Last weekend, the NHL Draft was held at the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles.

At the end of the two-day event, four California natives were chosen by NHL clubs, taking the next step towards the ultimate goal of playing in “The Show” and continuing the trend of players from the Golden State being legitimate NHL prospects.

Fairfield native Ben Kevan was the first from California off the board, the forward going to the New Jersey Devils in the second round (63rd overall). He was followed by Los Angeles’ Alex Weiermair, who went in the sixth round (186th overall) to the Vegas Golden Knights, San Diego’s Brendan Dunphy, taken by the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers in the seventh round (197th overall), and Hermosa Beach native Aidan Park, who was chosen in the seventh round (223rd overall) by the Edmonton Oilers.

“It was a lot of nerves, a lot of excitement,” Kevan said to NewJerseyDevils.com. “Finally hearing my name getting called, especially by an organization like the New Jersey Devils, it was a breath of relief. So much weight came off my shoulders.

“I’m really excited that I finally know which team wants to take a chance on me and develop me in their system. I’m just really excited.”

Heading to NCAA Division I Arizona State this fall after playing the 2024-25 season for the USHL’s Des Moines Buccaneers, Kevan skated for the Los Angeles Jr. Kings and Golden State Elite Eagles during his time back home.

Last season in Des Moines, Kevan tallied 13 goals and 30 assists for 43 points in 51 games.

Weiermair, who played for the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks last season, recorded 46 points (21 goals, 25 assists) over 41 games in the regular season, helping the Winterhawks to the WHL Western Conference championship. He added 23 points (10 goals, 13 assists) in 18 postseason games.

The Jr. Kings product and forward was also part of Denver’s NCAA national championship team in 2024 and began the 2024-25 season with the Pioneers before going to Portland.

Playing the 2024-25 season with the WHL’s Wenatchee Wild, Dunphy appeared in 47 games, collecting 22 points (four goals, 18 assists). He amassed the second-most assists by a defenseman on the Wild during the 2024-25 season.

“A giant defenseman,” Panthers GM Zito said to FloridaPanthers.com. “A long-term guy who’s building his two-way game.”

The NCAA D-I UConn commit and Jr. Kings alum started last season with the BCHL’s Langley Rivermen before heading to Wenatchee.

Going to the Oilers with the second-to-last pick of the draft, Park said he wasn’t expecting to be drafted.

“I can’t even describe it,” Park said to the media after being drafted by Edmonton. “It’s surreal. You just think of everyone who helped you get to this point, and I’m incredibly grateful and lucky to have so many great people around me. It’s a special moment for sure.”

Last season up front with the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers, Park registered 33 goals and 66 points in 55 games before signing with the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen for the postseason. The Jr. Kings product is committed to NCAA D-I Michigan.

“It was unbelievable,” Park said. “I actually came yesterday for Ryker Lee, and I thought we were gonna hang out today, but he flew on a private jet to Nashville this morning. So I wasn’t really expecting to come today, but I figured because I live here, why not? I ended up getting picked. It was a super special moment and I’m super excited.

“I went to the (Day 2) with my best friend from here and his dad, and a couple of my other buddies were here, too. I actually had a couple of buddies working in the blue shirts. It’s great to be around friends and family for a moment like this. It was special.”

Park added that as the game grows in California, more in-state talents will wind up in the NHL. He noted how he follows Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson (Pasadena) and Calgary Flames goalie Dustin Wolf (Gilroy).

“I think a guy like Jason Robertson is a guy I look up to,” he said. “He’s from Pasadena, not too far from here. A local guy, and he’s having an unreal NHL career. But it’s really cool to see players from here make it, because growing up, there weren’t really a lot of hockey players in LA, but the game’s really grown here, and that’s largely because of those guys.”

Photo/NHL.com

— Matt Mackinder

(June 29, 2025)