The Boston Bruins are preparing for a massive 2025 NHL Entry Draft. After a disastrous 2024-25 season that saw them miss the playoffs, the Bruins have the seventh-overall pick in this year's draft. It is crucial that Bruins general manager Don Sweeney does not mess up with this pick, like he has done in other years.
Since Sweeney took over as the Bruins' general manager in 2015, he has made nine selections in the first round. Let's rank each of them now.
Ineligible: Dean Letourneau
It's too early to rank Dean Letourneau in this list, as he was just drafted 25th overall last summer. The 6-foot-7 center is viewed as being a long-term project for the Bruins, so more time needs to pass before we find out if Sweeney made the right move picking him.
Letourneau had a quiet first season with Boston College this season, posting zero goals and three assists in 36 games. While these numbers do not stand out, it would be surprising if he does not take a step forward now that he has a year of college hockey experience on his resume. However, if he does not show signs of improvement in 2025-26, that certainly would raise more concerns.
Sweeney's Worst First-Round Pick: Zach Senyshyn
With the 15th overall pick of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, Sweeney went really off the board and selected Zach Senyshyn. The 28-year-old forward was projected to be a second-round pick, so it undoubtedly surprised many that Boston selected him with their final first-rounder that year.
In the end, the gamble certainly did not pay off, as Senyshyn was never able to cement himself as a full-time player on the Bruins. He played in just 14 games over three seasons with Boston, posting one goal and two assists. Ultimately, Senyshyn was put in a very tough position being selected so much earlier than expected, and was simply unable to reach expectations because of it.
When noting that forwards like Matthew Barzal, Kyle Connor, Brock Boeser, and Travis Konecny were selected after Senyshyn, this is a pick that will always haunt the Bruins.
No. 7: Jakub Zboril
Sweeney had another major miss in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft when he selected defenseman Jakub Zboril with the 13th overall pick. This case was different than Senyshyn, however, as Zboril was actually projected to be selected in the top 15 and was viewed as a future top-four NHL defenseman.
However, like Senyshyn, Zboril was unable to become an impactful player for the Bruins. In 76 games over four seasons with the Original Six club, he recorded one goal, 15 points, and an even plus-minus rating. His time with the Bruins organization ended during the 2024-25 season when he was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets. He is now playing overseas.
This is another pick that will forever haunt Bruins fans, especially when noting that the next defenseman selected after Zboril was Ottawa Senators star blueliner Thomas Chabot
No. 6: Urho Vaakanainen
Urho Vaakanainen is a bit of an interesting case. The Bruins selected him with the 18th overall pick of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, and he never became a full-time player for the Original Six club. In 31 games with the Bruins over four seasons, he recorded six assists and a minus-2 rating.
While Vaakanainen's impact with the Bruins was minimal, he was used in the trade package to bring in star defenseman Hampus Lindholm from the Anaheim Ducks. Furthermore, unlike Senyshyn and Zboril, Vaakanainen has become a full-time NHL player, so he jumps ahead of them on this list.
No. 5: Fabian Lysell
Admittedly, determining where to rank Lysell on this list was the toughest decision for me. The 22-year-old forward is still trying to cement himself a full-time spot on the Bruins' roster, so he very well could have been labeled as "ineligible" for this. However, when noting that he just completed his third AHL season, it feels fair to rank him at No. 5, at least for now.
Lysell played in his first 12 career NHL games this season with Boston, where he had one goal, three points, and a minus-4 rating. However, he also had his worst statistical AHL season with the Providence Bruins this year, recording 11 goals, 23 assists, and 34 points in 52 games. Overall, while Lysell has not become the top-six forward they hoped for after they picked him 21st overall in 2021, there is still time for him to change that. However, until he proves he can at least be an NHL regular, he will hold the No. 5 spot.
No. 4: Johnny Beecher
Johnny Beecher is not necessarily your typical first-round pick, as he has very likely hit his ceiling as a fourth-line NHL forward. However, even with this being the case, he has been able to cement himself as a regular in the Bruins' lineup, unlike the players earlier on this list. Thus, he gets the No. 4 spot.
Beecher has appeared in 130 games over two seasons with the Bruins, where he has recorded 10 goals, 21 points, and 197 hits. Overall, the 30th overall pick of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, has been a serviceable depth forward for Boston. Nothing fancy.
No. 3: Trent Frederic
Could the Bruins have done better with their 29th overall pick in 2016 than Trent Frederic? Absolutely. A few players selected shortly after him include Alex DeBrincat, Jordan Kyrou, and Filip Hronek. However, Frederic still proved to be a solid player for the Bruins.
When playing at his best, Frederic gave the Bruins solid secondary scoring and plenty of grit. His best season was with the Bruins in 2023-24, when he set career highs with 18 goals, 22 assists, 40 points, and 204 hits. Overall, he was a solid top-nine forward with the Bruins, but he struggled in his final season with Boston before being traded to the Edmonton Oilers this year.
No. 2: Jake DeBrusk
The Bruins undoubtedly missed out on an array of future stars in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, but they at least got some good value with Jake DeBrusk. Selected 14th overall by the Bruins, DeBrusk was easily Boston's best pick in 2015 and was a key forward for Boston for multiple seasons.
In 465 games over seven seasons with the Bruins, DeBrusk 138 goals, 266 points, and a plus-51 rating. While he had moments of inconsistency and memorably requested a trade in 2021-22, he was a good player for the Bruins overall. Still, Boston could have done better.
Sweeney's Best First-Round Pick: Charlie McAvoy
Charlie McAvoy is easily Sweeney's best first-round pick since becoming the Bruins' GM. With the 14th overall pick of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, Sweeney found himself the Bruins' long-term No. 1 defenseman with McAvoy. This pick will forever be a steal for the Bruins because of it.
In 504 career games with the Bruins over eight seasons, he has posted 60 goals, 300 points, 908 hits, and a plus-144 rating.
Bruins Rumors: 5 Prospects To Consider With 7th Overall Pick
The <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/boston-bruins">Boston Bruins</a> are preparing for a massive 2025 NHL Entry Draft. The Original Six club have the seventh-overall pick, so they will be looking to land a very good prospect with it. This is especially so when noting that they sport one of the weakest prospect pools in the NHL.