Given how thin the Boston Bruins’ prospect pool is, stockpiling it is important. The organization has seen players graduate to the big club and even got a boost last season. In surprising fashion, center Matthew Poitras and defenseman Mason Lohrei emerged onto the scene in 2023-24, and both played crucial roles and provided great young depth. After them, though, the cupboard is a bit bare and the team needs to restock the cupboard.
The tough part about being a Stanley Cup contender is that you always will draft late in each round. That’s not always a bad thing, as you can still hit on that draft selection. Superstar David Pastrnak was taken 25th overall by the Bruins in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, proving it’s possible to hit on a player even at that spot.
General manager Don Sweeney managed to get back into the first round during the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, as he acquired a first round pick in a trade with the Ottawa Senators. Ironically, that pick originally was the Bruins’ draft selection. The Senators got a number one goalie in Linus Ullmark, and with that pick, the Bruins selected center Dean Letourneau. There is much to love about this draft selection and the type of player he could be down the line.
Bruins Bolster Prospect Strength Down the Middle
Outside of Matthew Poitras, the Bruins’ are thin when it comes to prospects down the middle. They got a good taste of what center John Beecher can bring to the club — although he is more suited for a bottom six role, he is a vital part of the team’s depth. The one thing missing for the Bruins is a true number-one center. Sweeney went on to sign Elias Lindholm for seven years, so there is the answer for that immediately. However, the key is drafting and developing that center and hoping the player can grow into that number-one role.
Bruins fans ought to like Letourneau. The biggest comparison he draws is to Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson. Thompson was originally part of the trade to the Sabres that sent Ryan O’Reilly to the St. Louis Blues. Thompson hadn’t come into his own yet, but now is a lethal offensive presence on the Sabres. Letourneau stands out at 6-foot-7. For his size, he is an incredible skater, but also has the skill to go along with it. That’s what drew Sweeney to him.
“What stood is obviously the frame of the player, and his skillset, to tell you the truth,” Sweeney said of Letourneau. “Not so much just the positional side of things, but he moves really well at that size, he’s got very, very good hands, he’s got an elite shot. … We think [BC] is going to be a great development opportunity for Dean to continue to grow and fill in the gaps in his game.” (From Audacy.com, June 28, 2024).
Nobody is saying he is the next Thompson. However, he does draw those comparisons with his height, his shot, and even his stick handling. Coincidentally, this is a player that even models his game after Thompson. Development camps were underway at Warrior Ice Arena and Letourneau impressed.
