General | 6/11/2025 10:25:55 AM
As the 2025 NHL Draft approaches, we're taking a look at some of the league's top prospects at each position, beginning on the blue line. Top forward and goaltending prospects will be profiled in the following weeks.
This year’s draft is set for June 27-28 and will be held at Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, Calif. The first round will be televised on ESPN and ESPN+ on June 27, followed by rounds 2-7 on NHL Network and ESPN+. The USHL is expected to produce another strong crop of draft picks after seeing 49 players with league ties get selected last June.
Carter Amico – NTDP
Hometown: Westbrook, Maine
Shoots: Right
HT: 6’6
WT: 232
College Commitment: Boston University
NHL Central Scouting Final Ranking: 41
Year-In-Review
Amico suffered a season-ending knee injury in November and was limited to just 13 games, including four in the USHL. He played in 22 USHL games with the U17 team during the 2023-24 season.
The BU commit is considered one of the draft’s top defensive prospects when healthy and offers teams an aggressive, two-way defender. Amico performed well at the NHL Combine this past week in Buffalo too, a promising sign as he hopes for a successful return next fall.
“Carter’s obviously got the size but he also skates well and has good hands, and he can physically impose himself on his opponents. Whether that’s with an open-ice hit or just being physical down low in the defensive zone,” said NTDP head coach Greg Moore. “But I think the biggest thing with Carter is I give him a ton of credit for how he handled everything this season and his work ethic. He’s done a really good job of working to get himself back into shape and the positive energy and bright smile he brings into the room is infectious.”
Sean Barnhill – Dubuque Fighting Saints
Hometown: Scottsdale, Ariz.
Shoots: Right
HT: 6’5
WT: 214
College Commitment: Northeastern
NHL Central Scouting Final Ranking: 64
Year-In-Review
Barnhill was one of the USHL’s top rookies and skated in 54 games for the Fighting Saints. He picked up 12 points (4-8-12), which ranked eighth among rookie defensemen, and was a plus-8, helping Dubuque finish second in the Eastern Conference.
Barnhill earned a trip to the All-American Game in January and continued to see his draft stock rise this winter, going from 76 on Central Scouting’s mid-term rankings to 64 in the final.
“Sean came here with a lot of physical ability with his size, explosiveness and ability to move, and we’ve just seen a tremendous amount of growth,” said Dubuque head coach Evan Dixon. “He’s a kid that’s worked extremely hard while also gaining more confidence at the junior level, and he really took a big step and showed he can be an impactful defenseman in the USHL. He skates exceptionally well for his size and closes out plays and knocks guys off the puck, and you can’t teach his reach. But it all starts with his commitment to getting better and he knows what his strengths are as a player.”
Caeden Herrington – Lincoln Stars
Hometown: Manchester, Vermont
Shoots: Right
HT: 6’2
WT: 204
College Commitment: Vermont
NHL Central Scouting Final Ranking: 80
Year-In-Review
Herrington led all USHL defensemen with 16 regular-season goals and found a home on Lincoln’s power play, where he earned 17 (7-10-17) of his 34 points.
Herrington played 56 games for the Stars this season after skating in 16 for Green Bay in 2023-24. He racked up 129 shots – which ranked fifth among USHL blue liners – and finished the regular season a plus-18. Herrington skated in seven playoff games and helped Lincoln reach the Western Conference Finals.
“For all intents and purposes, Caeden was a rookie this year, but he was able to step right in and make an impact right away,” said Lincoln head coach Rocky Russo. “He played top-pair minutes for us, he played on our power play and he was one of our leaders, and I think that tells you the type of mature personality he has. And he was a guy that the other guys could look to and know what they were gonna get.
"He scored big goals when we needed them and was able to create a lot of offense for us, but he also ate a ton of minutes 5-on-5 and was really able to impact the game at both ends of the ice. Caeden has the ability to defend at a high level and we watched him take off from day one, and he was a really important piece of our success.”
Sam Laurila – Fargo Force
Hometown: Moorhead, Minn.
Shoots: Left
HT: 6’1
WT: 191
College Commitment: North Dakota
NHL Central Scouting Final Ranking: 65
Year-In-Review
Laurila took advantage of a third junior season and flourished as one of the league’s top defensemen. The Moorhead native returned home after two seasons at the NTDP and skated in 57 games for the Force.
Laurila scored eight goals and added 33 assists, and those 41 points were tied for fourth among USHL defensemen. He had 12 points (4-8-12) over his previous 66 career USHL games and 26 (7-19-26) over his 115 career games at the NTDP.
“Sam had a really good year for us,” said Fargo head coach Brett Skinner. “He took a big step as far as his offensive development goes and his base is defending. He shuts plays down quick and can transition pucks and join the rush. It was nice to see him evolve his offensive game adding the power play time and some more offensive looks to his game. He’s a modern, two-way defenseman that will only continue to get better because of his strong work ethic and high character off the ice.”
Brady Peddle – Waterloo Black Hawks
Hometown: Antigonish, Nova Scotia
Shoots: Left
HT: 6’3
WT: 202
College Commitment: Michigan State
NHL Central Scouting Final Ranking: 86
Peddle came to Waterloo after spending two seasons with the Bishop Kearney Selects AAA program. While the jump can be unforgiving for some young defenders, Peddle handled it well and continued to develop while playing a big role for the Black Hawks.
