The Athletic - Boston 2019 NHL farm system rankings: No. 29 Boston Bruins

[Fenway]

2019 NHL farm system rankings: No. 29 Boston Bruins

Prospect Ranking

1. Jack Studnicka, C, Niagara-OHL
2. Urho Vaakanainen, D, Providence-AHL
3. John Beecher, C, USNTDP-USHL
4. Kyle Keyser, G, Oshawa-OHL
5. Trent Frederic, C, Providence-AHL
6. Karson Kuhlman, RW, Boston-NHL
7. Jakub Lauko, LW, Rouyn-Noranda-QMJHL
8. Jakub Zboril, D, Providence-AHL
9. Pavel Shen, C, Ufa-KHL
10. Oskar Steen, C, Farjestad-SHL
11. Jeremy Swayman, G, Maine-Hockey East
12. Zach Senyshyn, RW, Providence-AHL
13. Cameron Hughes, C, Providence-AHL
14. Peter Cehlarik, LW, Providence-AHL
15. Curtis Hall, C, Yale-ECAC
16. Axel Andersson, D, Sodertalje-Allsvenskan
17. Matias Mantykivi, C, Saipa-Finland Jr

Click to read more...

 

[CDJ]

I mean, they kinda lose a lot of credibility when they have Mantykivi over Lauzon (or really half the list for that matter)

 

[JRull86]

#29? I dunno about that.

Is it top tier? Hell no. But bottom 3? No freaking way.

Also, how is Lauzon not on this list? Laughable.

 

[Jim]

It’s a funny thing, looking your future in the face, knowing that it has suffered at the expense of you recent success. Nobody can stay on top forever.

There will be some lean years coming. We need the type of players that only a few horrible seasons will yield come draft day.

 

[LouJersey]

Every where you look the Bruins are 26th or worse. It just is what it is.

They have graduated quite a few, plus they are always good so they draft late / trade picks for rentals....

The 2015 draft is the issue. To only have 2 contributors out of 8 of the top 104 picks at this point four years later is really just a terrible job no matter how you want to slice it. I do still have faith in Senny and Lauzon so we will see if they can be contributors going forward.

 

[UncleRico]

Lauzon not even listed? Oskar Steen 10th? I don’t know who compiled this list but they don’t have a very good grasp of the system.

 

[PB37]

Every where you look the Bruins are 26th or worse. It just is what it is.

They have graduated quite a few, plus they are always good so they draft late / trade picks for rentals....

The 2015 draft is the issue. To only have 2 contributors out of 8 of the top 104 picks at this point four years later is really just a terrible job no matter how you want to slice it. I do still have faith in Senny and Lauzon so we will see if they can be contributors going forward.

2015 isn't the issue with the low ranking. The prospects that were passed up have all graduated on their teams and have nothing to do with prospect rankings since they're no longer prospects.

 

[Johnnyduke]

That Stanley Cup loss feels even worse now...

 

[LouJersey]

2015 isn't the issue with the low ranking. The prospects that were passed up have all graduated on their teams and have nothing to do with prospect rankings since they're no longer prospects.

There are still prospects from that draft though. It's not even just round one. Three picks round 2, homerun, bust, and hopefully a 3rd pair guy...round 3 terrible...round 4 terrible....all within top 104..and not even ranked (although Lauzon should be IMO)

 

[Jean_Jacket41]

Every where you look the Bruins are 26th or worse. It just is what it is.

They have graduated quite a few, plus they are always good so they draft late / trade picks for rentals....

The 2015 draft is the issue. To only have 2 contributors out of 8 of the top 104 picks at this point four years later is really just a terrible job no matter how you want to slice it. I do still have faith in Senny and Lauzon so we will see if they can be contributors going forward.

They would have more prospect contributing if they were a terrible team.

Very few spot open for ELC on a Cup contending team instead of a forever DNQ like the Oilers or the Habs.

Meanwhile, Bruins still had plenty of great ELC playing in key roles the last few years with McAvoy, Carlo, DeBrusk and Heinen and Pasta before that.

They were key part and big reason the Bruins reached a 3rd SCF in 9 years.

These prospects lists is fun for the bad teams in hope of better days. They can dream of being relevant again and make the playoffs for once or for the bigger dreamer, being a Cup contender again.

Bruins are already a Cup contender and with the under 25y already on the roster, the grizzled battle tested veteran core, one of the best G in the league, the best 1-12D depth in the league and with a plethora of ELC ready to show they can be the next wave of surrounding cast, they may remain one for many years.

