The Boston Bruins have an impressive stable of young players, thanks to heady drafting and development in recent years.
With that in mind, there might be a relatively lesser emphasis on this year’s draft, and it’s not entirely surprising that the B’s are willing to move their first-round draft pick if they can find the right deal.
Bruins general manager Don Sweeney acknowledged Friday in Buffalo at the NHL Scouting Combine that Boston’s first-rounder (No. 18 overall) could be in play.
“It’s an effort to try and improve our hockey club,” Sweeney said, according to the Boston Herald. “We have had a number of selections the last couple of years and we feel that they’ll all materialize into very good players for the Boston Bruins and I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t explore what could improve our hockey club now in the shorter term.
“I owe it to our players and the organization to continue to do that. Whether or not it happens, I don’t know. Some people have looked at me sideways at times when holding three first rounders (in 2015) and not being able to do something at that point in time. The right deal didn’t take place. I can’t say that it’s going to at this time as well, but it’s certainly an area I’ve looked at that if we can improve, then we would move it.”
The Bruins have hit on their last few drafts, with six first-round picks since 2014. They used a first-round pick on David Pastrnak in 2014, and he’s developed into one of the NHL’s best young offensive players. The Bruins also have recent draft picks like Brandon Carlo, Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson, Anders Bjork and Charlie McAvoy, all who already are significant contributors at the NHL level or are projected to be such next season.
Considering all that, it’s easy to see why the Bruins are open to potentially using this year’s first-round pick to get a player who will be able to immediately help a young club seemingly heading in the right direction.
Thumbnail photo via Steve Mitchell/USA TODAY Sports Images