He finished the year with 10 points (3-7-10) and was a plus-12 over 62 regular-season games, and he added another 10 points (1-9-10) and a plus-3 rating over 15 playoff games.
“Being a young kid and playing (defense) in such a talented league and at a high level is really challenging, but the biggest thing with Brady is the level of consistency he played with,” said Waterloo head coach Matt Smaby, who was recently named associate head coach at North Dakota. “I thought he played his best hockey at the end of the year and for him as a young defenseman, the big moments can make you or break you. But he kept showing up and being a really solid contributor for our team, especially down the stretch and in the playoffs.
"I think Brady’s at his best when he’s simple with the puck and hard to play against, and he moves well out there. But I go back to his consistency, and I think that’s such a good trait for a young defenseman.”
Maceo Phillips – NTDP
Hometown: Wayzata, Minn.
Shoots: Left
HT: 6’6
WT: 233
College Commitment: Minnesota
NHL Central Scouting Final Ranking: 61
Year-In-Review
Phillips skated in 60 games this season with the U18 team, 25 of which came in the USHL. The Minnesota native had three points (2-1-3) in the USHL this winter, along with 67 penalty minutes and a plus-6 rating. He’s also not afraid to fire the puck at opposing goaltenders. Phillips logged 31 shots in USHL action and 63 on the season overall.
“Maceo’s a naturally gifted kid and he’s just a big, strong athlete,” said NTDP head coach Greg Moore. “He’s a powerful skater, he’s strong along the boards and in front of the net, and he intimidates people with his presence on the ice. He can absolutely wire the puck too and has a great shot, and I think he’s someone that’s going to be a beast at the next level and as he continues in his development.”
Jacob Rombach – Lincoln Stars
Hometown: Blaine, Minn.
Shoots: Left
HT: 6’6
WT: 209
College Commitment: Minnesota
NHL Central Scouting Final Ranking: 42
Year-In-Review
Rombach skated in 57 games this season, which was his second in the USHL. The Minnesota commit offers teams plenty of size and a reliable defender while giving opponents fits with his towering frame.
Rombach added 18 points (3-15-18) as well and the offensive side of his game continues to evolve. He finished the regular season a plus-29, which was tied for seventh among all USHL skaters, and also helped the U.S. win gold at the World Junior A Challenge.
“First of all, Jacob’s a special person,” said Lincoln head coach Rocky Russo. “He’s very mature, he’s very detailed, his priorities are in line and he has such a desire to get better every day. Then when you look at him as a player, there’s so much to like, and his game’s evolved so much from the beginning of last year to where he is today. His puck retrievals are almost automatic, he’s able to get up ice and join the play, his gaps are fantastic and you rarely see him out of position.
“He’s such a challenging player to go up against and when you see a big guy like him, more often than not the question is the skating. But Jacob’s skating is excellent. He’s just continued to get better in every area ever since he walked through our doors.”
Charlie Trethewey – NTDP
Hometown: Woodbine, Md.
Shoots: Right
HT: 6’1
WT: 200
College Commitment: Boston University
NHL Central Scouting Final Ranking: 46
Year-In-Review
Trethewey skated in 63 games this season for the NTDP and was one of the program’s top contributors from the blue line as he racked up 20 points and 84 shots. That includes nine points (2-7-9) in 24 USHL games with the U18s. He also finished the USHL season a plus-16 after posting a minus-20 rating over 33 USHL games last year.
Over the past two seasons at the NTDP, Trethewey played in 115 career games and recorded 55 points (18-37-55). He scored 13 of those 18 goals on the man advantage.
“Charlie’s a good skater and a puck-handling defenseman that can shoot the puck,” said NTDP head coach Greg Moore. “He adds a lot to the blue line offensively and he improved a lot this season with his defensive reads. He added more physicality too and just became harder to play against, and I think he really proved this season that he can be a well-rounded defenseman.”
Other USHL defensemen included on Central Scouting’s Final Draft Rankings
- Edison Engle, Dubuque Fighting Saints – 78
- Asher Barnett, NTDP – 96
- Anthony Allain-Samake, Sioux City Musketeers – 101
- Everett Baldwin, NTDP – 118
- Richard Baran, Des Moines Buccaneers – 145
- Nolen Geerdes, Madison Capitols – 169
- Jonathan Brown, Youngstown Phantoms – 177
- Drew Schock, NTDP – 182
- Luka Radivojevic, Muskegon Lumberjacks – 188
- Dryden Allen, Dubuque Fighting Saints – 205
- Mikhail Katin, Omaha – 221
About the USHL
The United States Hockey League (USHL) and its 16 member clubs are committed to being the world's leading 16–20-year-old junior hockey league. During the 2024-25 season, USHL alumni held over 50% of NCAA Division I roster spots, and over 25% of NHL players had USHL experience. With 10 first-round selections and 49 total picks in the 2024 NHL Draft, the USHL has developed the most draft choices of any junior hockey league since 2012.
Elevated through the recently announced Declaration of Excellence with the NHL and USA Hockey, the league's player-first approach, including a 2:1 practice-to-game ratio and a schedule with 92% of games played on weekends, provides its players with the optimal environment for athletic and personal growth, creating pathways for the next generation of stars like Kyle Connor (Youngstown Phantoms), Macklin Celebrini (Chicago Steel), Matthew Knies (Tri-City Storm), Adam Fantilli (Chicago Steel) and Jeremy Swayman (Sioux Falls Stampede). More.