Evan Passmore could be calling the “Big Apple” home one day.
The New York Rangers used their sixth-round pick (171st overall) in the 2025 NHL Draft to select the towering 18-year-old Barrie Colts’ defenceman late Saturday afternoon at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles.
Passmore was one of two Colts to be chosen in the seven-round draft this weekend. Barrie defender Kashawn Aitcheson was taken 17th overall by the New York Islanders on Friday night.
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In somewhat of a surprise, Colts goalie Ben Hrebik, who was ranked 10th overall among North American goaltenders in the mid-term NHL Central Scouting Rankings, was passed over in the draft.
Passmore was reached at his home late Saturday afternoon after hearing his name called, but the Elmira native told Barrie 360 that the Rangers organization informed him that any interviews had to be cleared through its front office.
When reached, the Rangers declined the interview request at this time.
In his second season with the Colts, the eighth-round selection (153rd overall) in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection recorded three goals and eight assists for 11 points in 62 games while collecting 58 penalty minutes.
“It’s just the first step,” Passmore said prior to the NHL draft. “Being able to be drafted, that’s just the start. There’s lots of work ahead and I’m looking forward to putting the work in.”
The rugged six-foot-five, 212-pound shutdown blueliner is a physical force on the back end and played a key role on the penalty kill for Barrie last season.
A solid skater who worked hard to improve his skating, Passmore has the tools to develop into a solid depth defenceman in the NHL down the road.
Passmore will be one of 32 Rangers prospects attending the New York Rangers development camp this week in New York, with on-ice sessions beginning on Tuesday, July 1.
OTHER COLTS
Hrebik, who finished third in save percentage among goaltenders with a .920 mark, is coming off an impressive first full season with the Colts. The six-foot-three, 200-pound puck stopper finished with a 21-9-2 record and 2.87 goals against average in 34 games while spitting time equally with veteran Sam Hillebrandt.
Colts’ prospect William Moore, whose rights were acquired from the London Knights two seasons ago, was selected with the 51st pick overall in the second round by the Boston Bruins.
The winger had 10 goals and 11 assists for 21 points in 25 games with the U.S. National Development Team in the USHL last season.
The Colts are hoping to convince the six-foot-three, 183-pound Boston College recruit to play in Barrie this coming season.
LOCAL PLAYERS
Local players to hear their name called included Alliston native Lirim Amidovski. The six-foot-one, 180-pound North Bay Battalion winger was taken in the fourth round (121st overall) by the Minnesota Wild.
Amidovski, whose father Bjuar was a professional goalie who played several seasons in the American Hockey League and the East Coast Hockey League, had an OHL career-high 19 goals and 13 assists for 32 points in 67 games with the Troops this past season.
Battalion teammate and former Colts’ first-round pick Shamar Moses was selected with the first pick in the fifth round (129th overall) by the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.
The rugged six-foot-one, 200-pound winger, who was the 19th overall pick by Barrie in the 2023 OHL draft, was dealt to North Bay for Edmonton Oilers prospect Dalyn Wakely in early October.
Mosses had no points in five games in Barrie but finished the year with 12 goals and 36 assists for 48 points in 61 games with North Bay.
Barrie native and Owen Sound Attack forward Jake Crawford was also passed over in the draft this weekend.
