In July of 2023, I did a way-too-early look at talent that might have a chance at being drafted in 2025.
I wondered what the world would be like in 2025. Flying cars? Trains from Boston to Los Angeles in three hours? Teleportation? The McDonald’s ice cream machine always working? Unfortunately, we got none of those.
What we did get, however, was an average 2025 NHL Draft class from New England.
There likely won’t be any first-round picks. The highest a prospect will likely be picked is the second round. After that, it’s pretty open. It wouldn’t shock me if two prospects were selected in the third round.
Just because it’s a down year doesn’t mean there aren’t legitimate NHL Draft prospects. All it takes is one team to make a dream come true.
Another common theme in this list is a handful of eligible second-year players.
Here are my final 2025 NHL Draft rankings of New England players.
1. Carter Amico
U.S. NTDP U-18, 3/15/2007, D, right shot, 6-5/205
Hometown: Westbrook, Maine
NCAA: Boston University
Amico’s knee injury early in the season likely cost him being selected in the first round. The good news? A team in the second round likely will get great value from a massive defenseman. Big defensemen are all the rage in the NHL, and Amico fits that. He skates well for his size, has a fantastic stick and can be physical. It’s hard to call any 18-year-old “projectable” to the NHL, but it’s a safe bet that, barring any more injuries, he will be a top-four, shutdown defenseman in the NHL someday.
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2. Teddy Mutryn
Chicago Steel/U.S. NTDP U-18, 2/16/2007, F, right shot, 6-1/207
Hometown: Norwell, Mass.
NCAA: Boston College
Mutryn isn’t flashy, but he has the tools NHL scouts like in prospects. He’s a great skater, has high-end compete and hockey IQ, and can produce offensively. He notched 17 goals and 30 points in 47 games with the USHL’s Chicago Steel before finishing the season with the U.S. National Team Development Program’s U-18 team. His size helps him project as a good power forward in pro hockey. NHL Central Scouting ranked him No. 59 among North American skaters, so right at the end of the second round. I think he’ll likely be picked somewhere in the third round.
3. Everett Baldwin
St. George’s, 1/15/2007, D, right shot, 5-11/173
Hometown: East Providence, R.I.
NCAA: Providence College
The No. 1 thing NHL teams look for is a player’s skating ability. Baldwin has that in spades, as he’s one of the best pure skaters I’ve ever seen. He can fly with an effortless stride that gets him up and down the ice with ease. He had 10 goals and 20 points in 22 games this winter for St. George’s and played some games with the NTDP’s U-18 team. He also participated in the All-American Prospects game midway through the season. It will be interesting to see when Baldwin goes. While NHL Central Scouting has him ranked No. 118 among North American skaters, Elite Prospects had Baldwin at No. 59 in its top 75. I expect him to go in the third or fourth round.
4. Caeden Herrington
Lincoln Stars, 1/26/2006, D, right shot, 6-1/185
Hometown: Manchester, Vt.
NCAA: Vermont
In his first year in the USHL, Herrington did the most important thing he could do: prove he could continue his offensive production at the highest level before college. He ranked second in goals for a defenseman in the USHL with 16 and 11th in points with 34. Scouts liked Herrington when he was first eligible last season, but passed over him to see what he would be at the next level. Well, now they know. I’d expect him to be picked somewhere in the fourth- through sixth-round range.
5. Richard Gallant
U.S. NTDP U-18, 6/12/2007, F, left shot, 5-8/170
Hometown: Concord, Mass.
NCAA: Harvard
Gallant was left off of NHL Central Scouting’s final ranking, likely due to his size. That shouldn’t take away from his relentless compete, ability to play anywhere in a lineup and the rate at which he produced this season at the highest level for his age. He tied for second on the NTDP’s U-18 team in goals (23) and fourth in points (45). At the U-18 World Championships, he scored five goals and posted six points in seven games. He’s produced at every level he’s played at and is slated to be at Harvard this fall.
AWARDS: Handing out the boys and girls prep awards from this past winter
6. Gio DiGiulian
Lincoln Stars, 9/25/2005, F, right shot, 6-1/161
Hometown: South Burlington, Vt.
NCAA: Cornell
Similarly to Herrington, DiGiulian was a legitimate NHL Draft prospect coming out of prep last season but wasn’t picked. He scored 22 goals for the USHL’s Lincoln Stars this season and ranked fourth on the team in points with 51. He has the capabilities for high-end offense and checks the “size” box for NHL scouts. NHL Central Scouting ranked him as the 132nd-ranked North American skater.
7. Alex Donovan
Shattuck-St. Mary’s 18-U, 4/8/2007, F, right shot, 5-11/170
Hometown: Darien, Conn.
NCAA: Denver
Donovan elected to stay at Shattuck-St. Mary’s for an 18-U season and produced at an extremely high level, scoring 45 goals and totaling 91 points in 58 games. Despite being under the coveted 6-foot mark, he’s always played much bigger than he is, along with sporting a 200-foot game and being able to play in any situation. It shouldn’t be forgotten that he had six points in six games at USA Hockey’s Select 17 Camp last summer and had a goal and five points at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup for Team USA.
8. Cam Caron
Surrey Eagles, 6/21/2007, F, left shot, 6-3/207
Hometown: Dracut, Mass.
NCAA: Northeastern
I was surprised Caron was never on NHL Central Scouting’s list this season. Despite a rough start, the New Hampton product made up for it with 12 goals and 32 points in 41 games for the BCHL’s Surrey Eagles. At 6-foot-3 and 207 pounds, Caron is a center who can drive play and has great hands. There’s still work to be done with his skating, but his size should at least make NHL teams consider him.
9. Gavin Cornforth
Dubuque Fighting Saints, 12/15/2006, F, right shot, 5-10/170
Hometown: Boston, Mass.
NCAA: Boston College
Sure, Cornforth is on the smaller side for an NHL Draft prospect. But that never stopped him from being an impact player in the USHL. At 18 years old, he’s already been in the USHL for three seasons, so he can succeed against older players. He also stuck it out in one spot, staying in Dubuque for all three years. Most recently, he notched 27 goals and 54 points in 62 games for the Fighting Saints and will be at Boston College come the fall. His skating and skill shouldn’t be overlooked.
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10. Cooper Cleaves
Green Bay Gamblers, 1/5/2006, D, right shot, 6-4/205
Hometown: Riverside, Conn.
NCAA: Dartmouth
This one is a bit off the board. While Cleaves isn’t a flashy, offensive defenseman, he more than held his own in junior hockey this season, posting 15 points in 25 games for the BCHL’s Vernon Vipers and then 11 points in 38 games for the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers. He’s a steady, reliable two-way defenseman that an NHL team might want to take a chance on in a later round. Remember: All it takes is one team.
