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

[Troublesome 85]

Just hope hes not one of these big softy players who doesnt use his size

Something I never have gotten. People who are big but dont use their size.

 

[Mick Riddleton]

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.

I only watched the first one, but on your advice, I am glad I watched the second video. Dean skates and handles the puck like a smaller player. He mentioned he never had a big growth spurt, so he had time to adapt his frame. Imagine him when he gains man strength and weight.

Locally to us in Niagara, his team played the Falcons and five other Golden Horseshoe junior B teams last year. Ridley College used to have a high school team at the prep level at one time. I have not been to Ridley since my kids went power skating with Darryl Belfry and family friend John Chayka. It was weird seeing him on the ice teaching kids and the next year as GM of Arizona.

 

[BruinDust]

Scores 2 in this one. The 1st one is a beauty.

 

[Cheevers Mask]

Looks somewhat graceful.

Unlikely he should be able the crack the Bruins roster for another 4 years.

 

[JoeIsAStud]

Looks somewhat graceful.

Unlikely he should be able the crack the Bruins roster for another 4 years.

Who knows, I saw some speculation in Dom's post this AM that he could be a one and done at the college level. I tend to think it will be a minimum 2 years, one year to adapt to the level, and then a second year to thrive.

 

[HumBucker]

Just hope hes not one of these big softy players who doesnt use his size

Something I never have gotten. People who are big but dont use their size.

I would imagine that if you're so much bigger than all the other kids when you're playing sports, if you went all out, you'd end up seriously injuring people constantly. So you probably learn to dial it back, and it becomes ingrained perhaps.

 

[Mr. Make-Believe]

I would imagine that if you're so much bigger than all the other kids when you're playing sports, if you went all out, you'd end up seriously injuring people constantly. So you probably learn to dial it back, and it becomes ingrained perhaps.

I wonder why he wasn’t playing at a more competitive level

 

[NDiesel]

I would imagine that if you're so much bigger than all the other kids when you're playing sports, if you went all out, you'd end up seriously injuring people constantly. So you probably learn to dial it back, and it becomes ingrained perhaps.

Had a friend who was already very tall at the age of 11/12/13...always used to beat him in puck battles in games. Turns out he was taking it easy on me because I was so small lol. Definitely a legitimate point here.

 

[BruinDust]

If you watch any of this one, check out his skating at the 4:14 mark.

 

[GatorMike]

I wonder why he wasn’t playing at a more competitive level

He said he felt he needed as much ice time as possible.

 

[Mr. Make-Believe]

He said he felt he needed as much ice time as possible.

Okay. I mean… he still went in the first round, so it didn’t exactly hurt his draft stock.

Still don’t love THAT.

 

[NDiesel]

Okay. I mean… he still went in the first round, so it didn’t exactly hurt his draft stock.

Still don’t love THAT.

Kinda get the logic - because he's playing lesser competition he needs to maximize his reps, you just worry that it could bring bad habits with it.

 

[Mr. Make-Believe]

Kinda get the logic - because he's playing lesser competition he needs to maximize his reps, you just worry that it could bring bad habits with it.

It’s not the logic. It’s the…

Like if I’m gonna say anything iffy about this pick, it’s gonna be that he didn’t feel like he could earn the icetime at a higher level of competition. He went an easier route.

I don’t care necessarily. I love the pick and happy we got him. I’m not getting the Colborne vibes that others have stated.

But I don’t LOVE that one aspect, personally.

 

[BlackFrancis]

Vaak could still be something. Not an elite guy but an NHL player for sure.

This is like invoking the Candyman. But with an ambulance instead of a black man made of bees.

 

[GordonHowe]

Boston Bruins Draft Dean Letourneau 25th Overall - The Hockey Writers NHL News Latest News, Analysis & More

With the 25th overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, the Boston Bruins have selected Dean Letourneau from St. Andrew's College.

thehockeywriters.com

 

[bobber]

These

He said he felt he needed as much ice time as possible.

Kids coming into the OHL draft are mostly from elite families now. Some parents demand more ice or they won't commit. One high end player's parent supposedly wanted his son on the first line and demanded power play time without ever playing a game in Major A. Overage players are 20 turn 21 by the time they leave junior. This is why some end up at collegiate hockey or at private school hockey. Rangers drafted a high end player this past draft that went to private school instead of the OHL. Lots of games played with parents and agents.

 

[GordonHowe]

It’s not the logic. It’s the…

Like if I’m gonna say anything iffy about this pick, it’s gonna be that he didn’t feel like he could earn the icetime at a higher level of competition. He went an easier route.

I don’t care necessarily. I love the pick and happy we got him. I’m not getting the Colborne vibes that others have stated.

But I don’t LOVE that one aspect, personally.

Even so,

Boston Bruins Draft Dean Letourneau 25th Overall - The Hockey Writers NHL News Latest News, Analysis & More

With the 25th overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, the Boston Bruins have selected Dean Letourneau from St. Andrew's College.

thehockeywriters.com

 

[GatorMike]

Some parents demand more ice or they won't commit.

The other way of looking at it is to wonder how much a highly-skilled kid will develop playing 10 minutes a night on the 4th line and never seeing any power play time.

I think it's a legit development question for a lot of kids.

 

[Maine Fan]

I will never see him play.

 

[Gonzothe7thDman]

Could be a nice Brian Boyle type if it all works out. Solid depth guy.

If hes tage thompson we hit a jackpot.

Really going out on a limb here. If he's a 40 goal scoring forward we hit a jackpot?

 

[4ORRBRUIN]

Could be a nice Brian Boyle type if it all works out. Solid depth guy.




Really going out on a limb here. If he's a 40 goal scoring forward we hit a jackpot?

He can skate better than Boyle all ready, lots of upside for this kid

 

[TD Charlie]

Big bastard. That’s worth a roll of the dice imo

 

[Ivo]

seems like a likeable kid. I'm good with this pick. Will be fun to watch his development.

Seems to have a good head on his shoulders too.

 

[Grimey]

He can skate better than Boyle all ready, lots of upside for this kid

True, IIRC Boyle needed to work with a skating coach in his mid 20s…from what I’ve gathered, skating seems to be a strength of Letourneau’s already

 

[vjcsmoke]

I wonder why he wasn’t playing at a more competitive level

I recommend you watch his interview. It will answer a lot of your questions:

Long story short, he was drafted in the 9th round of the 2022 OHL draft, but he decided to go to prep school instead to get more playing time, better development, and also a better education.

Here's also an article that has details on it: Letourneau making sizable impression heading into 2024 NHL Draft | NHL.com

"St. Andrew's has a great track record of guys getting drafted into the NHL and playing in the NHL," the 18-year-old center said. "So I didn't really think that was going to be an issue there."

Letourneau was selected by Owen Sound of the Ontario Hockey League in the ninth round (No. 174) of the 2022 OHL draft, but opted for prep school.

"I had always wanted to play in the OHL growing up," he said. "I had wanted to play as a 16-year-old. But when I went to St. Andrew's and saw a lot of guys that played [Division I hockey] and what their careers looked like, I gave it up pretty quick."