Given how thin the Boston Bruins’ prospect pool is, stockpiling it is important. The organization has seen players graduate to the big club and even got a boost last season. In surprising fashion, center Matthew Poitras and defenseman Mason Lohrei emerged onto the scene in 2023-24, and both played crucial roles and provided great young depth. After them, though, the cupboard is a bit bare and the team needs to restock the cupboard.
The tough part about being a Stanley Cup contender is that you always will draft late in each round. That’s not always a bad thing, as you can still hit on that draft selection. Superstar David Pastrnak was taken 25th overall by the Bruins in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, proving it’s possible to hit on a player even at that spot.
General manager Don Sweeney managed to get back into the first round during the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, as he acquired a first round pick in a trade with the Ottawa Senators. Ironically, that pick originally was the Bruins’ draft selection. The Senators got a number one goalie in Linus Ullmark, and with that pick, the Bruins selected center Dean Letourneau. There is much to love about this draft selection and the type of player he could be down the line.
Bruins Bolster Prospect Strength Down the Middle
Outside of Matthew Poitras, the Bruins’ are thin when it comes to prospects down the middle. They got a good taste of what center John Beecher can bring to the club — although he is more suited for a bottom six role, he is a vital part of the team’s depth. The one thing missing for the Bruins is a true number-one center. Sweeney went on to sign Elias Lindholm for seven years, so there is the answer for that immediately. However, the key is drafting and developing that center and hoping the player can grow into that number-one role.
Related: Expectations for Bruins’ Matthew Poitras in Year 2
Bruins fans ought to like Letourneau. The biggest comparison he draws is to Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson. Thompson was originally part of the trade to the Sabres that sent Ryan O’Reilly to the St. Louis Blues. Thompson hadn’t come into his own yet, but now is a lethal offensive presence on the Sabres. Letourneau stands out at 6-foot-7. For his size, he is an incredible skater, but also has the skill to go along with it. That’s what drew Sweeney to him.
“What stood is obviously the frame of the player, and his skillset, to tell you the truth,” Sweeney said of Letourneau. “Not so much just the positional side of things, but he moves really well at that size, he’s got very, very good hands, he’s got an elite shot. … We think [BC] is going to be a great development opportunity for Dean to continue to grow and fill in the gaps in his game.” (From Audacy.com, June 28, 2024).
Nobody is saying he is the next Thompson. However, he does draw those comparisons with his height, his shot, and even his stick handling. Coincidentally, this is a player that even models his game after Thompson. Development camps were underway at Warrior Ice Arena and Letourneau impressed.
Early Impressions of Letourneau
All the eyes were on Poitras, as he is battling back from injury and continuing his rehab process. However, the attention also turned to Letourneau who was attending his first Bruins development camp. He is certainly not hard to notice, as he sticks out like a sore thumb with his height. He also stood out with the little things he did on the ice and. Player Development coordinator and former Bruins defenseman Adam McQuaid had high praise for Letourneau. As the camp concluded he went on to say,
“It’s hard not to notice him at his size. You notice his calmness around the net. Smooth, good hands. Just a big frame. But when you look at him, he’s still such a young kid. He’s a young guy that has a ton of potential.” (Audacy.com, July 4, 2024)
Letourneau made a couple of nice plays during development camp. He went on to cause a turnover and get into the proper passing lane. In doing so, he made a great skill move in front of the net and scored a goal. Also, in a shootout, he displayed that same skill again scoring another goal. Letourneau does have really soft hands around the net and in close, which truly resembles of what Thompson is good at. The Bruins will get to continue to monitor his development, as he will be attending Boston College.
Letourneau’s Hockey Career Starts in College
The skill is there and the potential is there. The Bruins see that and they hope it can continue to translate at the collegiate level. Letourneau was stellar at St. Andrew’s College, displaying his skill and producing at an extremely high rate. During the 2022-23 season, he had 25 goals and 65 points in 53 games. The 2023-24 season saw him raise his game to another level, scoring 61 goals and 127 points in 56 games. There is room for optimism, but college hockey will present a new challenge for the young center.
At Boston College, he will be able to compete in one of the greatest college hockey environments. With this challenge ahead, he will look to further develop his game and use his size to his advantage. He will be playing against stiffer competition and higher players than he’s accustomed to. This is something Letourneau himself has said as he reflected on where he wants to take his game.
“I try to model my game after Tage Thompson,” Letourneau said. “Just a big, tall centerman with skill. I love watching his puck protection and the way he uses his body to shield defenders. That’s something I’m trying to incorporate into my game, too.”
That’s a great place to start and something that should make Bruins fans ears perk up. Also, Letourneau alluded to wanting to add more size (shockingly given his stature), and to be able to not get pushed around entering Boston College. He has the frame and the toolset, it’s just about putting it together consistently. It’s obviously too early to tell what kind of player he will be, but this is a good pick by the Bruins.
Letourneau Is a Bright Spot
It is good Sweeney was able to move back into the first round this draft. Even more so, he selected a player with tremendous upside. He may be a bigger body (which the Bruins love), but he also comes with the skill. He is still very young and it will be great to see how he develops at the collegiate level. The organization got a small taste of what he can be and it’ll be great to see how it continues. The cupboards are being stocked and that stocking has started with Letourneau.
