Boston Bruins Again Miss Out on High Value Players with Pick 29 in 2016 Draft

Boston Bruins management and scouts continued their mind-boggling trend of passing on best players available and ventured far out into left field once again in the 2016 NHL draft, much to the frustration of diehard fans.

Their latest head-scratching pick occurred when they bypassed on right-shooting, gritty 1st round-ranked dynamic scorers 5'7" C/RW Alex DeBrincat and 6'1" C/RW Pascal Laberge with their 29th pick to go way off the board and instead select big defensive center Trent Frederic, who was projected to go in the mid to late second round (he was ranked from 47th to 58th on major draft boards). This was especially head-turning since Bruins President Cam Neely had stressed at the team's season-ending presser in April that one of the team's top needs was to get heavier on the right side. Laberge, a 6'1" right wing and gritty two-way scorer, would have seemingly addressed that need while also providing flexibility at center as well as responsibility and high battle at both ends of the ice.

While Frederic projects to be only a third or fourth line center down the road at the NHL level, DeBrincat (pure sniper with three straight 50-goal, 100-point seasons) and Laberge (tough two-way player who can both score and make plays and finished with 23 goals and 68 points in 56 games last season) are legit first rounders who have the potential to be top-six forwards and would have been excellent value picks at number 29. Frederic or a comparable player could have simply been taken much later in the draft. When the B's turn came around at 29, many NHL observers expected Laberge would have been an easy choice at that point but one wonders if he was even on the B's radar. GM Don Sweeney, scouting chief Keith Gretzky and Neely converged for several moments before making the choice of Frederic.

The Bruins did take solid value players with both their 14th overall pick and 2nd rounder (49th overall) in defensemen Charlie McAvoy (ranked from 6th to 23rd) and Ryan Lindgren (ranked 41st-49th), but seem to continue to take one step forward and two steps back in a league that is quickly getting faster and more skilled and just don't seem to be on top of things when it comes to scouting or managing assets. Giving up all of the picks they did in last season's deadline trades (four selections in total, including their 2016 3rd and 4th rounders) instead of moving veteran assets for more picks also hurt them in the draft, where they ultimately ended up with only six selections. 

Laberge was ultimately selected by Philadelphia and DeBrincat by Chicago early in the second round, and were long gone by the time Boston picked again at number 49. What is more concerning is that Bruins management doesn't seem to get that fans also like to see skill on the ice, and not just physical and defensive play. Speed, skill and puck possession are also what the league is trending to. Who can forget the shifty Russian dynamo 5'8" Sergei Samsonov, who thrilled Boston fans in the late '90s and 2000s with his array of moves and deftness around the net.

After going well off the board in the first round of the 2015 draft, as well, and passing on elite prospects such as Kyle Connor, who has gone on to become one of the top NHL prospects in the country, the Bruins' front office leadership continues to be a cause for concern to the team's fanbase as the B's seemingly continue to miss out on exciting players while the rest of the league scoops them up and seems to be quickly passing Boston by.

Miller Signing Shows Bruins Out of Touch with Fans; B's Miss in '16 Draft Again

The Boston Bruins first move of the offseason after missing the playoffs for the second straight year was to promptly go out and resign unrestricted free agent to be Kevan Miller - one of the B's most unpopular players among fans.

Not only did GM Don Sweeney resign him, he doled out a princely figure to a bottom pair D-man at best or even a healthy scratch on a good team, inking Miller to a ridiculous four-year $10 million contract. The move was lambasted by fans on social media.

Miller also is completely counter to the type of modern, speedy puck-control mobile defenseman the league is trending to and the Bruins are in need of to complement Torey Krug, the B's top puck mover and playmaker from the blueline who finished in the top 20 among league defensemen with a career-high 44 points. Krug also was among the Bruins' puck possession leaders, finishing second only to Patrice Bergeron in that category.

Every stat regarding Miller runs against this trend, not to mention the horrendous highly visible turnovers in nationally televised games. Although his overall play improved a bit in the latter portion of the season, Miller still finished with a lousy Corsi at 44.4% (shots and missed shots for versus against while on the ice) and 33 turnovers on the year - numbers that show he's not at all the type of puck possession guy the Bruins are looking for to help them push the pace, keep it out of their own end and control it into the opposing team's zone.

He did finish with 164 hits and 123 blocks, but those can also be indicative of having to defend often in one's own end and not being able to break it out cleanly and consistently to the forwards.

In 71 games, he finished a respectable +15 with 5 goals an 13 assists and at 6'2", 210 pounds adds a physical presence as well as a willingness to drop the gloves, but he will turn 29 in November and the contract just seems two years too long and a million per year too much.

