With the 223rd (and penultimate) selection in the 2025 NHL Draft, the Edmonton Oilers have selected C Aidan Park.
Aidan Park player profile
Park, a product of Hermosa Beach, CA, played for the Los Angeles Jr. Kings and Shattuck St. Mary’s AAA clubs before making the full-time jump to the USHL this past season. Park was an over-a-point-per-game player with the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers in 2024-25, earning second-team All-Star honours as a result. Park has a bronze medal from the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, and contributes four points in five games at the tournament. He is the nephew of former NHLer Richard Park.
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022–23 | Shattuck St. Mary’s U18 Prep | USHS-Prep | 53 | 38 | 44 | 82 |
| 2023–24 | Shattuck St. Mary’s U18 Prep | USHS-Prep | 56 | 30 | 63 | 93 |
| 2024–25 | Green Bay Gamblers | USHL | 55 | 33 | 33 | 66 |
Analyzing the pick
Aidan Park profiles as a strong two-way centre, not just capable of racking up the points but excellent at winning puck battles and protecting the puck in transport. Park has solid middle-six upside, and with some NCAA development on the way, will be set to add to the Oilers’ already-strong centre depth.
For the Oilers, this is a shrewd selection with an eye on the future. It appears that Derek Ryan is set to retire, and a lot of the current centre options behind Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are getting up there in age; to name two, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is 32, and Adam Henrique is 35. Park’s development lines up perfectly with the point in time where Henrique will be calling it a career and Nugent-Hopkins will almost exclusively be a winger.
What’s next for Park
After his strong USHL performance this past year, Park is set to jump to the NCAA next season, to play for the University of Michigan Wolverines. Should something happen where the NCAA doesn’t pan out this upcoming season, the Calgary Hitmen hold his WHL rights, so while unlikely, it’s not impossible to see him potentially suit up three hours down the Queen Elizabeth II highway.
Welcome to the Oilers system, Aidan!
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