224 players are drafted in the NHL Draft. Eleven players were drafted by Utah this season. Will Skahan isn’t like any of those 10 other players. He’s nothing like most of the players that were in the same draft class as him. The defenseman grew up in a unique place where not a lot of players come from. However, his talent might make him a special part of Utah’s blue line in the future.
Skahan’s Unique Path
Skahan was born in Orange, California. To this date, no NHL player has been born in the city of Orange. While the Anaheim Ducks had been around for about 13 years when the defenseman was born, it’s still no easy accomplishment to find rinks in California. Ice time is limited and rinks aren’t plentiful like they are up north.
Skahan had an edge over most of his peers though. His dad, Sean, was the strength and conditioning coach for the Ducks and eventually, the Minnesota Wild. Skahan started working out with his dad when he was 12 and throughout his childhood, was around NHLers consistently. He loved going to the rink and practicing along with attending Ducks games.
Skahan played with the Jr Ducks growing up, which is one of the best youth programs in Southern California. Eventually, he left California and began playing in Minnesota. While he wouldn’t play for a team in the Golden Gate State again, he witnessed and saw the emergence of hockey as a major sport in the area.
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“I think everyone just started playing it,” Skahan said. “I think everyone kind of wanted to expand the sport and the state. Having three NHL teams there was also really beneficial.”
Skahan played for Shattuck St. Mary’s for two seasons along with St. Thomas Academy before beginning play for the United States Development Program. This past season, he posted 14 points in 60 games with the program and provided a needed physical presence in those games.
While a lot of NHL players come out of Minnesota, not a lot have come out of Southern California. This narrative however is starting to change. When Skahan was drafted by Utah in the second round, he became the second Jr Duck to be drafted in the 2024 NHL Draft, right behind Zeev Buium. Tanner Henricks was drafted in the fourth round making it three players to be drafted out of the program this year. Skahan will be part of the regime helping show that Southern California is becoming a hotbed for hockey prospects.
Skahan in Utah
While Skahan has never been to Salt Lake City, he’s certainly excited to live there. He’s heard only the best about the surroundings of the city.
“I heard it’s beautiful up there especially the mountains and everything,” Skahan said. “Now they got a hockey team, which is gonna be good.”
Speaking of mountains, Skahan is a mountain himself. He’s 6-foot-4, which is important as a defenseman. He’s known for his physicality and his big smart hits. His hockey IQ is one of the best in the whole draft due to his early exposure to players in the NHL.
Skahan is also a great skater and a fantastic shutdown defenseman thanks to his speed. His defensive play helped him rank as high as 29 in some mock drafts. He models himself after some of the best defensemen in the NHL as well which inspires him to be just like them.
“I like Alex Pietrangelo, Jaccob Slavin, and Jacob Trouba,” Skahan said. “I think those three guys are really smooth and some guys who I want to play like someday.”
The one drawback to Skahan’s game is his offensive production. He’s not someone to rely on for offense. However, similar to Pietrangelo, Slavin, and Trouba, offense isn’t everything. A lot of the best defense pairings in the league have a strong defensive defenseman and a strong offensive defenseman paired together. If paired with an offensive defenseman like Brent Burns to Slavin or to an extent, K’Andre Miller to Trouba, Skahan could be a strong defenseman for Utah.
While Skahan hasn’t played with any of his new teammates in Utah, he has played against fellow 2024 draft pick Tij Iginla. He’s looking forward to actually being on the same team with him in the future.
“Tij has always been really good,” Skahan said. “Playing against him at the World Tournament, he’s always really good. So playing with him will be pretty cool. Cole Beaudoin as well. Just some studs they picked in the first round. Hopefully, someday, I’ll play with them.”
With his level of competitiveness and great defensive play, Skahan is already on his way to becoming a future part of Utah’s blue line. He’s excited to show Utah fans his commitment to winning when he gets to Salt Lake City.
“I’m really competitive,” Skahan said. “I’ll do anything to win. When I get to the NHL, I’m here to win. I’m really excited to do so.”
While the young defenseman will play for Boston College next season, he will be a prospect that Utah fans will have to keep an eye on. If he continues to play as competitively as he has and remains committed to winning, Skahan could be looked back on as a steal in the draft.
