Park thrilled to go to Oilers as next-to-last selection in 2025 NHL Draft

LOS ANGELES -- Aidan Park showed up to the 2025 NHL Draft on Saturday because he had no plans, rolling into L.A. Live’s Peacock Theater dressed in a hoodie and shorts.

Six hours later, he left wearing an Edmonton Oilers jersey and hat after being chosen in the seventh round, with the 223rd of 224 selections.

"I actually came yesterday for Ryker Lee, and I thought we were going to hang out today, but he flew out on a private jet to Nashville this morning," Park said of Lee, who was selected at No. 26 by the Nashville Predators on Friday. "So I wasn't really expecting to come today. But I figured, because I live here, why not? So, yeah, I ended up getting picked."

He said L.A. Live's Peacock Theater is about 8 miles from his house, and since his plans got scrapped, he figured why not go back for Day 2 of the draft.

He had a couple of Lee's leftover tickets. What else was there to do on a random Saturday in Los Angeles?

"It was a little bit of a surprise but couldn't be more happy," Park said.

Most draft prospects wait their entire lives for draft day. They bring in a few dozen friends and family members, coaches and trainers. The people nearest and dearest to them, the ones who helped pave their path to making their dream come true. They spend hundreds of dollars on their suits, sometimes personalizing it with favored pictures and keepsakes.

And then there was Park.

"I just went to the draft with my best friend from here, and his dad, and a couple of my other buddies were here too," he said. "I actually had a couple buddies working in the blue shirts [as draft volunteers]."

The ovation from the friends and staff workers woke up the building and even jumped onto Lee's radar. He was in the middle of his first media availability in Nashville as a television showing the final picks of the draft was on in the room.

"That's my roommate last year, just got picked in shorts and a hoodie," Lee said between bursts of laughter.

Park knew to keep his expectations for this weekend low, especially after the 19-year-old forward had been passed over in the 2024 NHL Draft. He was fifth in the United States Hockey League with 66 points (33 goals, 33 assists) in 55 games with Green Bay this season and was No. 94 on NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters. But with only a few picks remaining he felt like it was going to be a repeat occurrence this year.

"I was honestly kind of thinking better luck next year," he said.

Some did believe in him. Kings broadcaster Darryl Evans coached Park during his youth hockey days with the Los Angeles Junior Kings program.

"Just watching his development, especially the growth," Evans said. "He got so much bigger (6-foot-1, 188 pounds), and just watched him fill out and become a man. ... He's developed into a nice player, a well-rounded player, and it's great to see him get an opportunity."

And then there was Brandon Naurato, the coach at the University of Michigan, where Park will play next season.

"I was just talking to him in the box, like Round 3, Round 4, and he told me I was going to get picked," Park said. "So he was right."

Oilers director of amateur scouting Rick Pracey said Park was a player the team's United States-based scouts were high on, and was getting nervous that another team could jump the line and grab Park before their chance came up.

"It's a great story," Edmonton general manager Stan Bowman said. "I forgot he was from California, and I didn’t know if he would be at the draft. When the crowd started cheering and he had a big smile on his face, that was great."

Park had no idea the Oilers, or any team, really, would be interested. He was happy hanging out with his friends and his future college coach. No concerns. No pressure.

He also kept thinking back to some of the advice he got from his uncle, former NHL forward Richard Park, who played 738 games for six teams from 1994-2012.

"Last year after the draft, he kind of told me it may feel like the end of the world but it's not," Park said. "There's a lot of ways to make the NHL. Nowadays you see a lot of college guys sign as free agents, and you have two more chances at the draft. So yeah, just really look at the big picture and just put in the work every day and just give yourself the best chance possible."

Park felt he did that last summer, improving his skating to set himself up for a big season in the USHL. But despite that hard work, he wasn't sure he'd hear his name called. Not that it seemed to bother him all that much.

"To be honest, I wasn't that stressed," he said. "I guess it's easier to not be stressed when you don't have as much expectation."

And then came the moment even he couldn't believe.

"Just a surreal moment," he said.

NHL.com staff writer Derek Van Diest contributed to this report