Mason West had many options for where he'd go to school – and which sport he'd play when he got there – but the future Blackhawk now sees his path more clearly.
One of the most intriguing talents in the 2025 NHL draft class was Mason West, an imposing 6-foot-6, 215-pound center taken 29th overall by the Chicago Blackhawks.
To say that West has been in demand lately would be something of an understatement. Not only did the Hawks trade up to get him, but West was also being pursued by several major NCAA football programs.
And while West is now fully committed to his hockey path, he has one piece of unfinished business on the gridiron: a state title with his Minnesota high-school team, the Edina Hornets. West already won the 2024 state title with Edina’s hockey team, but he’ll stay in high school for the football season in an attempt to get the extremely rare two-sport double.
It’s a practically unheard-of path these days, but the youngster has his reasons.
“It’s super important for me to play that (final) season because I want to stay loyal to my teammates,” he said. “I’m a captain on the football and hockey teams. I want to have the chance to do something special.”
The plan is for West to play football in the fall while also skating and doing skills work on the ice. Once the football season ends, he’ll head to USHL Fargo for the rest of 2025-26. West spent most of last year with Edina, but in 10 late-season games with the Force, he put up nine points.
“There’s so much there,” said Mike Doneghey, Chicago’s director of amateur scouting. “When he commits to hockey – you saw he was one of the highest risers in the rankings once he went to Fargo instead of training for football. He’s a hell of an athlete, and he’s just big. He brings that quarterback mentality to the ice. When he’s entering the zone, he’s scanning for plays to make, and he’s comfortable with contact. He doesn’t shy away from that stuff.”
While he grew up in Minnesota, West was actually a Chicago fan as a kid, so draft day was extra special.
“I was a Blackhawks fan, and my brother was a Penguins fan,” West said. “I’ve always been a ‘Kaner’ fan and a Toews fan. My dad is from Chicago, so he brought the Bears into our household and the Blackhawks. A lot of Minnesota people don’t like it, but I kind of go with it a bit.”
West will stay in the Midwest for college, having committed to Michigan State for 2026-27. Doneghey and the Hawks like the choice, since they grabbed one of the Spartans’ finest in 2024 when they selected Artyom Levshunov second overall, and they know the program well.
“It was the development part for me,” West said. “They have a thought-out plan for me on becoming a better hockey player, and that was important. I’m still a raw player, and there are aspects of my game I can work on. That coaching staff, they’re making players better. I look at Charlie Stramel and how he transitioned into a way better player at Michigan State, and I see myself a little like him.”
Another, more lofty comparison would be Anders Lee. The New York Islanders captain also happens to be an Edina alum who played both football and hockey in high school. Lee has also been a great sounding board for West throughout the process.
“I know him well,” West said. “We talked four or five times before I committed to Michigan State, and I’ll probably talk to him again. He’s a really great guy. It was nice to get advice from someone who went through the same thing.”
West said Lee was part of the reason he decided to commit fully to hockey over football, and the youngster was happy to get advice from the NHLer on the draft process and the combine. In fact, there was a lot the kid didn’t know heading into last season.
“I did not know it was my draft year at all,” West said. “But I try to make the most of every opportunity, and when it came up, it gave me more motivation to work hard and achieve my dream.”
A dream now officially riding on his skates, not his cleats.
This article appeared in our 2025 Meet the New Guys issue. The cover story for this issue features the newest Vegas Golden Knight, Mitch Marner, as he looks to shine in the desert. We also include features on new Jets forward Jonathan Toews, Canadiens D-man Noah Dobson and more. In addition, we take a look at the top 'new guys' from each NHL division.
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