Miller is also essentially a carbon copy of another 29-year old B's defenseman - Adam McQuaid, who was locked up for 4 years at $11 million last summer. McQuaid is also poor at possession and breakouts, finishing with a 43.4% Corsi and 27 giveaways in 64 games, but at 6'4", 212 pounds brings hits (142) and a willingness to block shots (121) and fight when needed. Tying up $21 million into two guys who will be well into their 30s by mid-contract and who are bottom pair defenders is duplicative and makes little roster-building sense. They are more of an indication of the B's still being stuck in a bygone era when size and brawn was more valued than it is in today's high-flying speed game.

The Bruins could have instead waited it out a little more on Miller, saved the money and tried to take a serious run at top UFA defensemen like Alex Goligoski or Keith Yandle. They still could.

"I think we need to look for another transitional D-man. We need to continue to transition the puck better.'  - Bruins GM Don Sweeney

Even with Miller in the fold Boston is still in need of a second defenseman this offseason, and more of the puck-moving variety to give the Bruins mobility in the lineup in addition to Krug. Especially with Zdeno Chara, 39, (46.4 Corsi and 87 turnovers) and Dennis Seidenberg, who turns 35 in July and had just a 42.9 Corsi, falling prey to the same types of breakout struggles at times as Miller and McQuaid.

“I think we need to look for another transitional D-man,” said GM Don Sweeney on the Bruins website. "We’re also looking outside, at the marketplace (through free agency or trade), because we need to continue to transition the puck better.”

However Boston cannot afford to trade any more of its young players or top prospects after years of poor trades and drafts. It needs to hold onto them. It does have two first round picks and a second in the upcoming draft, as well as some decent middle tier prospects, but is probably much better off holding onto its picks and going the free agency route as well as building from within.

If the B's let winger Loui Ericksson, who had a good season in a contract year but will turn 31 in July, walk in free agency and another team overpay him this offseason, they could take that money saved and try to make a serious run at a D-man in free agency or see if some of their defense prospects are ready come camp time.  They also still need to resign restricted free agents Krug and Colin Miller. The latter may be the Bruins' best internal answer as the secondary puck control defenseman to support Krug since he's got good speed, a good shot and possession numbers (54.5 Corsi and 16 points in only 42 games).

“We’ve had talks with [impending restricted free agent] Torey [Krug] and we’ll find, whatever term that ends up being, we’ll find a contract for him," Sweeney continued. "But we’re looking for balance. We’re also looking for players like Colin Miller to take the next step. We’ve got younger players that will hopefully push, and that’s what you want. 

The Bruins mid-first round draft position actually may end up offering better value on offensive prospects at that point rather than on the blueline, so going all in on the Kevan Miller signing is just another head scratcher in a long series of them since the B's lost the Cup in 2013. Trading Tyler Seguin, Dougie Hamilton and Johnny Boychuck, missing out on key prospects in the draft, dealing away too many picks, mishandling assets and resigning 4th liners and journeymen role players to bloated multi-million dollar contracts are among some of the others.

It would be great to see an exciting, skilled fast young team out on the ice with a couple superstars and elite scoring, but it remains to be seen whether the B's will get there anytime soon when their first, most urgent and seemingly biggest priority was throwing $10 million at a 5-6 level defenseman.

UPDATE: 2016 NHL DRAFT Notes... The Bruins management and scouts continued this mind-boggling trend in the 2016 NHL draft when they bypassed on right-shooting, gritty 1st round-ranked dynamic scorers 5'7" RW Alex DeBrincat and 6'1" C/RW Pascal Laberge with their 29th pick to go way off the board and instead select big defensive center Trent Frederic who was projected to go in the mid to late second round (he was ranked from 47 to 58 on major draft boards). While Frederic projects to be a third or fourth line center down the road at the NHL level, DeBrincat (three straight 50-goal, 100-point seasons) and Laberge (tough two-way player who can both score and make plays) are legit first rounders who have the potential to be top-six forwards and would have been excellent value picks at number 29. Frederic could have been taken much later in the draft. The Bruins did take solid value players with both their 14th overall pick and 2nd rounder in defensemen Charlie McAvoy and Ryan Lindgren, but seem to continue to take one step forward and two steps back in a league that is quickly getting faster and more skilled and just don't seem to be on top of things when it comes to scouting or managing assets. Giving up all of the picks they did in last season's deadline trades (including their 2016 3rd and 4th rounders) instead of moving veteran assets for more picks also hurt them in the draft, where they ultimately ended up with only six selections. After going well off the board in the first round of the 2015 draft, as well, and passing on elite prospects such as Kyle Connor, who has gone on to become one of the top NHL prospects in the country, the Bruins' leadership continues to be a cause for concern to the team's fanbase as the B's seemingly continue to miss out on exciting players while the rest of the league scoops them up and seems to be quickly passing Boston by.

