Boston Bruins UPDATED 12/6 - Looking back at the 2015 Entry Draft and the aftermath

[Over the volcano]

Looks like they will pull seven or eight NHL players out of that draft class. That’s damn near half a roster. Merry Christmas.

 

[BNHL]

DeBrusk may be the best of the bunch,potentially a 2 way, no problem, 30 goal scorer. When the triangle of experience,physical growth and talent converges,could possibly be one helluva pick.

 

[BruinsFanSince94]

Looks like they will pull seven or eight NHL players out of that draft class. That’s damn near half a roster. Merry Christmas.

Carlo = Top 4 defenseman, borderline is a fair comment for the player if you'd like. I think he's right on the cusp of being a legit top 4 option, but if you think he needs more experience to get there, perfectly fine.

DeBrusk = Top 6 forward with two way upside and 25-30 goal potential, 40-50+ point wing.

Senyhyn = Jury still out, but could become a top 6 option with 30+ goal potential. Has bust factor though. Not a sure thing to make the NHL, though seems more than willing to round his game out. Big strides in Providence in a short amount of time.

Zboril = Jury still out, but has skill to be a top 2-4 defenseman in this league. Needs to get consistency in order, which is a concern. Not a sure thing to make the NHL though.

Forsbacka Karlsson = Sure-fire NHLer in some capacity. Potential to be a top 6 centerman with two-way ability. The only thing stopping this player from making the NHL full time as a center is an injury. He has everything you need.

Lauzon = Sure-fire NHLer in some capacity. Top 4 potential, with a top 6 floor. Injuries will be the only thing that holds him back or prevents him from making the NHL full time. He has what you need to be an NHLer. Size, skill, smarts, and a mean streak.

Gabrielle = Potential top 9 forward, and could easily be a mainstay on a 4th line. Even with the early struggles in the AHL, this player has plenty of time to grow. No need to rush. Even if he only makes it as a 4th liner, he was a 4th round pick.

Vladar = Early (and extremely small sample size) in the AHL is impressive. He has solid size and skill in net. Goalies are hard to predict. He could be a backup or hit his potential and be a starter. Hard to know. Could also amount to nothing.

That's my take on the players. Not sure Hughes and Becker amount to anything. Hughes maybe, but always a chance he chooses the UFA route after college. He may get a better chance somewhere else.

 

[LouJersey]

Charlie McAvoy is one of the ten most important people in my life right now.

Still wish we had Barzal.

Wishing is one thing like you and I do, but the flat out obsessing over it like some seem to be doing is very scary.

 

[Ratty]

Hindsight....ain't it great?

On further review, it would have better for Sweeney to have taken Barzal instead of Zboril. Not that Z 2 is not a good prospect, but the team later drafted Lauzon, Vaakanainen, McAvoy and Lindgren. It is amply covered with D prospects.

But I'm not complaining.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

Regardless of Barzal's interview, he's such a talent that you have to take him or trade that pick to acquire more assets.

The proper course of action is not to pass up on a blue chip top 6 forward and draft a guy who was literally a projected third rounder in that slot.

1) Senyshyn was not projected as a 3rd rounder. As the draft got closer his stock was rising.

2) If Barzal was such a blue chip can’t miss prospect, why did teams 3-12 pass on him? McJesus and Eichel were the givens at 1/2, but it was wide open after that.


As is usually the case, hindsight is 20-20.

(Edit: didn’t see Ratty’s hindsight post, lol)

 

[DKH]

Regardless of Barzal's interview, he's such a talent that you have to take him or trade that pick to acquire more assets.

The proper course of action is not to pass up on a blue chip top 6 forward and draft a guy who was literally a projected third rounder in that slot.

Projected third round in your mind not anyone else's

Try like between 19-37

 

[Fopppa]

To be honest, while Barzal has obvious talent I’m not shocked at all that the Bs passed on him considering the player type and build. If there’s a case for a missed pick that they really could have used considering the need for a scorer it’s Boeser. Man, that kid can shoot. No idea where he was projected (not a big draft guy), but he’d make a bigger difference right now on the roster than Barzal would as I see it.

But along with many others I don’t see the point in bitching and moaning about this stuff. Especially at this stage when Sweeney’s plan seems to be working very well. Just sit back and enjoy, life’s too short.

 

[Gee Wally]

Typical humanity on this thread. ***** and pine for something you don't have (Barzal) instead of harping on your blessings of what you do have (McAvoy).

McAvoy was the 26th or so ranked player his draft year according to two other publications. Maybe we should hAve taken the popular consensus then too?

Get over it people.

You nailed it Lou. This is what has me shaking my head. To obsess day in and out over something like this I truly hope this type of angst isnt the way some view life. Im not bullshitting.
Life is so precious and fleeting what a waste it would be.

