LOS ANGELES -- William Horcoff can remember a young Ryan Nugent-Hopkins attending team parties held by Horcoff’s hockey-playing dad like it was yesterday.
"Nugent-Hopkins was the age I am now," the 18-year-old center with the University of Michigan said of the Edmonton Oilers forward. "My dad would have team parties at his house, and I remember 'Nuge' when he was drafted No. 1 (in the 2011 NHL Draft) and coming over to our house. I think he was like 18 or 19 years old. I just remember when he was my age, so it's pretty funny that now I'm growing up and drafted."
Shawn Horcoff, William's father, was captain of the Oilers when Nugent-Hopkins was drafted. On Friday, William (6-foot-5, 203 pounds) was selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round (No. 24) of the 2025 Upper Deck NHL Draft at L.A. Live’s Peacock Theater, and his dad, now an assistant general manager for the Detroit Red Wings, was there to share the moment.
"It was fantastic to be able to see Shawn be able to be there with Will when he got selected by the Penguins. It's an incredible feeling," Red Wings assistant GM Kris Draper said. "The organization is obviously really excited for Shawn and Will."
The younger Horcoff finished in the top 10 in five categories at the 2025 NHL Scouting Combine this month, including a combine-record 124.8 inches in the horizontal jump, and interviewed with 31 NHL teams at the event in Buffalo.
Shawn Horcoff played 1,008 NHL regular-season games as a forward with the Oilers, Dallas Stars and Anaheim Ducks from 2000-16.
"The thing I really took away about Dad was his work ethic," William said. "I think he worked harder than every single person, and I think he had incredible career because of it. Now he works in the League, and he's still working really hard. I aspire to have a work ethic like him because he knows what it takes and he's shown me what it takes."
William was the youngest player in NCAA hockey this season, when he had 10 points (four goals, six assists) in 18 games as a freshman. He joined the team in December after scoring 14 points (eight goals, six assists) in 28 games with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program Under-18 team.
Shawn was chosen by the Oilers in the fourth round (No. 99) of the 1998 NHL Draft before embarking on an NHL career that saw him finish with 511 points (186 goals, 325 assists).
"Obviously, bloodlines or not, anyone can make it (to the NHL), but it's really nice to have him as a father," William said. "He's taught me not only how to be a good hockey player, but how to be a man. He's lived it, living through 1,000 games and now also in management. I love to take advice from him, and we love to watch the game together and just learn together."
William Horcoff was one of several players with notable hockey connections selected in the 2025 draft.
Among them was Arizona State University center Cullen Potter, selected in the first round (No. 32) by the Calgary Flames. He is the son of U.S. Hockey Hall of Famer Jenny Potter.
A four-time Olympian, Jenny holds the United States record for most points (32) in the Winter Games, is an Olympic gold medalist and won gold four times at the IIHF Women’s World Championship. Cullen’s father, Rob, played at the University of Minnesota.
"My mom and dad played high-level hockey, so having them in my life has been a blessing," Cullen said. "I guess maybe the one skill I got from her are the hands. Going to the outdoor park is my favorite thing to do, and that's what my mom kind of grew up doing, too. She had some of the best hands I've ever seen from anybody, so maybe I'll have hands as good as her someday."
Questions swirled about Cullen and his decision to become the first forward in the history of the NTDP to attend college right out of his Under-17 season, skipping his U-18 year. The only two previous players to do that were defensemen Zach Werenski (Columbus Blue Jackets) and Noah Hanifin (Vegas Golden Knights), each a first-round pick in the 2015 NHL Draft.
"I want to play in the NHL someday, so taking that next step in my development (in college) to play against guys that are closer to the NHL, is what I wanted to do," Cullen said.
Cullen (5-10, 172) had 22 points (13 goals, nine assists) and tied for second among NCAA freshmen with 118 shots on goal in 35 games.
"He has high hockey sense,” Flames general manager Craig Conroy said. “Being this young, playing college hockey isn't easy. There were times even when he's that fast, when the defense couldn't hit him, especially at the [the 2025 IIHF Under-18 World Championship]."
