On Tuesday morning, NHL Central Scouting released its midterm rankings roughly six months ahead of the NHL Draft.
There's no hiding it — it's a bit of a down year in terms of NHL Draft talent from New England and playing in the region. Six New England natives made the midterm rankings. By contrast, 18 made last season's list.
NHL Central Scouting released four sections: North American skaters, North American goalies, international skaters and international goalies.
The service ranked skaters by projected round. Still, that doesn't mean each player will be drafted. Even if someone is a fifth-round projection in the North American skaters, there are still four full rounds of international skaters vying to be drafted.
Sorry to throw cold water all over this.
Before we break this all down, here's how the region did.
New England skaters ranked:
- 39: Carter Amico, U.S. NTDP | Second round | Westbrook, Maine
- 62: Teddy Mutryn, Chicago (USHL) | Second round | Norwell, Mass.
- 99: Everett Baldwin, St. George's | Fourth round | Providence, R.I.
- 105: Caeden Herrington, Lincoln (USHL) | Fourth round | Manchester, Vt.
- 180: Alex Donovan, Shattuck-St. Mary's | Sixth round | Darien, Conn.
- 218: Richard Gallant, U.S. NTDP | Seventh round | Concord, Mass.
Now, let's dive into some takeaways.
1. I didn't major in math at UMass, but last I checked, six is a lot less than 18. While that's a bit disappointing, I don't think that's awful.
Of the 18 who were ranked this time last year, only five got drafted. Of the six projected this season, I believe at least four get picked. There will be those who look at this and say, "Wow. Hockey in New England is in trouble," and I would vehemently disagree. It's just a thin class from this area. While it's no sure thing, future draft classes project to be much better. It's OK if the region doesn't have a first-round pick every year.
2. In late November, Amico needed leg surgery and is likely done for the season. Had that not happened, he probably would've been a late first-round pick. The Boston University commit is 6-foot-5 and 205 pounds. He's a terrific skater and a force on defense. Most NHL teams would bend over backward to get someone like that on defense. He still could go in the first round, but Central Scouting has him where he'll likely be picked: the second round. If he can stay healthy in future seasons, that will be a steal.
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3. Mutryn as a late second-round candidate makes sense. While his numbers in the USHL don't pop off the page (11 goals and 18 points in 27 games), he's the exact kind of player NHL scouts love — and rightfully so. At 6-foot-1 and 207 pounds, the St. Sebastian's product can fly, has an extremely high compete level and has the skill and shot to produce. He's an anywhere-in-the-lineup kind of player who is relatively easy to project through college and into the pros. I'd expect him to go anywhere from Rounds 2-4.
4. I find Baldwin's NHL Draft case fascinating. The speedy defenseman is with St. George's in prep this season, where he has 12 points in 11 games. He's one of the most noticeable, can't-miss players in the region this winter. He recently jumped on the ice with the NTDP's U18 team for three games and tallied an assist. He had a phenomenal USA Hockey Select 17 Camp last summer and was invited to try out for the Hlinka-Gretzky team. At 5-foot-11 and 173 pounds, Baldwin has speed and an offensive mind that can't be taught. I have him going somewhere between Rounds 3-5.
5. No surprise that Herrington is back on this list as a second-year draft-eligible player. One common thing I've heard from NHL scouts recently is many wish they took a flier on him in the sixth or seventh round last season. The former Holderness standout has had a seamless transition to the USHL, posting eight goals and 17 points in 29 games for the Lincoln Stars. Many scouts want to see prep players handle junior hockey before drafting them. That can be good in some instances. But in Herrington's, it was a dangerous bet, as he now should go somewhere between the third and sixth round.
6. I get that Gallant is 5-foot-8 and 170 pounds, but the seventh round feels low for the second-leading scorer on the NTDP's U18 team. The former St. Mark's standout is tied for the team lead in goals with 17 and has 28 points in 36 games. Maybe NHL teams view him as a potential college free agent signing someday, but his high compete and high-end skill make him someone who I believe deserves earlier consideration in the draft.
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7. So, how did the prep kids do? After Baldwin, Phillips Andover forward Grayden Robertson-Palmer was ranked at No. 164 (sixth round), while Salisbury forward Connor Davis came in at No. 198 (seventh round). Brunswick goalie Dylan Lee-Stack cracked the North American goalie rankings, coming in at No. 30. Of the three, I'd pick Robertson-Palmer as the one who might have the best chance of being picked in June. The Dartmouth commit is a do-it-all center who could slot anywhere in a USHL or Division 1 lineup.