With 14th Pick Boston Bruins May Get Chance at Big Right Wing Scoring Machine Julien Gauthier

Despite picking in the middle of the first round again at the upcoming June 24-25 NHL draft in Buffalo, the Bruins may just luck out and end up with an elite level prospect in the form of a 6’4”, 225-pound power forward who can score -- Julien Gauthier.

The 18-year old right-shooting Quebec City native is a scoring beast on the right wing who can do it all - skate, stickhandle, shoot, even be a threat on the penalty kill - and he scored 41 goals this season for Val-d’Or of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) in just 54 games.

In fact that may be the only reason why Boston may have a shot at him with the 14^th pick. He was ranked 4^th on mid-term draft boards in January by both Central Scouting and ISS, but was injured by an illegal hit that kept him out for some games and slowed him down for a bit after a strong start. He finished the year dropping to a final ranking of 12^th among North American skaters by Central Scouting, and 21^st overall by ISS. Other prominent boards rank him anywhere from 10^th to 20^th, so the B’s may have a good chance at him.

He would fit Bruins President Cam Neely’s desire to find a right wing this offseason with size and passion who can also play. The B's are additionally searching for defense and backup goaltending, but already have a plethora of high-end blueline prospects and the potential in the July free agency period to further add to that mix. If Gauthier is still available at 14, he'd be a high value pick as a top player on the board while also filling a key need. “I’d like us to get a little bit heavier on the right side,” said Neely during a Bruins press conference April 20. “I think we need that element on the forward group.”

Gauthier would fit that bill and then some. He’s been playing ahead of his years in the QMJHL since he was 15, when he led all players his age in points with 29 and helped the Foreurs capture the league title. He followed that up with a 38-goal, 73-point campaign in 68 games in 2014-2015 before loading up with 41 goals, 57 points and a career-high +24 this season. He was also the only first year draft-eligible player selected to play for Team Canada at the World Junior Championships in Finland this season, where he contributed two assists. He received additional top-shelf international exposure playing in the Canada-Russia All-Star Junior Super Series, and the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Top Prospects game.

“I think he’s probably one of the best athletes in Canada for his group of age, with the way he’s built. He's a power forward with hands.” 

 - Val-d'Or Foreurs coach Mario Durocher 

“Not many draft-eligible teenagers possess a type of overwhelming arsenal of characteristics like [Gauthier], who has literally dominated his age group within the CHL in each of the last three seasons,” according to The Draft Analyst. “Blessed with a solid build, good speed and a strikingly accurate shot, [he] validated his rightful place among the world’s elite amateurs a few years back. His stick is always in the right position, whether to receive a pass on the rush or in the slot. He uses his size and reach to his advantage beyond puck protection. He’s difficult to defend in front of the net because he can alter shots heading in a variety of directions. He keeps defenders further away from the net because he doesn’t have to be close to the cage to fight for rebounds.”

Gauthier possesses the rare qualities of having great size, and being a great skater, stickhandler and shooter with an excellent eye and drive for the net at the same time. He is also willing to learn and continue to grow, has a huge ceiling, and is close to being NHL-ready given his strength and maturity. “I think he’s probably one of the best athletes in Canada for his group of age with the way he’s built,” Val-d’Or coach Mario Durocher said on Sports and Moore in late January. “He’s a power forward with hands. He can score goals, he’s got good hands, he’s got a great shot, and he likes to shoot and he likes to score.”

According to Elite Prospects, Gauthier has drawn well-deserved comparisons to big NHL sniper Rick Nash with his “imposing frame, dazzling puck skills, and the drive to win. [He is] an explosive power forward who boasts an elite-level skill package, takes nothing for granted and plays with a hard-nosed work ethic. [His] willingness to play physical and win battles in his own end makes him a vital asset, stepping up at the game’s key moments. Exceptional skating ability allows him to stay with, if not ahead, of each unfolding play. Refined puckhandling skills allow him to maintain puck control at breakneck speeds. [He’s] a prolific scorer whose attitude and innate abilities will constantly propel him into dominance.”

The Bruins have got to like the size, skill and determination Gauthier brings, and with the need for an elite-level talent on the roster, if he’s still available at 14 the B’s would be wise to snap him up. him the best Quebec-raised power forward since Steve 

Boston Bruins Promising Defense Prospects Lining Up at Gates for Next Year

With the Bruins top puck mover and powerplay quarterback Torey Krug expected to miss the start of the 2016-17 season recovering from shoulder surgery, Boston has a temporary opening on the blueline for a young defenseman to lead the B’s charge on the man advantage and breaking out of the defensive zone.

It may be short-lived as Krug’s recovery time of six months should put him back on the ice by mid to late October (he had successful surgery on his right shoulder April 21, according to the Bruins website), but the Bruins will need a second puck mover anyway as poor breakouts, defensive zone turnovers and getting hemmed inside their own zone were the Achilles Heels of several bad losses including the Winter Classic and the season finale bowout of the playoffs. So one or two new mainstays in the defensive lineup are possible, in addition to Krug when he returns.

