The Boston Bruins will have to shake off the cob webs before they make their first-round selection in the 2024 NHL Draft on Friday. It’s been awhile. The B’s shipped goaltender Linus Ullmark to the Ottawa Senators on Monday, receiving the No. 25 pick as part of the return — their highest selection since 2021. […]
The Boston Bruins will have to shake off the cob webs before they make their first-round selection in the 2024 NHL Draft on Friday.
It’s been awhile.
The B’s shipped goaltender Linus Ullmark to the Ottawa Senators on Monday, receiving the No. 25 pick as part of the return — their highest selection since 2021. Boston has a couple directions it could go in making the pick, with these four prospects sticking out as likely options to hear their names called by Don Sweeney, Cam Neely and company in Las Vegas.
Cole Beaudoin, C, OHL (Barrie)
It doesn’t matter if you’re talking about the NFL, MLB, NBA or NHL, draft prospects with “tools” will always turn heads. Cole Beaudoin not only turns heads, but has people verifying if some of the things he can do are actually real.
The Barrie Colts posted a video of Beaudoin lifting weights last year, prompting NHL teams to reach out and ask if it was fake, according to The Athletic. He’s got the frame (6-foot-2, 210 pounds) you’re looking for in an 18-year-old, and stories about his work ethic and athleticism will make someone fall in love with him.
Beaudoin isn’t just a gym rat, either. He became a key penalty killer for Canada at the 2024 IIHF World U18 Championships, serving as a puck-possession centerman who can play on both ends of the ice. If the Bruins want to add a player whose ceiling seems to be nowhere in sight, the No. 25 ranked North American skater on NHL.com’s prospect list might be there guy.
Jett Luchanko, C, OHL (Guelph)
Matthew Poitras will soon become a full-time member of the Bruins’ roster, so they need to replace him at the top of the organization’s prospect list. Jett Luchanko can do that, just like he did with the Guelph Storm of the OHL.
Luchanko slotted in as the top-line center for Guelph after Poitras stuck around with Boston after training camp, leading the team with 74 points (20 goals, 54 assists) in 68 games and logging more minutes than any other forward.
Luchanko took on a ton of responsibility for the Storm, being recognized for it as he finished second in voting for smartest player and hardest worker in the OHL’s annual coaches poll. He’s viewed as one of the better skaters in the class, and should have an opportunity to find his way on the Bruins’ roster rather quickly.
Emil Hemming, RW, Liiga (TPS)
The Bruins might want a safe bet with the No. 25 pick, and if they do it could come in drafting Emil Hemming.
Hemming is an intriguing prospect, who many believe can slot in as a third-line center and play for more than a decade — without needing to change much about his game. He’s a two-way power forward who will be a penalty-killing machine, it’s just a question if his offensive game will ever improve enough to allow him to hit another level.
Dean Letourneau, C, St. Andrew’s College
Can you imagine if Zdeno Chara played center? It’s a bit absurd to think about, but that’s kind of what Dean Letourneau would look like in a Bruins sweater.
Letourneau is 6-foot-7 and will play at Boston College next fall. He led St. Andrew’s College with 127 points (61 goals, 66 assists) in 56 games last season, which are video game numbers. If the Bruins feel comfortable taking a big swing this summer, it might just come in drafting a kid who is still developing his game.
“I try to model my game after Tage Thompson,” Letourneau told NHL.com. “Just a big, tall centerman with skill. I love watching his puck protection and the way he uses his body to shield defenders. That’s something I’m trying to incorporate into my game, too.”
