NHL 2025 DRAFT - Bruins pick 7th III

[bruinsfan1968]

If the Islanders are offering Barzal... I'm torn.

Barzal is a natural center. I know he hasn't played there recently but he's a legit point per game, play driving center. We also don't have to wait 2, 3, 4 years for the pick to be ready... and it takes the risk out of it, we're not hoping we get a Barzal, we actually get Barzal. We'd also be taking advantage of Pasta's prime. Geekie-Barzal-Pastnrak could be spectacular.

On the other hand, we'd be losing those 3-5 years of a low cap hit. We'd be losing out on the possibility that the guy we get is better than Barzal. We'd be losing out on the chance to groom our own home grown #1 center. In 5 years Barzal's contract will be up, he'll be 32, but the 7th overall will just be hitting his stride and we'll have to watch him for another 10 years.

Tough call for me.

Not at all! No to Barzal!

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

If the Islanders are offering Barzal... I'm torn.

Barzal is a natural center. I know he hasn't played there recently but he's a legit point per game, play driving center. We also don't have to wait 2, 3, 4 years for the pick to be ready... and it takes the risk out of it, we're not hoping we get a Barzal, we actually get Barzal. We'd also be taking advantage of Pasta's prime. Geekie-Barzal-Pastnrak could be spectacular.

On the other hand, we'd be losing those 3-5 years of a low cap hit. We'd be losing out on the possibility that the guy we get is better than Barzal. We'd be losing out on the chance to groom our own home grown #1 center. In 5 years Barzal's contract will be up, he'll be 32, but the 7th overall will just be hitting his stride and we'll have to watch him for another 10 years.

Tough call for me.

He’s not a center in the NHL though. Even aside from his disastrous faceoff numbers, he breaks out in hives when he has to go inside the dots in traffic. He’s a perimeter player. And a pretty good one but a very overpaid one too.

 

[bruinsfan1968]

He’s not a center in the NHL though. Even aside from his disastrous faceoff numbers, he breaks out in hives when he has to go inside the dots in traffic. He’s a perimeter player. And a pretty good one but a very overpaid one too.

The Bruins didn't draft him 10 yrs ago for a reason, why would they pay up the butt for him now?. A Big Fat NO!.

 

[pucksindeep92]

I don't care about getting a top line center at this juncture and Bruins have far too many centers now. Some of who they have now will be pushed to the wing.

I just want them to get a forward who is the clear-cut 2nd best forward on this team after Pastrnak. Wing or center to me does not matter. In the offensive zone position no longer matters.

Fair to feel this way, and again I like Eklund a lot, but we draft for the future, not for now. What’s your plan to grab those top 2 centers? If Eklund isn’t ready for 3 years, you probably don’t have Zacha or Mitts resigned at that point, and Lindholm will be that much older. Poitras and Minten could be 3rd liners ceilings…if Hagens or Desnoyers or JoB are there, you have to take them over Eklund

Also, who cares if you have an 12 centers if they are all 3rd liners at best on a contending roster? If you are talking about right now, you could argue your 2nd and 3rd best forwards are Geekie and Zacha-aka wingers, not centers though both have/actively play it. Center depth is also likely to change in the next 14 days considering th logjam of redundancy.

We’ve been kicking the can down the road on the center topic since before Krecji left under Cassidy. It’s about damn time we drafted a center that has legit top 6 potential when we are in a position to do so. I just don’t see the vision if you can’t solidify the future up the middle. If you can land one now via trade and still have a draft position for Eklund I’m so freakin on board, but otherwise it seems short sighted

 

[BruinDust]

Fair to feel this way, and again I like Eklund a lot, but we draft for the future, not for now. What’s your plan to grab those top 2 centers?

It's now and into the future. They signed a guy to a 7-year deal last summer. They have centers in the system.

I just don't look at it that way in terms of building a team. Bruins need to find that "next best forward" to go behind Pasta in the pecking order, and can't put constraints on that like demanding it has to be a center.

If Forward #2 is a winger its perfectly fine. It's when you get to Forward #3 that if your top 2 forwards are wingers, you might want to lean towards Forward #3 being a center. If somehow Forwards 1, 2 and 3 are wingers, then you might certainly want Forward #4 to be a center.

It's one step at a time, one season at a time, Bruins need another elite forward to get to the next level and shouldn't be putting positional restrictions towards that goal, including this pick.

As the team grows and advances, now you can start worrying more about who you have and positions you might want to focus on. Bruins need more talent, more offense, better overall players at the top of the forward group whatever forward position they play. Same with trades, if an elite forward shook loose you wouldn't want the Bruins to not explore it because this elite forward plays wing and not center. Why place restrictions?

