The Boston Bruins were one of the busiest teams at the 2015 NHL Draft. They made 10 selections, including six picks in the top 52.
Here’s a recap of the Bruins’ 2015 draft class.
Round 1, No. 13 pick (from LAK): Jakub Zboril, Defenseman, Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL)
Stats: 13 goals and 20 assists (33 points) in 44 games
Height, Weight: 6-foot-1, 184 pounds
Round 1, No. 14 pick: Jake DeBrusk, Left Wing, Swift Current Broncos (WHL)
Stats: 42 goals and 39 assists (81 points) in 72 games
Height, Weight: 6 feet, 174 pounds
Round 1, No. 15 pick (from CGY): Zachary Senyshyn, Right Wing. Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (WHL)
Stats: 26 goals and 19 assists (45 points) in 66 games
Height, Weight: 6-foot-1, 192 pounds
Round 2, No. 37 (from NYI via PHI): Brandon Carlo, Defenseman, Tri-City (WHL)
Stats: 63 GP, 4 G, 21 A, 25 P
Height, Weight: 6-5, 196 pounds
Round 2, No. 45 (from CGY): Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson, Center, Omaha (USHL)
Stats: 50 GP, 15 G, 38 A, 53 P
Height, Weight: 6-1, 190
Round 2, No. 52 (from CGY via WSH): Jeremy Lauzon, Defenseman, Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL)
Stats: 60 GP, 15 G, 21 A, 36 P
Height, Weight: 6-2, 193
Round 3, No. 75: Daniel Vladar, Goaltender, HC Kladno (Czech2)
Stats: 8 GP, 1.97 GAA, .933 SV%
Height, Weight: 6-5, 185
Round 4, No. 105: Jesse Gabrielle, Left Wing, Regina (WHL)
Stats: 33 GP, 10 G, 9 A, 19 P
Height, Weight: 5-11, 205
Round 5, No. 135: Traded to Minnesota for the Wild’s 2016 fifth-round pick.
Round 6, No. 165: Cameron Hughes, Center, Wisconsin
Stats: 34 GP, 3 G, 10 A, 13 P
Height, Weight: 5-11, 161
Round 7, No. 195: Jack Becker, Center, Mahtomedi High (also Sioux Falls/USHL)
Stats: 23 GP, 22 G, 25 A, 47 P
Height, Weight: 6-3, 190
Fast Facts
- The Bruins’ 2015 draft class has 10 players. It’s the team’s largest class since 2010, which had eight players.
- Boston’s class includes six forwards, one defenseman and three goaltenders.
- The B’s became the first team since the Montreal Canadiens in 1968 to make consecutive selections in Round 1.
- Boston made three picks in the second round for the first time ever.
- Six of the Bruins’ 10 picks played in the CHL last season.
- The B’s selected five players from Canada, two from the United States, two from the Czech Republic and one from Sweden.
Takeaways
1) The Bruins made an effort to replenish their depth on the blue line. Dougie Hamilton was traded, Matt Bartkowski might not come back as an unrestricted free agent and Zdeno Chara is 38 years old. Zach Trotman and Joe Morrow might fill full-time NHL roles next season, which could leave Providence a bit thin on the blue line.
The Bruins had to acquire some defenseman and they did just that by picking Jakub Zboril at No. 13, Brandon Carlo at No. 37 and Jeremy Lauzon at No. 52. The B’s also acquired defenseman Colin Miller from the Los Angeles Kings in the Milan Lucic trade. Miller had a very good 2014-15 campaign for the Calder Cup champion Manchester Monarchs and could play a top-six role on Boston’s NHL roster next season.
2) The Bruins have the best goalie depth in the league. Despite having former Vezina Trophy winner Tuukka Rask, 2012 first-round pick Malcolm Subban, AHL standout Jeremy Smith and 2015 Hobey Baker Award finalist Zane McIntyre, Boston drafted Czech netminder Daniel Vladar in the third round and acquired talented Kings backup Martin Jones in the Lucic trade.
That’s six good goalies in the Bruins organization, and it will be interesting too see how many of them are still with the team come October.
3) While the Bruins drafted a few forwards with a high upside offensively, specifically Jake DeBrusk and Zachary Senyshyn in Round 1, none of the forwards selected Friday or Saturday project to be NHL players in the upcoming season.
Boston needs more scoring depth at the NHL level after ranking 22nd in goals scored and 18th in power-play percentage last season. The Bruins can expect more scoring production from young players such as David Pastrnak, Ryan Spooner and Brett Connolly, but it also would be wise to add a forward or two through the trade and/or free-agent markets this summer.
Thumbnail photo via Steve Mitchell/USA TODAY Sports Images