 

[DKH]

Wishing is one thing like you and I do, but the flat out obsessing over it like some seem to be doing is very scary.

If you want to obsess Barry Gibbs over Brad Park lol

 

[DKH]

To be honest, while Barzal has obvious talent I’m not shocked at all that the Bs passed on him considering the player type and build. If there’s a case for a missed pick that they really could have used considering the need for a scorer it’s Boeser. Man, that kid can shoot. No idea where he was projected (not a big draft guy), but he’d make a bigger difference right now on the roster than Barzal would as I see it.

But along with many others I don’t see the point in *****ing and moaning about this stuff. Especially at this stage when Sweeney’s plan seems to be working very well. Just sit back and enjoy, life’s too short.

My only concern is if Cam reinvolves himself and tries to speed this up

Charlie Jacobs I do think knows where the bread is buttered

 

[b in vancouver]

Merry Christmas. (two minute pause between opening presents, the kids new boardgames and cooking)

A Tale Of Two Boston Joes - Ya - I know - different ages, times all that but just thought it's interesting.

Juneau's rookie season - 84 games, 32 goals, 70 assists for 102 points - tied with Syd for the 5th highest point total by a rookie of all-time (7 points from second) but still never won the Calder because some other kid scored 76 goals that year!
Thornton's rookie season - 55 games, 3 goals, 4 assists for 7 points.

Juneau out-produced Jagr, Fleury, Francis, Brett Hull, Hawerchuk, Modano, Messier, Kurri, Ciccarelli, Shanahan, Fedorov, etc. - it's actually a really crazy top 40 scorers that year littered with HOFers.

 

[Kegs]

Zboril isn't getting any love? He is +15 ? I haven't watched him but sounds like he is shutting down the entire AHL. I personally think Sweeney did a great job drafting. Every team has some busts. The draft is a crap shoot. If u even get a couple NHL players you stole the show.

 

[00BW]

2014 - Gretzky Dir Amateur Scouting / Sweeney Ast GM
25 - Pasta - Top 2 player of the draft
56 Donato - ???
116 - Heinen - Top 6 winger
146 - Bjork - Middle 6 winger
206 - Johannson - ???

2015 - Gretzky Dir Amateur Scouting / Sweeney GM
13 - Zboril - ???
14 - DeBrusk - Top 6 winger
15 - Senyshyn - ???
37 - Carlo - Middle pair D
45 - JFK - ???
52 - Lauzon - ???
(plus 4 more)

2016 - Gretzky Dir Amateur Scouting / Sweeney GM
14 - McAvoy - Top 3 player of draft
(plus 5 more)

Too lazy to fill in the rest but the Bruins 'win' 2 out of 3 drafts outright and people are still unhappy. They went O-fer in 2007, 2008, and 2009. You get a top 6 winger and middle pairing defenseman out of a draft in 2015 already and that is not good enough? You best hope in drafting is to get one of those. To get two makes it a successful draft.

2006 is the most recent high water mark for Bruins drafts with 3 top 6 wingers and 4 Cups won between them. All 3 of these drafts above are on track to produce at least 3 NHLers and the draft people want to b***h about is the one that could still produce 9 NHL players? 9! Only the Bruins last pick in the 2015 draft is not producing or growing since his draft year.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

Merry Christmas. (two minute pause between opening presents, the kids new boardgames and cooking)

A Tale Of Two Boston Joes - Ya - I know - different ages, times all that but just thought it's interesting.

Juneau's rookie season - 84 games, 32 goals, 70 assists for 102 points - tied with Syd for the 5th highest point total by a rookie of all-time (7 points from second) but still never won the Calder because some other kid scored 76 goals that year!
Thornton's rookie season - 55 games, 3 goals, 4 assists for 7 points.

Juneau out-produced Jagr, Fleury, Francis, Brett Hull, Hawerchuk, Modano, Messier, Kurri, Ciccarelli, Shanahan, Fedorov, etc. - it's actually a really crazy top 40 scorers that year littered with HOFers.

This trip down memory lane was somewhat interesting, but I’m having a hard time figuring out what it has to do with the 2015 Draft?

 

[b in vancouver]

This trip down memory lane was somewhat interesting, but I’m having a hard time figuring out what it has to do with the 2015 Draft?

Absolutely nothing - outside of firing one of my few remaining synapses and sent me off on a tangent.
And how those first impressions of how players enter the league can change dramatically over a year or two and that it's best to reserve a bit of judgement.

- when I looked at Juneau's rookie year - just couldn't help myself. If people are over the age of 35 - that's just a crazy looking leader board which I hadn't thought of in quite awhile. - And it seemed kinda Christmasy.

 

[Gee Wally]

Annndddddd...........back to 2015.

