The time is almost here.
The NHL Draft begins in Los Angeles with the first round on Friday, although much of it will be done remotely. Rounds 2-7 will take place on Saturday.
There likely won't be any first-round picks from the local draft-eligible New Englanders, but that doesn't mean it's not an interesting group, because it very much is.
Let's dive into five storylines to keep an eye on this weekend.
1. When does Carter Amico go?
Most draft rankings have Amico going somewhere in the second round, and it's not hard to figure out why. The 6-foot-6, 234-pound defenseman is a force to be reckoned with and projects as a shutdown defenseman in a team's top four someday. The only question will likely be which team will take a shot on him in that second round, where other big defensemen project as second-rounders, too.
The Westbrook, Maine, native could've been a strong candidate for the first round, but he missed most of his U18 U.S. National Team Development Program season with a knee injury. His recovery has gone well, and he's set to get back to skating next week.
No matter what, Amico should be the first New Englander taken off the board.
2. Does Caeden Herrington get picked?
Last year, Herrington posted a fantastic senior year at Holderness, scoring seven goals and 49 points in 29 games. But NHL teams wanted to see what the Vermont commit would do against higher levels of competition.
Herrington responded by ranking second in goals among USHL defensemen with 16 and notching 34 points. He more than proved he could produce and thrive against older, stronger players. And at 6-foot-2 and 204 pounds, he has the size element down.
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In The Athletic's full mock draft, Corey Pronman had Herrington going at No. 72 to the Anaheim Ducks, which is on the higher end of Herrington projections. Still, the Holderness product has made NHL teams regret not picking him last year. He shouldn't have much trouble being selected this time around.
3. Will Everett Baldwin be the highest prep player selected since 2022?
So long as Baldwin gets picked before the sixth round, the answer to this one should be a "Yes."
I went in-depth on Baldwin in my Tuesday story, evaluating the cases of prep players for this year's NHL Draft. Baldwin is projected all over the place in mock drafts and rankings, but his electrifying skating should have a team picking him somewhere in the middle rounds. I'll repeat myself from that story, but if I had to guess, it's a team with multiple picks in the third or fourth round.
4. Which round does Teddy Mutryn get selected in?
Mutryn, a Norwell, Mass., native, will likely be the first Massachusetts native off the board, which isn't much of a surprise. The big question: When will that be?
The St. Sebastian's product may be helped by the Sam Bennett effect. Bennett, at 6-foot-1, was a physical force for the Panthers en route to a Stanley Cup, as he won the Conn Smythe trophy as the most valuable player in the playoffs. By no means am I saying Mutryn is Bennett, but...Mutryn is 6-foot-1, 207 pounds and can play anywhere. He has a dogged compete, is mature physically and can play anywhere in any role in a lineup. He's a culture-setter. That has value.
I'd expect Mutryn to be picked somewhere in Rounds 3-5.
5. The sleepers
Throughout the last year, this has felt like a four-person class from New England: Amico, Mutryn, Baldwin and Herrington. But there are still some other candidates who could go.
If I'm the general manager of an NHL team, I'm looking at three locals as great value adds in the seventh round: Richard Gallant (Concord, Mass.), Gio DiGiulian (South Burlington, Vt.) and Alex Donovan (Darien, Conn.).
READ MORE: Our final rankings for the 2025 NHL Draft
While Gallant is 5-foot-8, he has a relentless compete and ranked second on the NTDP's U18 team in goals with 23. DiGiulian is a second-year eligible prospect who had a fantastic season with the USHL's Lincoln Stars, scoring 22 goals and tallying 51 points in 58 games. And then there's Donovan, who scored 45 goals and posted 91 points in 58 games at the 18U level for Shattuck-St. Mary's. Potentially even more relevant to his draft stock: he was outstanding at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup last summer with a goal and five points.
All three would be great options late in the draft. If they're never drafted, I'd expect some hype around them as college free agents someday.
