The Boston Bruins are entering unfamiliar territory this offseason. After finishing in a tie for last place in the Eastern Conference with the Philadelphia Flyers, they ended up with the seventh overall pick in the NHL Draft Lottery on Monday night. The New York Islanders beat the odds to grab the top pick, while the Bruins fell to the lowest possible position they could — a fitting outcome for the kind of season they’ve had. Even off the ice, it seems, they can’t catch a break.
This high of a draft pick is rare for Boston, and the organization’s track record in the draft over the years has been inconsistent at best. Still, despite past missteps, they now have a crucial opportunity to make a game-changing selection in the upcoming NHL Draft. They simply cannot afford to miss, especially with a glaring need staring them in the face.
The Bruins must use this pick to secure their center of the future.
With the seventh overall selection, Boston has a real chance to reshape its future by selecting a top-tier center — ideally someone who can contribute at the NHL level relatively soon. Relying on free agency to solve the issue hasn’t worked out, and this draft may be their best shot at getting it right.
At present, Matthew Poitras is their most promising young center, but injuries and lineup decisions have kept him from playing a full season. Beyond him, the depth is questionable, and with John Beecher becoming a restricted free agent this summer, the team faces uncertainty about his future role.
It’s been four drafts since Boston selected Fabian Lysell with the 21st overall pick, and he’s yet to solidify a role on the team, only debuting in the NHL last December. Meanwhile, Wyatt Johnston — drafted just two spots later — has thrived with the Dallas Stars. That kind of missed opportunity can’t happen again.
If GM Don Sweeney and the Bruins’ scouting department can nail this pick and select a center who can become a franchise cornerstone, it could go a long way toward redeeming years of questionable drafting. They shouldn’t consider other positions or trading down. They must lock in on the best center available at No. 7 — anything else would be yet another costly setback for a team that can’t afford one.
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