The LA Kings have selected defender Caeden Herrington with the 120th overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, their fourth selection of the weekend and third of Saturday’s Day 2. Playing with the Lincoln Stars of the USHL, Herrington led all of the league’s defenders in goals (16) and power play goals (7).

The Vitals
Name: Caeden Herrington
Position: Defense
Shoots: Right
DOB: January 26, 2006
Height: 6-2
Weight: 205
Hometown: Manchester, Vermont
NHL Central Scouting Final Ranking: 80 (North American Skaters)
The Hockey News / Ryan Kennedy Final Ranking: 94
McKeen’s Hockey: 89
Future Considerations Hockey: 167
Stats (Lincoln, USHL): 56 GP, 16 G, 18 A, 34 PTS, 67 PIM, +18

Expert Opinions
Corey Pronman / The Athletic
Herrington had a big season in the USHL in his second draft-eligible year. His offense took off on a high-flying Lincoln team. Herrington is an attack-first defenseman. He’s a strong skater with good hands who loves to rush pucks up ice. He is a threat to score with his one-timer, although he’s not a great passer from the point. Herrington is 6-2 and plays reasonably physical, so there are tools to be a two-way defender; at the moment, he isn’t, though. He tries too much to score and isn’t trustworthy in his own end. If he cleans that up, he could play in the NHL.

Rocky Russo / Lincoln Stars Head Coach
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. He played top-pair minutes for us, he played on our power play and he was one of our leaders. I think that tells you the type of mature personality he has. 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 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. He was a really important piece of our success.

Quick Take – For the second consecutive selection the Kings went with a 2006-born player in his second year of eligibility. Herrington came out of nowhere to have a big season in the USHL with Lincoln and is committed to play collegiate hockey in his home state for the University of Vermont in Hockey East this season.