"We have gaps in that area. At times we didn't transition the puck as well as we'd like out of our own end." - Bruins GM Don Sweeney

Krug was one of the few consistent bright spots on D, as he posted career highs in points (44), assists (40), shots (244) and blocks (94) and finished second on the team in average ice time per game at 21:37. He showcased his breakout ability, quickness, poise with the puck and playmaking skills as a top NHL offensive defenseman, finishing 19^th in the league in points by blueliners while leading all B’s defensemen in scoring and a 58.1 % Corsi  - which indicates a high puck possession ability as it shows Boston gets many more scoring chances than opposing teams when Krug is on the ice. In fact, only Patrice Bergeron had a higher Corsi for the Bruins than Krug.

Other B's defenders struggled mightily at times during the season in getting the puck out smoothly and in helping Boston push a new emphasis on a quicker pace to adapt to the league's new speed trends. Zdeno Chara, 39, still led the team in minutes played at 24:06 a game, which is probably 2-3 too many, as he posted the highest number of turnovers in his Bruins career with 87 and his lowest Corsi at just 46.4%. He still managed 134 hits and 123 blocked shots and a +12, but if the Bruins are hemmed in their zone all of the time it makes it tough to transition to offense or control the play.

Dennis Seidenberg, who turns 35 in July, had a career-low 42.9% Corsi, while unrestricted free agent to be Kevan Miller (44.4% Corsi and a career-high 33 giveaways) and Adam McQuaid (career-low 43.4% Corsi and career-high 27 giveaways) also struggled with puck possession, breakouts and turnovers at times. All three had decent numbers of hits and blocks but again part of that is due to being stuck defending in their zone for more time than playing in the opposing end. The Bruins tried to address the issue at the trade deadline by picking up John-Michael Liles, 35, who has a career 54.2% Corsi and was a 40-point a year blueliner in his peak years, but it didn't pay off as he finished a -7 with 12 giveaways, only six assists and a 48.1% Corsi in 17 games with Boston while the B's gave up a bundle of draft picks for him.

"We have gaps in that area," said Bruins GM Don Sweeney during the team's season-ending press conference last month. "At times we didn't transition the puck as well as we'd like out of our own end." 

Some B's defenders also had trouble with coverage at various times, and were slow to pick up forwards or track the offensive play into their zone from a defensive perspective. "At times our group wasn't as galvanized defensively," Sweeney added.

Candidates to cover for Krug and perhaps stay on when he returns and maintain a role on the second power play include Colin Miller, 23, who had 3 goals and 16 points in 42 games as a rookie for Boston this season while adding 45 hits and 36 blocked shots. He also had a solid 54.5% Corsi, has a wicked slapper and brings excellent speed from the back end that can help Boston tremendously with clean breakouts and pushing the pace quickly up ice to the forwards.

Former Dallas 1st rounder Joe Morrow, 23, also brings some speed from the blueline but had ups and downs with turnovers and only 7 points over 33 games for the B's this season, while showing flashes in generating offense at times - including a nice stretch prior to the Liles trade where he started to look like a legit NHLer.

The Bruins also have several promising young defensemen on the way. Boston's high picks with a lot of potential from last June’s draft include fleet-footed two-way defenders Jakub Zboril (13th overall) and Jeremy Lauzon (52nd overall) and more defensive-minded but solid skating 6'5" Brandon Carlo (37th overall), as well as offensive blueliner Matt Grzelcyk (2012 3rd rounder) and 6'4" college free agent signee Rob O’Gara (ECAC Best Defensive Defenseman in 2014-15) - who all should get extended looks in camp.

Bruins President Cam Neely identified defense as a top priority, in addition to finding a heavy, skilled right wing and backup goalie as the team’s top three offseason needs.  

“Hopefully some of the prospects that we have drafted and that will come in for development camp in July, hopefully one or two will pop for us,” said Bruins CEO Charlie Jacobs last month on the Bruins website. “Providence is (also) stacked right now with the kids we sent down and given the kids we signed out of college. We got some really good 'grade A' prospects that are on the way. I expect one or two of them to be on our roster come October.”

The Bruins may also try to go after a free agent defenseman like Keith Yandle or test the waters on draft day deals. They have two first round picks and a second rounder in the upcoming June NHL draft, but are probably better off hanging onto all of them as they need to continue to replenish their prospect pool after years of neglect and trading away high picks and young stars like Tyler Seguin that have set the team back a few years. 

Although they have recently drafted promising forwards such as Zach Senyshyn and Jake DeBrusk and also have college free agent signee winger Frank Vatrano, they could further use a gamebreaking elite level scorer that they may want to try to pry from the draft or free agency, as well.