Prospect Info: 25th Pick in the 2024 NHL Draft - Dean Letourneau C | St. Andrew's College 6'7" 214

[MarchysNoseKnows]

I was just about to bring him up. Not to complain about the pick, I don't know anything about these guys, but they seem to have a preference for the unknown over players like Greentree who are more solidly projectable to be good but not necessarily great prospects. Letourneau could be said to have a higher ceiling because it's much more difficult to evaluate him. Maybe he's a unicorn, or maybe he's Joe Hulbig, dominating the prep school level because he's so much bigger than everyone. These scouting reports give me a lot of optimism but we're not really going to know for a long time.

I mean…you said you don’t know anything about these guys (which is fine. Most don’t). But yet…

No strong opinion good or bad on him, where they picked him, or who they passed on, but I feel like the success rate (in all sports) for prospects with "compete" questions/worries is really, really low.

Kind of seems like you have an opinion on him no?

 

[RiverbottomChuck]

Fwiw here is a write up of Tage Thompson in 2016.

“A former member of the NTDP who starred as a freshman for UConn, Thompson is a big-bodied sniper with an excellent shot whose development in terms of NHL readiness has a handful of years remaining. He’s pretty one-dimensional at this point — all but one of his 14 goals were scored on the power play. But 5-on-5 production will come in time, as will his ability to continue battling well after initial contact with an opponent. He’s got the kind of size you’d love to see on your flank, but there’s some work left to do, especially in the defensive zone where he tends to get lost and wander. Thompson, the son of former NHLer Brent Thompson, is an above-average stickhandler who wisely uses his long reach when he’s bombing down the wing or keep the puck close by as he tries to maneuver through traffic. He knows he’s got a size advantage and he exploits it. His skating is decent but his balance and wingspan are what drive his ability to avoid giveaways.”

Dean write up from this year.

“Letourneau is gigantic, but contrary to other players his size, it doesn’t feel like he’s trapped in his own body. He moves quite freely, especially because he uses crossover techniques to avoid the long, slower strides, and there’s a good upper-body/lower-body separation and some agility. A lot of his offence consists of downhill attacks where he surveys pressure, drives the net with his range and size, or leverages the attention he receives to find open teammate.”

 

[dangermike]

I mean…you said you don’t know anything about these guys (which is fine. Most don’t). But yet…


Kind of seems like you have an opinion on him no?

...both of those comments seem reasonably innocuous no?

 

[The don godfather]

At least it wasn't a reach. Phew.

 

[Shoebottom88]

Lots of potential, and I guess that’s what you’re looking for with the 25th pick. Was a bit of a reach based on the rankings, kinda like when they reached to draft another big boy, Colborne. Thinking he’s a different type though. Coming from a family of athletes kinda reminds you of Chara’s parents. They should hire Chara to mentor this kid and instill that work ethic that distinguished Zdeno. Sounds like he has a mean streak in him, nurture it, don’t let Sweeney ruin it. But if all fails, we can always trade him to the Celtics. Badabing.

 

[BronxBruin]

The commentary is in French but I found this shift-by-shift video of his two USHL games from this past season. No points but he generates a few good scoring chances & makes a couple nice passes -- but it's difficult to draw any conclusions from just two games.



PS: It probably doesn't mean much but he played exclusively RW in the two games.

 

[Shaun]

feels like another project guy, i wish they traded up for eiserman

 

[neelynugs]

this one has a "we'll see in like 3 years" feel to it. personally didn't love his game from what i've seen, but he does
seem like a really good kid and have heard he's committed to the work off the ice. the talent is legit, and if he puts
it all together, it could be major. unique player.

also this definitely was not a reach - the consensus was that someone was taking him late in round 1.
whether he was the right pick (i was pro greentree personally) is a fair question.

 

[RiverbottomChuck]

He seems ecstatic to be a Bruin. Nice to hear they have been high on him for a while, makes the Ullmark trade make a lot more sense.

 

[CDJ]

Is it so much a lack of compete as much is it is a “he doesn’t know what to do without the puck?”

 

[RiverbottomChuck]

Is it so much a lack of compete as much is it is a “he doesn’t know what to do without the puck?”

Sounds like Summer Camp at Bergy’s should become a thing for him if that’s the case. Thats a much more accurate knock then the compete thing.

 

[JOKER 192]

Ok. But we don't have a 2nd round pick. When you're already at pick #25 what's wrong with taking the guy you want with Unicorn upside who -might- maybe last another 5 to 10 picks at that spot when you don't get to pick again until round 4?

Sweeney went for upside. This time he didn't play it safe and draft the guy who projects to be a '3rd line' center. If Letourneau hits you got yourself the next Tage Thompson, an imposing top line center who's a force of nature in the middle of the ice.

Nothing wrong, I probably would have done the same thing .

When it's your 1st, 1st rounder in years , maybe take someone lower ceiling higher floor and a whole lot less risky, that's all.

I would have taken Greentree but I'm on board here.

