Aiden Young (LW, L, 5’10”, 182, Peterborough Petes, 04/18/2007)
Aiden Young is a versatile, left-shot forward with the flexibility to play center or wing. Standing at 5’10” and 180 pounds, Young is undersized relative to NHL norms but compensates with high-end hockey sense, skating, and puck-processing skills. In 2024/25, he emerged as a primary offensive contributor for a struggling Peterborough team, ranking second on the roster with 33 points (13 goals, 20 assists) in 65 games. His usage underscores his versatility and trust from coaches, averaging 18:35 TOI per game with significant roles on both special teams units—3:20 per game on the power play and 2:11 shorthanded.
Statistically, Young excels at puck management and recovery (elite 2.2 puck retrievals/game after shots), while demonstrating a proactive stick with excellent takeaway numbers (4.9/game). He consistently generates offensive opportunities, averaging 3.9 shot attempts per game. However, clear limitations include his below-average passing accuracy (84%), limited pre-shot passing production (0.81/game), and inefficiency in shot attempts, with nearly half failing to reach the net due to being blocked or missing the net.
Why Young Should Be Drafted
1) High-End Hockey IQ and Puck Processing
Young’s ability to read, anticipate, and quickly react to developing plays stands out. His elite puck-recovery numbers (2.2/game) and impressive takeaway rate (4.9/game) are products of his keen hockey sense, positioning, and persistent engagement, giving him potential as a future NHL two-way depth forward.
2) Versatile Special Teams Contributor
Young consistently logs heavy special teams minutes, averaging 3:20/game on the power play and 2:11/game shorthanded. His awareness, positioning, and puck management give him real NHL upside as a PK specialist, checking line contributor and secondary PP facilitator, particularly as a bumper or mid-wall distributor.
3) Offensive Production Under Difficult Conditions
Despite Peterborough’s offensive struggles, Young ranked second on the team in points (33) and assists (20). His willingness to engage in puck battles (14/game) and shoot frequently (3.9 attempts/game) highlights a proactive offensive mindset that could yield greater productivity on a stronger offensive team.
4) Strong Compete Level and Leadership Qualities
Young engages in 14 puck battles per game, showing consistent determination and willingness to compete, despite his modest physical presence. His past role as captain at lower levels and involvement in high-profile trades reflect intangible leadership qualities valued at higher levels.
Why Young May Not Be Drafted
1) Undersized and Lacking Physical Presence
At 5’10”, Young lacks the typical size profile of NHL bottom-six forwards, and his limited physicality (0.54 hits/game) combined with a low puck-battle win percentage (45%) raises concerns about his ability to handle NHL-caliber physical matchups consistently.
2) Below-Average Passing and Offensive Creativity
Young’s 84% pass accuracy and limited pre-shot pass numbers (0.81/game) — below-average offensive creativity and vision at higher levels. While he produces assists, they are more indicative of his hockey IQ than dynamic offensive ability.
3) Face-Off Deficiency Limiting NHL Role
His face-off percentage (50%) at the junior level highlights a limitation that could prevent him from developing into a reliable NHL center or penalty kill specialist, roles that demand consistently higher success rates.
4) Inefficient Shot Selection and Scoring
Though he attempts nearly four shots per game, his scoring chance conversion rate (9%) is low, and roughly half his attempts fail to hit the net (1.27 missed/blocked per game). He must significantly improve shot accuracy, strength, and quickness of release to generate offense and secondary scoring opportunities for his teammates at professional levels.
Projection & Recommendation
Projection: Bottom-six NHL forward; versatile special teams depth option
Development Track: One additional OHL season focused on strength training, puck battles, and shooting efficiency, followed by at least two to three AHL seasons to refine puck skills, face-off consistency, and defensive-zone physicality.
Draft Range: Late 6th–7th Round
Verdict: Young is worth consideration as a late-round developmental pick due to his strong hockey IQ, versatile special-teams skill set, and proven compete level. His NHL upside depends heavily on significant improvement in strength, physical engagement, face-offs, and offensive efficiency, but his foundational skills and versatility provide him with a realistic pathway toward an NHL depth role. Additionally, we feel that if he was playing on a different Peterborough team Young would be a point per-game producer who’s value would be in the middle rounds due to his hockey sense.
Photo credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images