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

[Ludwig Fell Down]

6’7” Centre?? Maybe they can convert him to D or G. Does being really tall help at face offs or hurt you?? Seems like it would be difficult to manage such a long stick in the dot.

I believe the Kings tried to do that with Brian Boyle. He turned out to be a pretty good center.

 

[dafoomie]

If this kid was going to Niagara or Bentley directly from HS, Sweeney would deserve multiple beatings with an ugly stick. Given BC was willing to bring him in this year tells me they look at him as if he is coming out with the skill of a kid from USHL, USNTDP
or Shattuck. Greentree at #25 or trading him for say #35 plus a 3rd are reasonable
arguments to make but you can't crucify anyone for taking him at #25.

It's unfair to call him a reach, I agree with you. Not just unfair, wrong. It'll be fun to follow him.

 

[LouJersey]

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

yes, it's more of a comment on traits than the player, and very valid ones. Generally compete is seen differently, but when you have a guy his size that can dominate by just showing up, he can look less competitive. You will see it this year, as he will be on equal footing. I understand what @EverettMike is saying though, compete is generally something you have or don't, and when there are questions about it that can be a major red flag, and not something you usually develop.

 

[BruinsJoe]

A rare combination of size, skill and athletic like the pick in a weak draft lot of potentiel

 

[Gee Wally]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1806905953310347476

Very well spoken. No dummy.

 

[DKH]

Eiserman ended up falling significantly because he appears to be a one dimensional player. Granted its putting the puck in the net but the fact he started the year top 3
and fell to #20 isn't good sign.

He’s getting Jay Pandolfo who was a 200 foot player and won multiple Cups, coached in NHL

He’s near his family and going to be taught the part he doesn’t know by one of the best

If Eiserman can’t live at that intersection he can’t live anywhere

Loved the pick by Lou- now stop living in 1950 and let them grow beards

 

[Drift]

Looking at his stats I noticed his highest scoring teammate (i assume linemate?) is Jack Good. He is 5 '9, that line must have been hilarious to lineup against.

 

[shelbysdad]

Interesting how reading through many threads I see a lot of this....

Bruins need to get bigger .....no more smurfs
Bruins need to hit.....from what I see....he hits
Bruins need more scoring.... we will see if it translates to NHL
Bruins need a playoff performer.......did it in his league, again will see if it translates
Bruins need playmaking center....see above
Bruins need good skating center, no lumberjacks.....see above
Bruins need prospect with potential....yup

Checks all the boxes

Yet people (who are certainly fans and not draft experts) are here whining because they didn't take their guy

You want potential in a late first pick.....this is it

It is a fact that most first round picks bust....so all you naysayers are probably right....but you also have potential to be very wrong....let's revisit in 3-4 years

 

[DaStinger]

Hopefully works out better than the Colbourne project. He's a good skater which should make all the difference.

 

[4ORRBRUIN]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1806905953310347476

Very well spoken. No dummy.

This kid gets it, great pick oh and thank you Ottawa

 

[BruinDust]

Some video of Letourneau at St. Andrews. He's #28. The Channel Owner (Brady Films) has a pile of St. Andrew's games.

 

[BMC]

Welcome to the Bruins Dean! Looking forward to seeing you play at the Garden in a few years

 

[Gee Wally]

Bruins go big, select 6-foot-7, BC-bound center Dean Letourneau with No. 25 pick in NHL Draft - The Boston Globe

A decade after using the 25th pick in the NHL entry draft to select David Pastrnak, the Bruins used it on an 18-year-old who piled up 61 goals and 66 assists in 56 games this past season for St. Andrew’s College, a prep school outside Toronto.

www.bostonglobe.com

LAS VEGAS — Dean Letourneau flew here with hockey bag packed, sticks bundled together with tape, fully prepared to attend his first NHL camp. He just didn’t know where.
Answer: Boston. Specifically Brighton, Monday morning.
Letourneau, a towering 6-foot-7, 214-pound center, was the Bruins’ first-round pick at No. 25 Friday night. The relatively unknown pivot will start his NCAA career this fall at Boston College; originally a Northeastern commit, he switched his allegiance to the Heights roughly a year ago. Letourneau wanted to stay in Boston, specifically in Hockey East, largely because he wanted to play in the Beanpot.
Letourneau is considered a bit of a longshot, first and foremost because of his unorthodox pedigree. Unlike the vast majority of draft picks, in particular first-rounders, he played high school hockey — at St. Andrew’s, a prep school some 30 miles north of Toronto — rather than routing to college (and the draft) via an elite junior program.