This is hit or miss, your either landing higher or lower , I'm willing to go for the ride .

It just sucks when you had singled out a draft choice and they fall to where you want him only to have your GM pass him by when he's sitting right there.

 

[GatorMike]

feels like another project guy, i wish they traded up for eiserman

Trade up with what?

Also, the 25th pick in the draft almost always has several years of development ahead of them.

 

[EvilDead]

Kid's got Chara's height and could be a real force in the middle. If this kid adds some muscle on his frame, he could be a dangerous threat playing two way, especially if he figures it out how to use his size. He does that, he's going to be a monster on the ice. I like this pick a lot.

 

[JOKER 192]

Interview with Letourneau a couple of weeks ago:


His whole family is tall and athletic. His dad and brothers all 6'4+, His mom 6'.
His dad played Hockey as a defenseman. His mom was a Basketball player. Good genes.
Comes off as a grounded person in the interview.
Doesn't sound egotistical, just wants to improve his game.
Watch for yourself.

The Athletic also has a nice article on Letourneau:

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5356320/2024/03/29/nhl-draft-2024-dean-letourneau-prospect/

Some highlight quotes:
Where most players his size are usually deficient in their skating, he was proficient.

“His skating is one of his best assets I would say,” Manning said. “There’s no level of lack of coordination for his size. He’s quite agile for his size. I mean he’s quite agile just in general, not for his size. He’s got great edge work. He’s got good agility. He can get in and out of spots. His acceleration is good. And then obviously you add in his reach and he gets to where he needs to get to whether it’s with his stick or his feet all of the time.”

Kid has all, the right answers, I like him.

 

[JOKER 192]

View attachment 889129
The two 25OA’s that will lead Boston to their next cup.

Eerily the same , just from a different side

Is it so much a lack of compete as much is it is a “he doesn’t know what to do without the puck?”

Doesn't sound like either of those things , listening to his take on things.

 

[JOKER 192]

Chara was a unique player

Lucic was a unique player

Everyone is unique in their own way .

Some are more unique than others .

He could be unique in his own way. If he's half of Tage Thompson I love him already .

 

[Bounces R Way]

I'm a fan of this pick for the Bruins. They need high upside guys and kids this size that can skate and process the game like Letourneau does don't come along that often. Going to a great program at BC to develop too.

At 25 in this draft why not take a swing.

Joe Colborne 2.0

Bite your tongue. JC was a rich kid IIRC with arrogant pushy father.

I actually grew up with Joe and played with him for a while before he got way better than I was. His dad was indeed a complete psycho. Had him running sprints at 530AM every morning. The funny thing is the knock on him in club and AA was he was too small, then he hit a crazy growth spurt and never really adjusted to his body. Still had a 44pt season in the NHL which isn't nothing before his career ended due to concussions.

 

[JOKER 192]

Hoping to need a Letourneau jersey soon. Fingers crossed .

 

[The don godfather]

Wish we had the 26th overall pick too and got greentree as well. I like that kid.

 

[Sevendust]

I'm a fan of this pick for the Bruins. They need high upside guys and kids this size that can skate and process the game like Letourneau does don't come along that often. Going to a great program at BC to develop too.

At 25 in this draft why not take a swing.





I actually grew up with Joe and played with him for a while before he got way better than I was. His dad was indeed a complete psycho. Had him running sprints at 530AM every morning. The funny thing is the knock on him in club and AA was he was too small, then he hit a crazy growth spurt and never really adjusted to his body. Still had a 44pt season in the NHL which isn't nothing before his career ended due to concussions.

Any idea what he is doing nowdays?



I would have prefered Hemming or Basha but I get why they chose him. Rooting for the kid to develop into a player or with some luck into something special.

 

[BronxBruin]

Trade up with what?

Also, the 25th pick in the draft almost always has several years of development ahead of them.

Agreed on both points.
Montreal gave up #26, a 2nd rounder, and a 6th to move up to #21.
Bruins would have probably needed to pay about the same to jump up to #19 for Eiserman. Since they don't have a 2nd this year or next, it's unlikely Vegas would have been interested. Maybe they could have traded a player or prospect with value equal to a 2nd but who is that player and would Vegas actually want them?

I do wonder if the Bruins had taken Chicago up on the deal they made with Carolina whether the B's could have still gotten Letourneau at #34 and also then had #50 to play with. That seems like a worthwhile gambit to me but I guess we'll never know.

 

[Bounces R Way]

Any idea what he is doing nowdays?

I heard he was teaching at the Edge hockey school just outside of Calgary in some capacity, which is not far from where we grew up and he attended for a time IIRC. But I can't say for sure.

His sister was a hell of a basketball player and coached/coaches for a Canadian University but I can't remember which one.

 

[Boston Bandit]

Ohhhh you win with David. Hope your wrong!

Sizewise he is Goliath, hopefully heartwise he is David

 

[Carl Hungus]

It's just nice to have a new prospect in the system.

Look forward to seeing how it plays out. High risk high reward... may as well