On Friday night, Bruins general manager Don Sweeney will be carrying a top-10 pick into the NHL draft for the first time in his ten-year tenure.
He probably won’t receive a generational talent in this crop if he decides to select at No. 7 rather than trade it. However, he ought to get a top-six forward.
What path will Sweeney, Ryan Nadeau, and the other scouts take next? Sweeney stated on Wednesday that he will select the best player available and that the Boston Bruins will move forward since defenseman Matthew Schaefer is not going to slip from his projected top pick to No. 7. Additionally, there are several players in the anticipated top 10 who are pegged to be pivots, even if he didn’t want to be forced into picking a center.
Just before the draft, Sweeney isn’t very clear, and the six teams in front of him obviously have his hands bound. However, Sweeney provided his plan for what he hoped to obtain, without ruling out moving up or down in the selection.
We are seeking the most influential players, I believe I am repeating myself. These days, competitiveness, hockey acumen, and skill can all have an impact. It may be used in scoring. “Obviously, you get the perfect storm when you can combine them all,” said Sweeney, who also has two second-round picks in this Saturday’s draft. We don’t have to choose a position, but in the end, we need to identify the most talented and competitive players we can.
According to skill, they are typically found in the top portion of the draft, but later in the process, players advance due to their competitive spirit. They are present, and we should either improve upon or keep up our good work (in identifying those players). We have performed exceptionally well in several instances. I want to ensure that our people understand that we are not attempting to adopt a narrow perspective. Ultimately, we must consider all available options and pick the greatest choice possible, regardless of whether it is center-based, skill-based, or simply a man who can shoot a puck. However, we do need to improve our talent, score, and competitiveness.
Late riser Brady Martin, a 6-foot, 178-pound right-shot centerman who recorded 33-39-72 totals for the Soo Greyhounds and plays a rugged style that would historically fit with the Bruins, is one player who would seem to combine skill, scoring, and competitiveness and might still be available at the seventh pick. Consider this passage from an article in People magazine.
“I play hard and I’m a physical forward,” Martin remarked. I’ll drive you over if you get in my path.
Many Bruins supporters would be thrilled to hear it. If there is a reasonable degree of skill involved, the Bruins could use more run-you-over players, and the Ontario farm boy is thought to possess that as well.
Although Martin would seem to belong in the domain of a classic Bruin, the Philadelphia Flyers, who are the team that picks directly in front of them, might benefit from it as well.
James Hagens, a center for Boston College who started the season as the top prospect, is rumored to drop even lower than the No. 3 ranking the Central Scouting Bureau gave him among North American skaters if Martin leaves. Although he did not exactly dominate Hockey East, the 5-11, 177-pound center from Long Island had a strong season, skating between future NHL players Ryan Leonard and Gabe Perrault and recording 11-26-37 totals. It seems like Hagens would be difficult to pass up if he were still available at number seven.
Jake O. Brien, another OHL centerman who is 6′ 2 and weighs 177 pounds, is another option. With 32-66-98 totals in 66 games, O Brien, a clever set-up man who can slow down play, had an extremely successful season for the Brantford Bulldogs.
Could someone else fall, or will it be one of these three? Would Sweeney be brave enough to make this choice? Let’s see on Friday evening.
The Bruins have had both hits and misses this century, and this will be their sixth pick in the top 10. They have been Lars Johnsson (seventh) in 2000, Phil Kessel (fifth) in 2006, Zach Hamill (eighth) in 2007, Tyler Seguin (second) in 2010, and Dougie Hamilton (ninth overall) in 2011.
With this selection, Sweeney is unlikely to receive a Kessel or Seguin. However, given the current state of the organization, he cannot afford to hire a Johnsson or Hamill.
Agent JP Barry is still working to negotiate a contract with the Boston Bruins for defenseman Henri Jokiharju prior to his July 1 UFA status. According to Barry, who also represents RFA forwards Jakub Lauko and Marat Khusnutdinov, the two teams are negotiating potential deals for both players even though they have not yet received qualifying offers from the Bruins. They would become UFAs on July 1st if nothing materializes and they don’t get their qualifying offers by June 30.