It’s a very good time to be a Bruins fan.

 

[LouJersey]

They would have more prospect contributing if they were a terrible team.

Very few spot open for ELC on a Cup contending team instead of a forever DNQ like the Oilers or the Habs.

Meanwhile, Bruins still had plenty of great ELC playing in key roles the last few years with McAvoy, Carlo, DeBrusk and Heinen and Pasta before that.

They were key part and big reason the Bruins reached a 3rd SCF in 9 years.

These prospects lists is fun for the bad teams in hope of better days. They can dream of being relevant again and make the playoffs for once or for the bigger dreamer, being a Cup contender again.

Bruins are already a Cup contender and with the under 25y already on the roster, the grizzled battle tested veteran core, one of the best G in the league, the best 1-12D depth in the league and with a plethora of ELC ready to show they can be the next wave of surrounding cast, they may remain one for many years.

It’s a very good time to be a Bruins fan.

I agree with this 100%.

 

[BigGoalBrad]

Every where you look the Bruins are 26th or worse. It just is what it is.

They have graduated quite a few, plus they are always good so they draft late / trade picks for rentals....

The 2015 draft is the issue. To only have 2 contributors out of 8 of the top 104 picks at this point four years later is really just a terrible job no matter how you want to slice it. I do still have faith in Senny and Lauzon so we will see if they can be contributors going forward.

Carlo > McAvoy in consecutive years can't really be beat and Pasternak>JDB is pretty good as well in consecutive drafts. Not as high on those 2 you mention but the book isnt closed. The 2 bunk 1st rounders were pretty late just stings b/c that specific draft was so deep but whiffing at 15 and 16 the year before or after would have been fine.

Donato returned a pretty good player that fueled a Cup run.

Nice we got a legit player in Clifton out of the non existant system and our #12 prospect according to our fans on here scored a huge goal in G6 playing on the second line on the road in a SCF elimination game.

Just like it took 3 picks in the first round in 2015 to get a decent player I think one of the 3 center prospects turns into a DK replacement. Urho is a good prospect and some blue line options behind him. Some interesting young Euros. Nothing in net but I'd rather be scouting outside the NHL for older guys like the backup in Providence last year than wait for a 18 year old to develop. If we work hard enough we can likely find a GOOD Halak replacement on a cheap deal and free up some cap room.

 

[BruinsBtn]

Pronman is a huge Leafs fan FWIW. He's probably still sulking about the playoffs. I mean, he had no clue on Clifton, Carlo (who he still thinks is a limited player), Gryz and pretty much every other guy the Bruins have drafted -- including McAvoy, who he had at #26 and said "it's possible he could skate top-4 minutes at his peak".

 

[BigGoalBrad]

Nice to see Kulhman get some respect on that list after how badly our fans trashed him in the the poll on here. Sucking in the AHL and not even being a relaible 3rd liner down there impresses people more than an even strength goal (rare as a dodo bird) in the SCFs. Embarrassing Senyshyn was voted ahead of him.

 

[Therick67]

I was under the impression this farm system was something Sweeney was building up and we were going to see lots of great young players who were going to be
under team control for a while.....

 

[Fenian24]

I have been told on this very board that there is a number two RW just waiting for a chance and Sweeney doesn't need to panic and do something like add one, that there is no need to sign veterans because the pipeline is "so deep and just needs a chance" and "we can't block the kids".That Urho Vaakanainen is going to be a top pair defenseman and should be untradeable. Couldn't be that some have horribly overrated the prospects and that even Sweeney recognizes this and that is the reason he signed Gaunce and Ritchie? That even he doesn't have faith in his beloved prospects pool?

I only put so much faith in the athletic and I think the Bruins have some good depth prospects and fully expect Beecher, Frederic, Studnicka and Vaakanninen to have decent to good NHL careers but I have yet to see the Bruins ranked above 25 in the few pools I have seen so maybe it's time for a does of reality to set in on some of the folks who think they can't move prospects because they have such a great pool and Cehlarik is just a "fair" chance away from being a top 6 forward and Senyshyn is just learning to play defense in Providence. Every one of these prospects, including Frederic and Beecher who I like a lot, should be available for an immediate upgrade.

 

[crimsonace]

I was under the impression this farm system was something Sweeney was building up and we were going to see lots of great young players who were going to be
under team control for a while.....

