M’Chigeeng teen enjoying Ontario Hockey League rookie season in nation’s capital

By Sam Laskaris

OTTAWA – Though he only turned 16 in November, M’Chigeeng First Nation member Kohyn Eshkawkogan is proving he can hold his own in one of the National Hockey League’s top feeder systems.

Eshkawkogan, a defenceman, is a rookie with the Ottawa 67’s, members of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).

The 20-team Major Junior circuit includes players who are as old as 21. Thus, Eshkawkogan, who is 5-foot-10 and 168 pounds, finds himself on the ice with players who are up to five years older.

The 67’s had selected Eshkawkogan in the first round of the OHL Priority Selections draft last April.

“It’s been going pretty good so far,” Eshkawkogan said of his first year in the league.

Eshkawkogan estimates he’s been averaging about 20 minutes of action per game. And he’s even been contributing on the Ottawa powerplay, bouncing back between the club’s first and second PP units.

Eshkawkogan had spent the 2023-24 campaign starring with the North York Rangers Under-16 AAA squad in the Greater Toronto Hockey League.

There was obviously a huge step up to the OHL this season.

“It was an adjustment getting used to the pace and speed,” he said. “But it’s been fine now. It took me about a month to get used to it.”

Eshkawkogan was the Rangers’ top scoring blueliner last year, racking up 65 points in 76 matches.

As for this year, he’s earned 14 points, including a pair of goals, through his first 40 contests with the 67’s.

Eshkawkogan is not concerned he’s not collecting points as quickly as he did in minor hockey.

“You just have to get used to it at the start,” he said. “You just have to know that will come eventually.”

Eshkawkogan said he’s also been getting his share of feedback from the Ottawa coaching staff.

“They just told me to get used to the league this year and to know that I’m going to make mistakes and that you have to learn from them,” he said.

Eshkawkogan said his teammates have also been supportive.

“They’ve helped me with my play and helping me learn our systems, what plays we’re running and stuff like that,” he said.

Plus, they’ve given him a nickname, one that he used to have years ago.

“They like to call me Koko,” he said. “Some of my family members called me that when I was younger. And then that’s what they started calling me at the start of the year. It stuck.”

Eshkawkogan is also getting plenty of family support. His father Kevin is the president/CEO of Indigenous Tourism Ontario.

“My dad said at the start of the season he wanted to go to every game in my rookie season,” he said. “And so far, he’s been going to every game. It helps me a lot. I can see him after every game. So, I’m not really getting homesick if I get to see him that often. It’s been great.”

Eshkawkogan added his mother also attends as many of his games as she can.

Eshkawkogan missed a handful of matches with the 67’s this past November as he was competing at the U-17 World Challenge in Sarnia.

He was a member of the Canada’s Red squad, which won the silver medal at the six-team tournament.

The country’s other entrant, Canada White, won the gold medal. The tourney also featured reps from the Czechia, Finland, Sweden and the United States.

“It was a good boost,” Eshkawkogan said of his experience at the international event. “You get to showcase yourself against the other top kids your age around the world.  It helped me a lot.”