“It was kind of because of development,” said Letourneau, who grew up outside Ottawa. “I got to play 20-plus minutes a night — power play and PK — and I started every game and I finished every game. A lot of people say they don’t like the league I played in because it was a little lower competition.”

His St. Andrew’s team played U-20 clubs in Prague and in Germany and in Canada. They also played top prep schools, including Shattuck-St. Mary’s (Minn.), Mount St. Charles (R.I.), and Northwood (N.Y.).

“Our competition wasn’t as low as everyone says it is,” he added. “For me, it was the ice time. It allowed me to develop in situations that I might not have in another league or with another team. Now I’ll be used to playing in those scenarios.”

He piled up the points at St. Andrew’s, collecting 61 goals and 66 assists in 56 games. He’ll have no shot of replicating those numbers in Division 1 NCAA, acknowledged Bruins general manager Don Sweeney, but he believes Letourneau’s size will help him force his way into competitive scenarios that will help his development.

Letourneau’s height will put him at the top of the NCAA charts. Rarely, in fact, do such “talls” carve out steady work in the NHL, though there have been some great exceptions — including 6-foot-9 Zdeno Chara, the former Bruins captain.

Tage Thompson, 6-6 and ex-UConn, has turned into a top talent with the Sabres. Joe Thornton and Mario Lemieux, two of the highest-scoring centers in the game’s history, were 6-4. It’s not common to be that big and play up front, but it can lead to uncommonly good results.

“What stood out, obviously, was the frame of the player. And his skill set, to tell you the truth,” noted Sweeney, who was prepared to swap the No. 25 pick for a pair of lower ones, but was dissuaded by Letourneau being on the board. “He moves really well at that size. He’s got very, very good hands. He has an elite shot.”

It will be a “big jump” for him to go BC next season, added Sweeney.

“But the opportunity is right in front of him,” said the GM. “With [Will] Smith leaving [for San Jose], we think that’s going to be a great opportunity for Dean to continue to grow and fill in the gaps.”

Letourneau is believed to be the biggest center chosen by the Bruins in the first round since 6-foot-5 Joe Colborne, chosen 16th in 2008. Colborne was swapped to Toronto in 2011 for Tomas Kaberle, who just months later had his name etched on the Cup with what stands as the Black & Gold franchise’s most recent championship.

 

[UncleRico]

I do like that Sweeney has been drafting riskier/higher ceiling prospects lately. Kind of a change from his first few years.

 

[Beyonder]

It doesn't seem like a controversial pick and most people seem to be feeling that way. His rankings vary and there are the inevitable questions about whether his game will translate as he moves up to the next several levels. But a key thing is that he's a good skater, he's mobile. With that covered, there is reason to be optimistic he'll progress the way everybody wants. He sure checks some boxes that their other prospects don't. The biggest drag is that we probably have to wait 2-4 years to see him in Boston.

The Lohrei pick changes the narrative about Bruins drafting IMO. They have taken plenty of knocks for reaching with several picks over the past several years and they have in fact passed over plenty of good players that would have been nice to take, in foresight or hindsight. But when they picked Lohrei, the reactions were generally, "who???" A few people liked the pick a lot but a lot of people and analysts didn't. So far, it looks like a great pick, one of their best in the past 5 years or so.

For that reason (you could also point to Poitras and a few others), I give them the benefit of the doubt. And, again, in the case of Letourneau, you don't even have to squint very much to see this is as a very credible and intriguing pick.

