The Bruins used their Spherical 1 decide for the primary time since 2021, and so they went large.
Boston on Friday drafted Dean Letourneau with the twenty fifth general decide. The 6-foot-7 ahead impressed at St. Andrew’s Faculty with 21 targets and 18 assists for 39 factors in two seasons. He additionally scored 61 targets and recorded 127 factors in 56 video games on the under-18 AAA degree.
NHL analysts largely have been constructive in regards to the collection of the 18-year-old. Right here’s what they mentioned in regards to the Bruins’ first-round decide.
Ryan S. Clark, ESPN:
Letourneau provides the Bruins excessive measurement down the center. The actual fact he scored greater than 60 targets and 127 factors proves there’s offensive upside, too. He’ll attend Boston Faculty (this fall), so the Bruins can preserve an in depth eye on his growth. Maybe essentially the most fascinating half is that the Bruins are hoping to strike it wealthy with Letourneau given they’ve solely had 4 draft picks since 2018 who’ve reached the NHL.
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Adam Kimelman, NHL.com:
Heart is an space of want for the Bruins, and Letourneau has a really intriguing upside. He dominated in opposition to prep faculty competitors, however that degree is a little bit of a drop-off from the competitors he would have confronted had he performed within the Canadian Hockey League or america Hockey League. It’s a little bit of a dangerous decide, and his play subsequent season at Boston Faculty will go a good distance towards figuring out if that threat is well worth the reward.
Rory Boylen, Sportsnet:
Boston wants facilities, and whereas Dean Letourneau received’t be within the lineup subsequent season, he may very well be a (actually) large determine on the place down the road. … He can take his time to develop within the school circuit, and could also be a number of years away from professional hockey. However the repay is, effectively probably large. Letourneau is the primary participant chosen within the first spherical of the NHL draft after enjoying for a Canadian highschool staff. … Letourneau is one thing of a challenge participant at this level, with comparables like Nick Bjugstad, or Tage Thompson.
Corey Pronman, The Athletic:
Letourneau was a dominant participant on the prep degree this season and one of many best professional prospects to come back by means of St. Andrew’s Faculty. His toolkit is moderately distinctive. He skates very effectively for 6-foot-6. That he has a legit offensive contact to go together with his toes is what makes him so interesting for his professional projection. He can dangle defenders at full flight and create lots of scoring probabilities. Letourneau isn’t a high-energy compete and a few scouts query his effort at instances, however he will get to the center effectively sufficient and isn’t afraid of utilizing his physique. The talk on Letourneau can be how actual his offense is. The athlete is apparent, however is he really NHL good or does he have NHL scoring capability? It’s so laborious to pinpoint on the low degree of competitors he confronted all season. He may very well be Tage Thompson, however he may very well be Joe Colborne or Riley Tufte. I feel he ends someplace within the center.
It’s pure for gamers chosen within the second half of the primary spherical to be thought-about tasks. Hardly ever do these gamers grow to be key contributors immediately and it will likely be as much as the Bruins employees to find out the appropriate course for Letourneau for his profession. Boston followers will control Letourneau all through the Hockey East season.
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The 2024 NHL Draft continues this weekend, and Boston has three picks left. It owns the 122nd decide within the fourth spherical, the a hundred and fifty fifth decide within the fifth spherical and the 186th decide within the sixth spherical.