 

[pucksindeep92]

It's now and into the future. They signed a guy to a 7-year deal last summer. They have centers in the system.

I just don't look at it that way in terms of building a team. Bruins need to find that "next best forward" to go behind Pasta in the pecking order, and can't put constraints on that like demanding it has to be a center.

If Forward #2 is a winger its perfectly fine. It's when you get to Forward #3 that if your top 2 forwards are wingers, you might want to lean towards Forward #3 being a center. If somehow Forwards 1, 2 and 3 are wingers, then you might certainly want Forward #4 to be a center.

It's one step at a time, one season at a time, Bruins need another elite forward to get to the next level and shouldn't be putting positional restrictions towards that goal, including this pick.

As the team grows and advances, now you can start worrying more about who you have and positions you might want to focus on. Bruins need more talent, more offense, better overall players at the top of the forward group whatever forward position they play. Same with trades, if an elite forward shook loose you wouldn't want the Bruins to not explore it because this elite forward plays wing and not center. Why place restrictions?

Considering Eklund is projected as a top 6 forward, not top line, and so are Desnoyers, Hagens (projected higher by some), and JOB, I don’t understand the argument here and I think you’re only making mine. If Eklund was better, he would be ranked higher than those 3 names, but he’s not.

 

[PlayMakers]

He’s not a center in the NHL though. Even aside from his disastrous faceoff numbers, he breaks out in hives when he has to go inside the dots in traffic. He’s a perimeter player. And a pretty good one but a very overpaid one too.

I don't know that that's true. He averages 64 takeaways a season, that's a huge number and suggests he's physically engaged in traffic and wins a ton of puck battles. In regard to faceoffs, if he played on a line with Geekie and Pasta, Geekie could take all the strong side faceoffs, freeing up Barzal and Pasta to run lefty/righty plays again, something they can't do when all three forwards are right shots.

 

[PlayMakers]

The Bruins didn't draft him 10 yrs ago for a reason, why would they pay up the butt for him now?. A Big Fat NO!.

So, are we now saying that the Bruins were smart not to draft him 10 years ago?

Cuz there hasn't been a day in 10 years where someone on this website didn't say they should have drafted Barzal in 2015.

 

[BruinDust]

Considering Eklund is projected as a top 6 forward, not top line, and so are Desnoyers, Hagens (projected higher by some), and JOB, I don’t understand the argument here and I think you’re only making mine. If Eklund was better, he would be ranked higher than those 3 names, but he’s not.

I said take whoever the best players is. Of the names above, I'd take Hagens over all of the names above as he has the highest projected upside as an offensive player. I like Eklund next after him. I think he has all the tools to be a very good play winger even if not elite, I have so few concerns with him. He can shoot, can drive play, he's not afraid of puck battles and works hard. He gets the Seth Jarvis comparisons and that would be a solid outcome here.

 

[Ratty]

I believe we all want an impact top six forward who can score. It’s short thinking to hope we can score a first line center in the draft to get to our wishes, as it will take two or three years to develop him. For UFAs you’re looking at the likes of Sam Bennett who will probably stay in Florida. So DS will have to look elsewhere.

Lindholm improved lots during the season and was effective between Geekie and Pasta. Zacha is an experienced center who can handle second line duties. Third line center can be an opportunity for Poitras to establish himself on the roster.

So the need for a scoring forward turns to the wing where there appears to be more options.Martone is is most logical wing in the draft. Others are available in a trade.

 

[RoccoF14]

Who says he would still be available at 7

Who says the Bruins are gonna pick at #7?

I'll lay even money that they trade that pick. Either to move up/down, or for an established NHL player.

 

[KrugAvoy]

Hopefully the electricity is out at Warrior so Sweeeny can't charge his phone and make any boneheaded trade moves with the draft pick

 

[The don godfather]

If the Islanders are offering Barzal... I'm torn.

Barzal is a natural center. I know he hasn't played there recently but he's a legit point per game, play driving center. We also don't have to wait 2, 3, 4 years for the pick to be ready... and it takes the risk out of it, we're not hoping we get a Barzal, we actually get Barzal. We'd also be taking advantage of Pasta's prime. Geekie-Barzal-Pastnrak could be spectacular.

On the other hand, we'd be losing those 3-5 years of a low cap hit. We'd be losing out on the possibility that the guy we get is better than Barzal. We'd be losing out on the chance to groom our own home grown #1 center. In 5 years Barzal's contract will be up, he'll be 32, but the 7th overall will just be hitting his stride and we'll have to watch him for another 10 years.

