Keen on Kohyn Eshkawkogan
He is a well travelled jewel of a defenseman. To be sure, Kohyn Eshkawkogan has risen from local and area minor hockey teams such as his hometown Little Current Flyers, the Manitoulin Panthers, Copper Cliff Redmen and the Nickel City Sons to the Greater Toronto Hockey League stage of the North York Rangers to the major junior level Ottawa 67’s of the Ontario Hockey League.
Which is quite the hockey journey for the Manitoulin Island youngster and member of M’Chigeeng First Nation who does not turn 18 years of age until November 19 of this year — and who is considered to be an intriguing prospect for the 2027 National Hockey League Draft.
A first round pick by Ottawa at the 2024 OHL priority selections draft, Eshkawkogan has already played two full OHL seasons for the 67’s totalling 129 games. During that span, the 5 foot 11, 185 pound, right hand shot defender has amassed impressive totals of 12 goals, 67 assists, 79 points.
Now entering his third OHL season in Ottawa, Eshkawkogan also has a Division 1, National Collegiate Athletic Association commitment to Penn State University effective the ’27-28 season — all while playing for the 67’s in ’26-27 and looking ahead to the 2027 NHL Draft.
Well focused and guided, well spoken and wise, the son of Kevin Eshkawkogan and Melissa Biedermann has a realization of the present and what potentially lies ahead of him. But for now, he says, his focus is all on the ’26-27 OHL season in Ottawa.
“My goal is to eventually play in the NHL and yes there is the commitment to Penn State … but my focus for this season is entirely on the Ottawa 67’s and trying to help my team win a championship,” Eshkawkogan relayed in an interview with the Manitoulin Expositor.
When asked what he wants to improve on this season, Eshkawkogan replied that “I am working on improving my defensive zone coverage. It is pretty solid but there is always room for improvement.”
In response to what it is like playing for Ottawa’s 68 year old world class head coach Dave Cameron — who is known as both a demanding individual and a great teacher of the game — Eshkawkogan was quick to say that “Coach Cameron has a brilliant mind for the game. He wants us players to get better and really, truly cares about us a lot. I have learned so much from him. He is a great coach and a really good person.”
As for what the pro scouts feel about him, Mike Dawson, who is a long-time NHL scout — now on the staff of the Seattle Kraken — told the Manitoulin Expositor that Eshkawkogan is “a good, medium size d-man. He is skilled and can run the power play. We are not sure yet how his size will play out but he is someone who we are keeping a close watch on. He has played two years (in the OHL) and the (NHL) scouts all know who he is.”
To be sure, Eshkawkagon is well thought of within the Ottawa OHL organization.
67’s assistant Coach Paul Stoykewych said Eshkawkogan’s intelligent and energetic style of play and his ability to turn up the intensity when defending has been impressive in the skilled defensemen’s two full OHL seasons to date in Ottawa.
“Kohyn is an extremely competitive athlete on our team. It really does make him stand out,” said Stoykewych. “Kohyn is quiet, he isa focused, he is intelligent. But under all that relaxed motion, he is extremely competitive. So when he gets in a one on one situation, when he gets in a practice situation, he increases the energy level, he increases the compete … and he really hates to lose.”
So many words of praise for the lad from Little Current.
