It’s hard to switch gears after playing in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, especially when the trip involves a crushing loss on home ice, but that’s exactly what the Boston Bruins must do this weekend when the 2019 NHL Draft takes place in Vancouver.
The Bruins own the 30th pick in the first round by virtue of their Cup run, which culminated with a 4-1 loss to the St. Louis Blues in a winner-take-all showdown last Wednesday at TD Garden. That makes figuring out which prospects still will be available a fool’s errand, although several NHL mock drafts released in recent days shed light on who the Bruins could target with the selection.
Here’s a roundup of who several mock drafts have the Bruins selecting at No. 30 overall Friday night, along with each writer’s accompanying analysis on the projected pick.
NHL.com
Adam Kimelman: Samuel Poulin, RW, Sherbrooke (QMJHL)
A power forward with a high work ethic, scouts liked how Poulin got better as the season went on.
Mike G. Morreale: Lassi Thomson, D, Kelowna (WHL)
A dynamic right-hand shot with high-end skill and skating ability.
Guillaume Lepage: Robert Mastrosimone, C, Chicago (USHL)
The 5-10, 159-pound forward is an agitator who also can contribute on offense, much like Boston forward Brad Marchand. He will play for Boston University next season, putting him near Bruins management.
ESPN.com
Chris Peters: Alex Vlasic, D, USA U18 (NTDP)
The Bruins love their Boston University guys, and at 6-foot-6, Vlasic plays a really strong brand of defense. I think his hockey sense will speak to the Bruins.
SportingNews.com
Steve Kournianos: Robert Mastrosimone, LW, Chicago (USHL)
A hard-nosed sniper with a high compete level, the Boston University-bound winger was one of the USHL’s top scorers and can beat you in more ways than just scoring.
Sportsnet.ca
Sam Cosentino: John Beecher, C, USNTDP
Is a lock to play because he doesn’t have to score in order to be effective. A speed-burner, who can be an effective PK player at the next level. The offensive ceiling may not be high, but there are too many things in his game to not like him as a player.
The Athletic
Corey Pronman: Jayden Struble, D, St. Sebastian’s School-U.S. High School
Struble to the Bruins and, in general, in the first round was a rumor that emerged in the past few weeks, but I do hear there’s serious momentum for him right now in this range of the draft.