Tough call for me.

The pick could also be meh and bust too. Barzal at age 28 sounds tempting.

 

[The don godfather]

Who says the Bruins are gonna pick at #7?

I'll lay even money that they trade that pick. Either to move up/down, or for an established NHL player.

I'm on the camp they do something spectacular and trade it. Donny wants playoffs this year.

 

[vjcsmoke]

So, are we now saying that the Bruins were smart not to draft him 10 years ago?

Cuz there hasn't been a day in 10 years where someone on this website didn't say they should have drafted Barzal in 2015.

Barzal on his rookie deal is a great pick and would have filled a big need for the Bruins at the time.

Barzal for 9 million plus per year AND giving up your #7 overall pick is a big fat, no thanks!

 

[quietbruinfan]

I do not want them to do it, but between Sweeney talking aggressiveness and these rumors, I think they trade pick 7 for a player and possibly trade the overrated Zacha for a pick.

I still learn more towards Vancouver as a trade partner. However, there is a lot of smoke around the Isles, but its from terrible sources.

If it is the Islanders, a huge yes to Dobson, and a mild no to Barzal. (I changed my mind on him.) I believe strongly in the talent but wonder about his health and his fit here,

 

[lopey]

The Bruins didn't draft him 10 yrs ago for a reason, why would they pay up the butt for him now?. A Big Fat NO!.

Rather have Horvat

 

[quietbruinfan]

Rather have Horvat

No too slow. Not a bad player, can be effective at his best, but not often at his best.

 

[Bruin4]

I believe we all want an impact top six forward who can score. It’s short thinking to hope we can score a first line center in the draft to get to our wishes, as it will take two or three years to develop him. For UFAs you’re looking at the likes of Sam Bennett who will probably stay in Florida. So DS will have to look elsewhere.

Lindholm improved lots during the season and was effective between Geekie and Pasta. Zacha is an experienced center who can handle second line duties. Third line center can be an opportunity for Poitras to establish himself on the roster.

So the need for a scoring forward turns to the wing where there appears to be more options.Martone is is most logical wing in the draft. Others are available in a trade.

Pretty much spot on. I think the Bruins should take the best player available on their list, Center or Wing. This team isn’t a Cup contender and won’t be after this draft.

It’s going to take time and Patience. Anyone here who thinks the Number 7 pick is going to jump right into the Bruins lineup and be impactful this year are setting themselves up for a big let down, and anyone who wants them to draft a Center and a Center only at 7, because that is the Bruins biggest need,good luck with that.

 

[lopey]

No too slow. Not a bad player, can be effective at his best, but not often at his best.

Let me rephrase IF we had to chose between the two Id take Horvat. Don’t want either

 

[The don godfather]

If Donny can parlay 7th overall pick for a package of barzal and Dobson and trade zacha for 15th overall pick and maybe get a carter bear. That would be sweet.

 

[lopey]

If Donny can parlay 7th overall pick for a package of barzal and Dobson and trade zacha for 15th overall pick and maybe get a carter bear. That would be sweet.

Donny are your doritos spiked?

 

[CellyHard]

I think it would be foolish to trade the #7 overall. The draft used to be top six heavy but with the emergence of Brady Martin, Jake O'Brien and even Roger McQueen to an extent, the Bruins have the opportunity to get a heck of a player here. They may not have an opportunity like this for quite some time.

The "we can't waste Pastrnak years" is flawed. You can still build a solid team with all of the additional draft capital we have and free agency.

In 2015 when Sweeney acquired all those picks to "retool" Bergeron was 30, Krejci 29, Marchand 27, Tuuka 28.

How is that different than Pasta 28, Lindholm 30, McAvoy 27, Swayman 26??

The only difference is Sweeney's job is on the line and he doesn't have the time to build a sustainable roster. He needs to make the playoffs this year. That's why we are hearing Pageau instead of Poitras and 7th up for grabs.

I don't buy that narrative at all. We need a little eye for the future and Sweeney could botch this focusing on the now.

 

[ODAAT]

If Martin's highlight reel wasn't him running around trying to hit people, would you be as excited? Because the rest of the skill isn't there compared to the other players in the top 10.

if that were the case, then you are saying that virtually all of the outlets who produce their rankings are wrong, better buy a lottery ticket

 

[The don godfather]

Donny are your doritos spiked?

I'm always looking to hit 2 birds with 1 stone. Look what cats did in getting Bennett and MT from Calgary I'm still wondering how in the world zito pulled that off. Those moves created a dynasty team for the ages.