The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan posted a profile of Red Wings 2020 draft pick Kyle Aucoin, discussing the young defenseman’s pluses and minuses as the son of long-time NHL defenseman Adrian Aucoin:
Like his dad, Kyle is also a defenseman. But there aren’t a ton of similarities. For one, Adrian’s 6-foot-2, 215-pound frame towers over Kyle’s 5-foot-11, 163-pound body. Both father and son are outstanding skaters, with that skill one of Kyle’s particular strengths, and each has been known for his puck handling abilities.
But there is one difference, at least for now: Adrian had one of the hardest shots in the NHL in the late-1990s and early 2000s.
“He had a real hard shot,” said Kyle, who was able to work out with his dad and brothers at home in Illinois during the quarantine this year. “I’m working to get there. I’d say I’m a two-way defenseman and my biggest strength is my skating. I think the game pretty well and I’m smart on the ice.”
If Kyle Aucoin has half the career his father had, the Wings would be thrilled with that, and Kyle would as well. And given Kyle’s attributes and development, don’t be surprised if the younger Aucoin does land in professional hockey eventually.
Kris Draper, the Wings’ director of amateur scouting, saw plenty of Aucoin while watching and coaching his own son Kienan in the Little Caesars program, against Aucoin’s Chicago Mission.
“I’ve watched Kyle over the years and he’s a smart, competitive kid,” Kris Draper said. “It’s funny when you hear that his dad had a growth spurt when he was 18, 19, so we hope Kyle gets that as well. He’s just a terrific skater, a real competitive kid.”
