Taking the stage on NHL draft night is a special moment in a young player’s career.

Most prospects invite their friends and family, dress in their sharpest suits, and anxiously await their chance to make the walk. But that wasn’t the case when Aidan Park heard the Edmonton Oilers call his name at the 2025 draft.

He took to the stage in shorts and a hoodie.

“I was there the first night to support my friend Ryker Lee, and he was picked by the Nashville Predators (No. 26), and they flew him out to Nashville the next morning,” Park said. “I had a couple of more friends that were picked the next day, and we were hanging out and the next thing you know, the second-to-last pick is announced, and I hear my name. It’s funny looking back.”

Lee was in the middle of his first media availability in Nashville when he saw Park being drafted on the TV mounted in the Predators media room.

“That was my roommate last year, and he just got picked in shorts and a hoodie,” Lee said, bursting out laughing. His interview quickly made the rounds on social media, making Park one of the most talked-about picks of the later rounds.

“I don’t think I’ll ever hear the end of it,” Park said. “That’s a super funny clip, and I definitely won’t forget that.”

Park’s viral moment might be what most people remember, but it wasn’t the beginning of his draft story. A year prior, he experienced the disappointment of going undrafted. Despite a fantastic season at Shattuck-St. Mary’s, where he produced 93 points in 56 games, Park was passed over.

The following season, he left Shattuck St. Mary’s to play in the USHL fulltime for Green Bay. He had an impressive campaign, registering 66 points in 55 games, which propelled him to No. 94 on NHL Central Scouting’s rankings and put him on the Oilers’ radar.

“I think [not getting drafted] was a big part of it,” said Park after being selected by Edmonton. “It was a huge disappointment, and I just challenged myself to have a really good summer, put a ton of work in, and try to prove people wrong this year.”

Following his unlikely path to the draft, Park once again moved up a weight class, playing his 2025-26 season in the NCAA with the University of Michigan. In his first college campaign, he recorded 16 points in 39 games and posted a plus-11 rating.

“He’s going to be a stud hockey player,” Michigan coach Brandon Naurato said in December. “He’s helping us right now, figuring some stuff out, having some success as a freshman. He’s going to be a big-time piece this second half and a big-time player for Michigan down the road. I think his best attribute is his hockey IQ. You’ve really got to watch him and then spend time with him to appreciate it. We see him down the road being used in all situations and a leader on this team.”

Park believes that playing his first season on a stacked Michigan squad did wonders for his development as a player.

“But being a freshman on such a loaded team, I learned a lot being surrounded by so many talented players that all work so hard. The older guys were great to me and all the freshmen, so I think I learned a lot.”

After being selected in the seventh round as an overeager, Park hopes to one day complete his improbable journey by suiting up for the Oilers. If he does, that would make him the second member of his family to make it to the big leagues, after his uncle Richard Park, who played 738 games for six different NHL teams.

Richard Park was born in Seoul, South Korea, and immigrated to California as a toddler. At age 13, he moved to Toronto with his sister to play hockey and developed into a promising prospect. In 1994, the Pittsburgh Penguins selected him 50th overall, kickstarting a nearly 20-year professional hockey career. Aidan’s uncle is a source of motivation for him as he tries to carve out his own path to the pros.

“His story, I think, is really inspiring,” Aidan Park said. “He was really courageous all of his career as a pioneer, and I think it’s really inspirational seeing the obstacles he had to overcome, he and a lot of people like him. I think the journey has been a lot easier for me, so I think I look at him with appreciation, and I really respect and admire his courage.”

Richard Park likewise has immense respect for his nephew.

“If anything, if I was somewhat of a role model as far as setting a good example and showing him that anything is possible, that’s probably the most I’ll take credit for,” Richard Park said. “Aidan worked hard to create his own opportunities. He went through some tough moments so far in his young career that is only going to make him stronger and better at the end of the day.”

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