Bruins first-round draft pick John Beecher making his way in college hockey - The Boston Globe
DURHAM, N.H. — Johnny Beecher is not Patrice Bergeron.
He’s not David Krejci or Charlie Coyle or Sean Kuraly.
He’s a first-semester college player, which is easy to forget when you’re watching a combination of size (6 feet 3 inches, 209 pounds) that wouldn’t look out of place on an NHL roster, and skating ability that could quickly bring him to the areas of NHL ice where pros cash checks. Beecher gets to his spot in a hurry, with force and fluidity. At present, it is his defining quality. It was apparent Friday at New Hampshire on his first shift, when he laid a smack on an opposing defenseman who didn’t expect him to arrive so quickly, and on his second, when he caused a turnover behind the UNH net and set up a scoring chance.
“Big guys that can skate seem to find a way in this league,” said Jamie Langenbrunner, the Bruins’ director of player development.
Beecher, 18, is still finding his way at Michigan, his landing spot after going 30th overall to the Bruins in the draft last June. He is wearing the target that comes with being a first-round selection, and the Bruins, in case you haven’t heard, have a few veteran centers who may need to be replaced in the coming years.
“His compete level, that consistency, will also be a really big factor for him,” Langenbrunner said, naming his size and skating as the attributes that will likely make him an NHLer someday. “I think it’s something all young kids struggle with, is how hard they have to work all the time to be effective here. Guys take a long time to figure that out. He’s working toward that.”
“He’s been thrust into that because of his skill and talent,” said coach Mel Pearson. “You forget he’s 18, especially when he’s 6-3, 210 pounds. He’s got so much to learn still, about day to day life, and adversity, and socially, how to carry yourself. Everything. It gets fast-forwarded sometimes, but he does a good job. We’ve talked to him quite a bit about his leadership role, body language on the ice, how he handles people.”