 

[Glove Malfunction]

To be honest, while Barzal has obvious talent I’m not shocked at all that the Bs passed on him considering the player type and build. If there’s a case for a missed pick that they really could have used considering the need for a scorer it’s Boeser. Man, that kid can shoot. No idea where he was projected (not a big draft guy), but he’d make a bigger difference right now on the roster than Barzal would as I see it.

But along with many others I don’t see the point in *****ing and moaning about this stuff. Especially at this stage when Sweeney’s plan seems to be working very well. Just sit back and enjoy, life’s too short.

Boeser was ranked 27th on the NHL Central Scouting final rankings, and went 23rd overall to the Canucks. About where he "should have." But this is a perfect example of hindsight being 20/20. Few people knew or expected Boeser to break out like he has, and while it would have been nice to have that production on the B's, he must not have fit the needs of the team at the time.

I think that's where you hit it right on the head with your assessment of Barzal - he wasn't the guy that fit the Bruins' needs at the time they were drafting. Or probably more accurately, other guys filled more or their perceived needs at the time of the draft.

I wish I had the time to really dig into a comparison of where those kids were ranked vs. where they got drafted. I always fing that interesting. And then when you look five years down the road, and see how some have progressed more than others and really taken the bull by the horns (and how a lot of times it's no the kid drafted in the higher spot (Zach Hamill anyone?)) and it gets REALLY interesting.

 

[DKH]

Zboril isn't getting any love? He is +15 ? I haven't watched him but sounds like he is shutting down the entire AHL. I personally think Sweeney did a great job drafting. Every team has some busts. The draft is a crap shoot. If u even get a couple NHL players you stole the show.

To be honest, while Barzal has obvious talent I’m not shocked at all that the Bs passed on him considering the player type and build. If there’s a case for a missed pick that they really could have used considering the need for a scorer it’s Boeser. Man, that kid can shoot. No idea where he was projected (not a big draft guy), but he’d make a bigger difference right now on the roster than Barzal would as I see it.

But along with many others I don’t see the point in *****ing and moaning about this stuff. Especially at this stage when Sweeney’s plan seems to be working very well. Just sit back and enjoy, life’s too short.

in June 2015 they had Bergeron & Krejci in prime signed through 2020-22

The had Khokhlachev 21 years old putting up great numbers in the AHL (if not called up to Boston in 2015-16 he would have led or finished second in points as is finished tied for 3rd)

The had a 22 year old Spooner

Claude the coach

lol

No way they were ever taking Barzal Looking back

 

[Oates2Neely]

I'd assume fans of other teams are kicking themselves for passing on Pastrnak McAvoy etc.

I had my doubts about Sweeney's plan, but it seems like his vision was on point. If these kids can continue to improve at this pace, Bergeron Rask Marchand will still be young enough to contribute.

 

[Fenway]

TSN brought it up tonight yet again.


​

This column by Shaughnessy unnerved Charlie who had just taken over from his father a few months earlier and Neely fired Chiarelli 2 days later. The problem is they had NO plan in place. Sweeney wasn't who Cam wanted as he left him twisting for a full month before he was given the job.

Personally, I think Chiarelli knew he was gone as he sold his Cambridge home in 2014.

I see things today that boggle my mind. The Bruins haven't even put out a media guide this year as the woman who did it for decades retired and it's not a priority for management. The Bruins haven't made a stink about NESN not sending people on the road while most teams have.

BUT they made sure ABC knew the Black Friday game was the 500th consecutive sold-out game ( currently the longest streak in the NHL )

Sweeney is not the core problem - it is Cameron and Charlie. They have lost many good people in the trenches to other teams as they lowball these people.

I don't obsess about 2015 anymore but I am very fearful about the future.

 

[finchster]

I wish the Jacob's sold the team to Fenway Sports.

 

[Root]

Well there’s a depressing post to read before bed

 

[Dr Hook]

Holy necromancy Batman

 

[Fenway]

I wish the Jacob's sold the team to Fenway Sports.

Well there’s a depressing post to read before bed

Holy necromancy Batman

I hate rehashing what happened 6 1/2 years ago but I'm more concerned by what I see today.

Papa Jacobs will spend as much as the salary cap allows so he will never be labeled as cheap. How that money is allocated is why message boards still exist.

But it is little things. The new scoreboard was bought by TD Garden ( not the Bruins ) and for Bruins games, the graphics especially where the score and clock are displayed are very low budget. Instead of team logos being displayed the B's are just displaying the team names in a generic fashion. The scoreboard is capable of showing real-time players stats but the team has elected not to do so unlike the Celtics)

Most of us assumed the Bruins AT worst would finish 4th in the Atlantic and still secure a wild card but it's time to start looking at Detroit who has won 5 in a row.

My point is simple - the dysfunction that allowed 2015 to happen still exists and that scares me because the core is ending its run.

The Bruins WILL NOT be sold as long as Jeremy Jacobs is alive but what his 6 children decide after that