The Detroit Red Wings should zero in on "Kash Money." Kashawn Aitcheson would be an excellent fit for the Wings' long-term goals. We've talked about the need for this team to have better leadership, toughness, grit, and aggression.
At 6'1 and 200 lbs., this 18-year-old kid already has the NHL body, but does he have what it takes to take over a game? Absolutely. He's a throwback player who isn't afraid of riling up an opponent or just flat out manhandling you for a puck and taking it the other way and either taking it to the net himself or setting up one of his teammates.
This is a young man that would become an instant fan favorite in Detroit. It's a mix of Nik Kromwall and Adam Boqvist. He has the strength as well as the puck senses.
It goes without saying that Detroit had the worst penalty kill in the 2024-25 season
A major part of their struggle was an overwhelming lack of aggression. It's easy to get down when you're losing and constantly getting burned by lousy plays. Aitcheson is that motivator for the Barrie Colts who has the ability to motivate his guys to keep their head in the game and to stay in the fight. It's one thing to scream it and it's another to lead by example. Aitcheson is able to do both and Detroit needs this kid.
Another aspect to Aitcheson's game is that he's not bothered by the moment. Every athlete is different. We've seen all-time greats in different sports who were beasts in the regular season and struggled in the playoffs and we've seen others who lurked in the shadows in the regular season and became legends from their playoff performances.
For instance, a man who needs no introduction in that category is Tom Brady
Aitcheson has appeared in 16 playoff games for the Colts, picking up six goals and six assists. In his most recent game, which was Game 7 in their second-round playoff series, he had a three-point effort.
So, he has shown he can be clutch. If it's late in the game and Detroit needs to get a goal, Aitcheson is going to be a leader, not a follower. And if the Red Wings need a win to clinch a playoff berth, or in this case, locking up a playoff berth for the first time in ages, Aitcheson will be willing to put his body on the line for his guys.
Of course, all of this sounds great. However, the Red Wings did drop to the No. 13 overall pick in the NHL Draft lottery, so there's a chance someone else will get first dibs at Aitcheson.
The second prospect the Red Wings should keep tabs on is Roger McQueen. At 6'5 and nearly 200 lbs., he has impressive speed for his size and he's a deceptively sharp shooter. He doesn't overwhelm you with power, but his accuracy is on point and tends to frustrate goalies.
In his first eight games of the WHL season, McQueen was on fire, posting 11 points (eight goals, three assists) in that timeframe, until he was extinguished by a back injury. Hindsight is 50/50, so the injury could turn some teams off.
However, if you recall, there was one player who was slightly shorter and had a long history of injuries but still went on to have an incredible career. That would be Mario Lemieux. We're not saying he's going to be the next Lemieux, but the fact of the matter is that Mario still had an incredible impact and accomplished great things for his team.
McQueen is still a work in progress. He's not typically going to be utilized to set up plays, but he can sure finish them. Where he needs to improve the most is his edge work and adding some more dimensions to his game. McQueen typically camps on the perimeter, where he waits for a one-timer or a quick blitz at the goalie. He's a very solid shooter, but how will he handle an elite NHL defenseman? That's another question, but he'd still be a good fit for this Detroit team moving forward.