Everett Baldwin (D, R, 5’11”, 176, NTDP U18, 01/15/2007, Providence)
Everett Baldwin is a competitive, mobile two-way defenseman who plays with purpose and bite in all three zones. His performance across multiple development stages—NTDP, Hlinka camp, and Select USA Hockey Festivals—has consistently shown a player with emerging pro traits: strong feet, physical edge, elite retrieval instincts, and the ability to activate offensively. However, despite his high motor and confidence, he still battles limitations in decision-making under pressure, efficiency from the blue line, and physical durability concerns tied to size and play style.
Why Everett Baldwin Should Be an NHL Draft Pick
1) High-End Skating & Recovery Ability:
Baldwin’s agility and edge control give him legitimate four-direction mobility. He defends with his feet, pivots fluidly, and is rarely beat wide. His recovery speed when out of position is excellent and he adjusts quickly to pressure in the neutral zone and on retrievals. Particularly impressive was his transition skating and ability to maintain pace under sustained forecheck pressure.
2) Physical Edge & Grit:
He gives 1.29 hits per game in USHL competition—high-end for a defenseman of his size—and consistently shows willingness to take and give contact. He is hard to play against and competes physically with upper-tier intensity. He rarely loses 1v1 battles, and when he does, he responds with immediate re-engagement. This is not typical of most undersized defenders.
3) Retrievals & Transition Game:
Baldwin passes are hard & flat, and he displays strong puck poise under pressure. His 7 takeaways per game (elite) and 1.57 loose puck recoveries after shots indicate his anticipation and game processing in both retrievals and second-chance plays. He’s a modern defenseman in the sense that he can break pucks out with either feet or short-range touch passes, often generating speed for his forwards.
4) Strong Tools for Offensive Activation:
While not a pure power-play quarterback, Baldwin jumps into the play with calculated timing. He consistently presents himself as an outlet and can walk the blue line to create space. His 0.43 completed passes per game leading to a Grade “A” scoring chance shows flashes of offensive upside. He has a compact, deceptive one-timer from the right side and can zip pucks cross-ice at speed.
Why Everett Baldwin Should Not Be an NHL Draft Pick
1) Undersized for His Playing Style:
At 5’11” and 178 lbs, Baldwin plays like a rugged two-way defender but does not yet have the frame to do it long-term at the professional level. He receives 1.14 hits per game, often because he’s first to pucks or overly confident in his ability to beat forecheckers. Over a long season, that could wear him down. This is something to pay attention to given his style of play.
2) Shot Efficiency is a Weakness:
Despite 3.9 shot attempts per game, he generates just 0.14 Grade “A” scoring chances, and 1.57 of his shots are blocked per game. This is a glaring issue. His decision-making at the offensive blue line lacks deception and he struggles to change angles before releasing the puck. He misses the net less than most, but when shots are blocked at this rate, it kills offensive zone time.
3) Minimal Special Teams Impact (So Far):
He averaged just 0:08 of penalty kill time and 0:40 of power play time across seven USHL games with the NTDP. While he has shown the traits to handle both, the lack of consistent special teams usage raises questions about where he fits situationally at higher levels. His projection as a penalty-killing defenseman requires more time and viewings.
4) Inconsistent Puck Management at Pace:
While his 3.9 giveaways per game are manageable, his retrieval-first mentality sometimes causes him to overhandle in transition. Against elite pace or when forecheckers deny him the wall, Baldwin can freeze or force plays. There’s room to improve his ability to make clean, fast decisions under duress.
Projection
Baldwin projects as an NHL defenseman with penalty-killing upside who provides secondary offense. If he fills out his frame and becomes more efficient managing the puck under pressure, he could move into a reliable middle-pairing shutdown role who brings bite, tempo, and safe puck movement. He doesn’t project as a power-play contributor at the next level, but he can help tilt ice at even strength.
Draft Grade: 3rd–5th Round
His skating, compete level, and physicality make Baldwin a high-floor pick with clear NHL traits. There’s still room to grow offensively and concerns about long-term durability in a rugged role, but his upward trajectory and versatility should appeal to teams looking for defensemen who play fast, defend hard, and push tempo. Baldwin has NHL tools and elite feet.
Photo credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images