MANCHESTER, Vt. — Caeden Herrington, a Manchester native and incoming University of Vermont men’s hockey freshman, was selected in the 2025 NHL Draft on Saturday, June 28.

The LA Kings chose the 6-foot-2, 205-pound defenseman in the fourth round with the 120th overall pick. Herrington, who recently graduated from The Holderness School in New Hampshire, had been projected as a likely draft selection by several analysts, including The Athletic.

Herrington spent the 2024–25 season with the Lincoln Stars of the United States Hockey League. In 56 games, he posted 16 goals and 18 assists for 34 points, along with 67 penalty minutes and a plus-18 rating. His 16 goals led all USHL defensemen during the regular season, and half of his point total came on the power play.

“For all intents and purposes, Caeden was a rookie this year, but he stepped in and made an immediate impact,” Lincoln head coach Rocky Russo told USHL.com earlier this month. “He logged top-pair minutes, ran our power play, and was one of our leaders. That speaks to both his maturity and the reliability he brought to the lineup.”

Herrington began his hockey journey at Burr and Burton Academy in Manchester before moving on to Holderness. Now, he’ll continue his development at the University of Vermont, where he and his new teammates will start full-team workouts at Gutterson Fieldhouse on July 14.

Scouting reports highlight Herrington’s offensive instincts from the blue line. Corey Pronman of The Athletic described him as an “attack-first defenseman” with strong skating ability and puck-handling skills. Pronman also noted that with further development, Herrington has the potential to carve out a role at the NHL level.