Other notable players with NHL bloodlines chosen during the two days at the draft:
* Right wing Victor Eklund, a first-round pick (No. 16) of the New York Islanders. Brother William Eklund was a first-round pick (No. 7) by the San Jose Sharks in the 2021 NHL Draft. William had NHL career highs in goals (17), assists (41) and points (58) this season with San Jose.
"He really helped to teach me how to be a professional, how to eat and sleep the right way," Victor said of his brother. "He pushes me every day and he's my biggest role model."
* Right wing Porter Martone, a first-round pick (No. 6) of the Philadelphia Flyers. His father, Mike Martone, was a defenseman who played professionally in the American Hockey League and ECHL from 1998-2005. Mike was selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the fourth round (No. 106) of the 1996 NHL Draft.
* Defenseman Sascha Boumedienne, a first-round pick (No. 28) of the Winnipeg Jets. His father is former NHL defenseman Josef Boumedienne, a fourth-round pick (No. 91) of the New Jersey Devils in the 1996 draft. He played 47 NHL games from 2001-04 with the Devils, Tampa Bay Lightning and Washington Capitals.
* Right wing Blake Vanek, a third-round pick (No. 93) of the Ottawa Senators. His father, forward Thomas Vanek, was a first-round pick (No. 5) by the Sabres in the 2003 NHL Draft. Thomas had 789 points (373 goals, 416 assists) in 1,029 NHL games from 2005-19 with the Sabres, Islanders, Montreal Canadiens, Minnesota Wild, Red Wings, Florida Panthers, Vancouver Canucks and Blue Jackets.
* Defenseman Blake Fiddler, a second-round pick (No. 36) of the Seattle Kraken. His father, Vernon Fiddler, was an undrafted forward who had 261 points (104 goals, 157 assists) in 877 NHL games with the Nashville Predators, Phoenix Coyotes, Stars and Devils from 2002-17.
* Right wing Vaclav Nestrasil, a first-round pick (No. 25) of the Chicago Blackhawks. Brother Andrej Nestrasil was a third-round pick (No. 75) by the Red Wings in the 2009 NHL Draft. The center had 48 points (17 goals, 31 assists) in 128 NHL games with the Red Wings and Carolina Hurricanes from 2014-17.
* Center Eric Nilson, a second-round pick (No. 45) of the Ducks. His father, forward Marcus Nilson, was chosen by the Panthers in the first round (No. 20) of the 1996 draft. He had 168 points (67 goals, 101 assists) in 521 NHL games with the Panthers and Flames from 1999-2008.
* Defenseman Artyom Gonchar, a third-round pick (No. 89) of the New York Rangers. Uncle Sergei Gonchar was a defenseman chosen by the Capitals in the first round (No. 14) of the 1992 NHL Draft. Sergei had 811 points (220 goals, 591 assists) in 1,301 NHL games with the Capitals, Boston Bruins, Penguins, Senators, Stars and Canadiens from 1995-2015. He won the Stanley Cup with the Penguins in 2009.
* Left wing Lynden Lakovic, a first-round pick (No. 27) of the Capitals. Uncle Sasha Lakovic was an undrafted forward who played 37 NHL games with the Flames and Devils from 1996-99.
* Center John Mooney, a fourth-round pick (No. 113) of the Canadiens. Cousin Logan Cooley was a first-round pick (No. 3) by the Coyotes in the 2022 NHL Draft. Cooley, now a center with the Utah Mammoth, had 65 points (25 goals, 40 assists) in 75 games this season.
* Right wing David Rozsival, a sixth-round pick (No. 161) of the Devils. Uncle Michal Rozsival had 309 points (68 goals, 241 assists) in 963 NHL games for the Penguins, Rangers, Coyotes and Blackhawks from 1999-2017 and won the Stanley Cup twice with Chicago (2013, 2015). Michal, a defenseman, was chosen by the Penguins in the fourth round (No. 105) of the 1996 draft.
* Center Aidan Park, a seventh-round pick (No. 223) of the Oilers. Uncle Richard Park was chosen by the Penguins in the second round (No. 50) of the 1994 NHL Draft. Richard had 241 points (102 goals, 139 assists) in 738 NHL games as a forward with the Penguins, Ducks, Flyers, Wild and Canucks from 1995-2012.