 

[Bruinfanatic]

I think the kid has potential long term probably before we will find out or not ,I think the Bruins probably would have taken Beaudroin but Utah swept in and grabbed him on them.But optimistic he could be a good pick for them down the road.

 

[Tbaybruin]

Shows that Sweeney cares about this franchise. Took a guy who might not help for 4-6 years. This team is in win now mode and he’s also looking at the future. Absolutely love the pick

 

[Gee Wally]

Getting to Know Dean Letourneau

With the 25th overall pick at the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, the Boston Bruins selected 6’7” center Dean Letourneau from St Andrew’s College. Letourneau is committed to Boston College for the 2024-2015 …

dom.hockey

https://x.com/i/web/status/1807025789998711077

 

[aguineapig72]

He’s getting Jay Pandolfo who was a 200 foot player and won multiple Cups, coached in NHL

He’s near his family and going to be taught the part he doesn’t know by one of the best

If Eiserman can’t live at that intersection he can’t live anywhere

Loved the pick by Lou- now stop living in 1950 and let them grow beards

Happy and Sad. We draft Dean Letourneau but lose Barth Gimble. No joy in Fernwood 2 Night. Perhaps today we can draft a couple worthy wingers to go with Dean like Jerry Hubbard and Happy Kyne did alongside Barth. The show goes on.

 

[DominicT]

I think the kid has potential long term probably before we will find out or not ,I think the Bruins probably would have taken Beaudroin but Utah swept in and grabbed him on them.But optimistic he could be a good pick for them down the road.

Bob Wetick is becoming a big asset in the Bruins scouting department. He pounded the table for Matt Poitras and Jackson Edward.

He saw a lot of Letourneau and Beaudoin as the Ontario scout. I'm not sure which way he was leaning but he liked both. Sweeney going to see both of them probably sealed the deal.

 

[goldenblack]

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.

I don't know how anyone can listen to this kid talk and not be excited for us.

1) He is already going to try to model his game off all-star level players. Means he has a target he is trying to hit that is very high. He doesn't believe he's already god's gift to the game (some of them do)

2) He wants to make the NHL asap. So we don't have the risk he stays and then goes elsewhere

3) He's already being advised by smart ex-NHL folks even before becoming a Bruin

4) He's dead set on getting stronger


I dunno, I'm pumped for this. He gets to watch Brazeau play in the NHL, but with a fraction of his skating ability.

The lane is wide open in the system for this kid to make camp in 3 (nor likekly) or 4 years. Not 5.

 

[Drift]

Honestly pretty excited about this pick at #25. Our last two late rounders were Beecher and Frederic and everyone complained that they were "safe" picks meaning lower upside. This is a good swing for the fences and he is going to be playing locally so at the very least we have a few years of entertainment following him, watching him develop and arguing on here about it

Oh yea and not even having a pick until a few days ago probably makes this more fun to.

 

[DKH]

Happy and Sad. We draft Dean Letourneau but lose Barth Gimble. No joy in Fernwood 2 Night. Perhaps today we can draft a couple worthy wingers to go with Dean like Jerry Hubbard and Happy Kyne did alongside Barth. The show goes on.

Go take a deep dive into the actor who played Happy Kyne - amazing

 

[goldenblack]

lol we agree we don't want him getting any taller, RIGHT?

Like 6'9 can't possibly benefit his game more?

Watching those two youtube videos, my goodness. He already seems to have a big frame (not just tall). He seems to already have a nose for going to the front of the net too. But what shocked me was some of the times he turned up north/south, and the soft hands.

 

[Blowfish]

Some video of Letourneau at St. Andrews. He's #28. The Channel Owner (Brady Films) has a pile of St. Andrew's games.

That is crazy stuff...dude can skate and make nice subtle plays. Impressive. If the C thing doesnt work out perhaps a Lorhei forwad to D transition. Love this pick. Crazy he can skate like that as a big big kid.

Be sure to watch the 2nd video...you see much more of him...including a goal.