When you draft as deep as the B’s have for the last decade, you’ll have fewer of those high-ceiling prospects. The prospect pool is solid given where they have drafted. Part of it, too, is Carlo, McAvoy, DeBrusk, Pasta, Heinen (all double-digit or later picks) have “graduated” from prospect status. Kuraly, who was acquired via trade, too.

 

[Saxon Eric]

His C- grade of the 2019 draft is laughable but his player evaluations were pretty good
I actually enjoyed reading the article

 

[LouJersey]

For better or worse the Bruins have seemed to have moved away from the one dimensional smaller top 6 only type player in the drafts and are going for 200 foot high floor type guys that can play up and down the lineup. They seem to shy away from Spooners, Koko's and JFK's now, and I have to say I don't have that huge of a problem with it as long as they either develop some goal scorers or got outside the organization to get them.

 

[Fenian24]

For better or worse the Bruins have seemed to have moved away from the one dimensional smaller top 6 only type player in the drafts and are going for 200 foot high floor type guys that can play up and down the lineup. They seem to shy away from Spooners, Koko's and JFK's now, and I have to say I don't have that huge of a problem with it as long as they either develop some goal scorers or got outside the organization to get them.

If you can keep your bottom 6, third pair filled with effective, low cost players, hopefully like Beecher, Frederic, Kuhlman, Clifton, Gryz and tailor your drafting style to fill those spots you can use your cap space and other prospects to acquire a Hall as a free agent or Horton via trade. You can't make mistakes using this as a template but it can work and keep you competitive and ideally a cup champion more than once every 47 years.

 

[BlackFrancis]

His C- grade of the 2019 draft is laughable but his player evaluations were pretty good
I actually enjoyed reading the article

I enjoy reading his articles as well, but not without a tumbler full of salt handy.

 

[DKH]

That Stanley Cup loss feels even worse now...

Why ?

Because some person said the Bruins are 29

Last year Buffalo was 1 and Nylander was top 3 prospect- he was as high as 8 overall
In the league when I picked him as my Griffin Reinhart bust

I watched him twice live in Providence and went on HF and skewered him and was told to stop trolling

Looks like I wasn’t trolling

Bust

HF had a thread 2-3 years ago the Bruins tun is over after they started 0-2-1

In the end many of the Beecher Lauko Lauzon Studnicka Frederic Andersson Zboril Steen Keysor Vaakanainen Swayman Olson group
Will have made it

Olson & Lauzon not on ?

Lauzon & Quinn Olson will have better careers than Griffin Reinhart & Alex Nylander

You know in prior columns was gushing over those two ?

Pronman

 

[DKH]

There are still prospects from that draft though. It's not even just round one. Three picks round 2, homerun, bust, and hopefully a 3rd pair guy...round 3 terrible...round 4 terrible....all within top 104..and not even ranked (although Lauzon should be IMO)

Odds of a second round pick playing 246 games is 22%

Not sure if Carlo there yet but they already had a successful second round going by history

We will know more on Zboril & Senyshyn this season

 

[Jim]

Given our success, we haven’t had a REALLY exciting draft pick since Seguin, and before that, Thornton. Lucky us, we found a few later round gems.

It will be weird to transition (2- 4 years) back into potentially having a lottery pick.

 

[BruinsFanSince94]

I have been told on this very board that there is a number two RW just waiting for a chance and Sweeney doesn't need to panic and do something like add one, that there is no need to sign veterans because the pipeline is "so deep and just needs a chance" and "we can't block the kids".That Urho Vaakanainen is going to be a top pair defenseman and should be untradeable. Couldn't be that some have horribly overrated the prospects and that even Sweeney recognizes this and that is the reason he signed Gaunce and Ritchie? That even he doesn't have faith in his beloved prospects pool?

I only put so much faith in the athletic and I think the Bruins have some good depth prospects and fully expect Beecher, Frederic, Studnicka and Vaakanninen to have decent to good NHL careers but I have yet to see the Bruins ranked above 25 in the few pools I have seen so maybe it's time for a does of reality to set in on some of the folks who think they can't move prospects because they have such a great pool and Cehlarik is just a "fair" chance away from being a top 6 forward and Senyshyn is just learning to play defense in Providence. Every one of these prospects, including Frederic and Beecher who I like a lot, should be available for an immediate upgrade.

No one thinks half the garbage you say in this post.