Thanks to the Linus Ullmark trade, the Bruins have a chance to pick in the first round for the first time in a good long while. Lets see what the draft prognosticators think about that spot!
So! Boston’s got that 25th overall pick and you’ve all gone and lost your minds about Joonas Korpisalo.
Personally, I choose to ignore that particular issue until it’s a problem, which is precisely the minute camp starts, and camp is quite a distance out. The Bruins meanwhile have a chance to actually majorly improve their fairly weak prospect pool by making a choice in the first round for the first time in a hot minute!
Granted, this is a weaker draft than most years according to most, but I think more of that has to do with several of these kids’ lives still having been negatively impacted by The Thing What Happen rather than anything they themselves did. We may not see a “Normal” draft for quite awhile as a result.
So! With all that said, let’s check in real quick and just look at some of the players that the major draft prognosticators like coming into the 2024 NHL Entry Draft at 25th overall. This is not a comprehensive list, nor is this where the analysis I normally do would be done, nor is this free of the biases of the people who make mock drafts; this is just to prime you for who is (or should be) available at this position, and who the people who are asked about this stuff for a living are asked.
EliteProspects.com’s #25 – Winger Nikita Artamonov – Torpedo (KHL)
It’s impressive that a kid’s been able to play consistent minutes with a KHL team, those guys are ruthless with how they treat the rookies in more ways than one. How he does it? Blinding speed and craftiness; he either beats you with his skates or his stickwork, and that could make him a very interesting asset for an NHL club.
Bob McKenzie’s #25 – Winger Tanner Howe – Regina Pats (WHL)
A lot of the prognosticators emphasize his sheer physicality; being a dude who can bully his way to the front of the net and be a ruthless forechecker. It helps that he also happens to be able to pass pretty darn well, and has some playmaking acumen.
It helps he’s a rocket off the line, as well.
McKeen’s Hockey’s #25 – Emil Hemming – TPS (Liiga)
What if there was a power forward with a crazy shot…but was also Finnish?
While he’s not a big mondo dude or anything, Hemming’s danger comes from a complete lack of fear and a hellaciously powerful shot that he can unleash from anywhere on the ice. Away from more relaxed rulesets, he can end up a pretty solid 200-foot player with a
FloHockey’s #25 – Stian Solberg – Vålerenga (Norway)
Norway’s back in the NHL Draft! Good for them, good for them.
While Solberg isn’t likely to turn the same heads as his national team teammate; Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, He’s garnered quite a bit of interest for being a North American player trapped in a European league; throwing the body, making his presence known physically, and of course, using that physicality to lock down lanes and keep his man marked.
DraftPro Hockey’s #25 – Winger Terik Parasack – Prince George Cougars (WHL)
Prince George was a great team this year, and Parasack, who was always trying to make things happen, was a big part of why; creating offense through quick plays and always trying to make offense through puck movement and position on the ice. He finished the year with a hundred-plus points, too, though it’s hard to say if it was his own doing, or the result of playing with Riley Heidt.
Daily Faceoff’s #25 – Center Sacha Boisvert – Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
Let’s see…American, check…USHL player…check…committed to an NCHC school?
Ladies and gentlemen, your 25th overall pick. This kid is earmarked for black and gold. However, he’s also a damn good goalscorer, so I will be less obnoxious about Don Sweeney’s sick desires for USHL players.
Smaht Scouting’s #25 – Center Luca Misa – Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)
Misa’s fast. Like…real goddamn fast. And he knows it, and makes sure it’s front and center for backcheckers and the audience alike. He uses that speed to forecheck like a madman, making plays simply by drawing so much attention from his skating.
Is this list a sign of anyone I think the Bruins might get? Eh, maybe, but maybe not as well. I think they will be trying to bias centers or defenseman, and critically…I don’t have nearly enough time thanks to this very impromptu trade to do all of these without burning myself all the way out. I already did weeks of draft profiles elsewhere.
So instead, I’m going to personally bias a couple of centers and a couple of defensemen over the next couple of days that will hopefully get us to the NHL Draft with a modicum of knowledge. Most of them are not on this list due to the prognosticators seeming to like defenders and wingers at this point rather than set my own hair ablaze.
Sound good? Cool, see you tomorrow for Jett Luchanko and Dean Letourneau.