popular at all,” said Aiden, a 19-year-old center from Playa Vista, California. “All my buddies in high school played football or basketball. The only reason I even tried hockey was because of my uncle ... Without him playing in the NHL, I don’t think I ever would start playing hockey.”

Richard Park had 241 points (102 goals, 139 assists) in 738 NHL games for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Philadelphia Flyers, Minnesota Wild, Vancouver Canucks and New York Islanders from 1994-2012 after he was selected by Pittsburgh in the second round (No. 50) of the 1994 NHL Draft.

Aidan Park hopes to follow his uncle’s path by being selected in the 2025 Upper Deck NHL Draft at L.A. Live's Peacock Theater in Los Angeles June 27-28. The first round will be held June 27 (7 p.m. ET; ESPN, ESPN+, SN, TVAS), with rounds 2-7 on June 28 (Noon ET; NHLN, ESPN+, SN, SN1).

The younger Park, who played for Green Bay of the United States Hockey League last season, is No. 94 on NHL Central Scouting's final rankings of North American skaters for the 2025 draft. He was selected to the All-USHL second team after he was second on Green Bay with 66 points (33 goals, 33 assists) in 55 regular-season games and tied for the team lead with three points (two goals, one assist) in two playoff games.

“Aidan’s contributions went well beyond his 66 regular-season points,” Green Bay coach and general manager Patrick McCadden said. “He was our top centerman who always brought a tremendous effort with him on the ice and was someone we trusted to win key face-offs and play in all situations.”

Park (6-1, 188 pounds) hopes to hear his name called at Peacock Theater after he was bypassed in the 2024 NHL Draft following a season when he had 93 points (30 goals, 63 assists) in 56 games for Shattuck-St. Mary’s School in Faribault, Minnesota, four points (three goals, one assist) in five games for the United States at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup tournament, and four points (two goals, two assists) in eight postseason games for Green Bay.

Aidan Park said he’s entering the draft mindful of his uncle’s words last season, that it’s the start of the NHL journey, not the end, and that it’s not the only path to the League.

“Last year I was obviously pretty disappointed, but I just tried to use it as fuel for this season and just worked my hardest over the summer and just kind of play with the chip on my shoulder,” said Park, who will play for the University of Michigan this fall. “But going into the draft this season, you know, I've kind of realized there's a lot of different ways to make it. You know, you're seeing a lot of free agents sign out of college and things of that nature.

"Obviously, it would be a huge honor to get drafted. But even if I don't, I'll still be going into Michigan, still have a ton of work ahead of me. So I think I'm going into it this year with a little more optimism, no matter the result.”

Richard Park, a pro scout for the Wild, said, “I’m very proud of Aidan, what he’s accomplished and who he’s become, regardless of what happens from this point on.”

Aidan Park said he’s proud of his uncle for what he’s accomplished as a player, scout and a coach. He was an assistant coach for South Korea’s men’s team at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics under retired defenseman Jim Paek, who became the first South Korea-born player in the NHL when he debuted with the Penguins against the New York Islanders on Oct. 13, 1990.

“It's pretty cool that someone in my own family was the second Korean-born player in the NHL,” Aidan Park said. “I'm definitely very proud of my heritage and the chance to represent it and, hopefully, be an inspiration.”

Though Richard Park inspired Aidan to play hockey, he wasn’t his nephew's favorite player growing up. That was Sidney Crosby, so much so that Aidan Park begged his parents to send him to Shattuck-St. Mary’s, where the future Penguins captain had 162 points (72 goals, 90 assists) in 57 games for the school’s Under-18 team in 2002-03. Park had 175 points (68 goals, 107 assists) in 109 games for the school's Under-18 club from 2022-24.

“I told my mom when I was, like, 10 years old, ‘I'm going to Shattuck because Crosby went to Shattuck,’ and she, like, laughed at me,” Park said. “And then four years later, I was actually going to Shattuck.

“It's a long way from Playa Vista, I was an only child, and they let me go at 14 years old, so it was definitely tough for them. I'm really grateful that they were super supportive, and they let me go there and chase my dream.”

In addition to his heritage, Aidan Park said he’s proud to be among the growing number of players born in California who are on track toward playing in the NHL or have already made it, including center Auston Matthews (No. 1, Toronto Maple Leafs, 2016), forward Jason Robertson (second round, No. 39, Dallas Stars, 2017) and goalie Dustin Wolf (seventh round, No. 214, Calgary Flames, 2019), who is a finalist for the Calder Trophy, voted as the League’s top rookie in 2024-25.

According to NHL Stats, Ninety-five California natives have been selected in the NHL Draft since 1972, including four last year: Wild defenseman Zeev Buium (No. 12), forward Trevor Connelly (Vegas Golden Knights, No. 19), defenseman Will Skahan (Utah Hockey Club, second round, No. 65) and defenseman Tanner Henricks (Columbus Blue Jackets, fourth round, No. 101).

“Just seeing them make it is, like, gives you hope and kind of inspires you a little,” said Park, who played Under-13 and Under-14 AAA hockey for the Los Angeles Jr. Kings in 2019-20. “Hopefully me being born and raised here, I could be an inspiration to someone someday.”