How NHL Analysts Reacted To Bruins Drafting Dean Letourneau

The Bruins used their Round 1 pick for the first time since 2021, and they went big.

Boston on Friday drafted Dean Letourneau with the 25th overall pick. The 6-foot-7 forward impressed at St. Andrew’s College with 21 goals and 18 assists for 39 points in two seasons. He also scored 61 goals and recorded 127 points in 56 games at the under-18 AAA level.

NHL analysts largely were positive about the selection of the 18-year-old. Here’s what they said about the Bruins’ first-round pick.

Ryan S. Clark, ESPN:
Letourneau gives the Bruins extreme size down the middle. The fact he scored more than 60 goals and 127 points proves there is offensive upside, too. He’ll attend Boston College (this fall), so the Bruins can keep a close eye on his development. Perhaps the most fascinating part is that the Bruins are hoping to strike it rich with Letourneau given they’ve only had four draft picks since 2018 who have reached the NHL.

Adam Kimelman, NHL.com:
Center is an area of need for the Bruins, and Letourneau has a very intriguing upside. He dominated against prep school competition, but that level is a bit of a drop-off from the competition he would have faced had he played in the Canadian Hockey League or the United States Hockey League. It’s a bit of a risky pick, and his play next season at Boston College will go a long way toward determining if that risk is worth the reward.

Rory Boylen, Sportsnet:
Boston needs centers, and while Dean Letourneau won’t be in the lineup next season, he could be a (literally) big figure at the position down the line. … He can take his time to develop in the college circuit, and may be a few years away from pro hockey. But the pay off is, well potentially huge. Letourneau is the first player selected in the first round of the NHL draft after playing for a Canadian high school team. … Letourneau is something of a project player at this point, with comparables like Nick Bjugstad, or Tage Thompson.

Corey Pronman, The Athletic:
Letourneau was a dominant player at the prep level this season and one of the very best pro prospects to come through St. Andrew’s College. His toolkit is rather unique. He skates very well for 6-foot-6. That he has a legit offensive touch to go with his feet is what makes him so appealing for his pro projection. He can dangle defenders at full flight and create a lot of scoring chances. Letourneau isn’t a high-energy compete and some scouts question his effort at times, but he gets to the middle well enough and isn’t afraid of using his body. The debate on Letourneau will be how real his offense is. The athlete is obvious, but is he actually NHL smart or does he have NHL scoring ability? It’s so hard to pinpoint at the low level of competition he faced all season. He could be Tage Thompson, but he could be Joe Colborne or Riley Tufte. I think he ends somewhere in the middle.

It’s natural for players selected in the second half of the first round to be considered projects. Rarely do these players become key contributors right away and it will be up to the Bruins staff to determine the right course for Letourneau for his career. Boston fans will keep an eye on Letourneau throughout the Hockey East season.

The 2024 NHL Draft continues this weekend, and Boston has three picks left. It owns the 122nd pick in the fourth round, the 155th pick in the fifth round and the 186th pick in the sixth round.