I still think Barzal would have been a great choice with any one of the three picks. The guy has a great compete level and plays a good all around game. While Connor on the other hand, owns elite skill but I don't know if he has that battle factor. Just seems like another perimeter player to me.
As for Boston's picks:
13th - Love Zboril, real Bruins-esque game in that he does everything well. Good skater, transitions the puck well, has good hockey IQ on both sides of the puck, has a great shot, plays a heavy game and plays it on the edge at times. Real good upside with this player, again I don't see him being an elite #1 or even a #1 but certainly a player similar to Seabrook in that he has a great toolbox and plays with an edge allowing the #1 to do things they otherwise couldn't if paired with a lesser player.
14th - Good pick, again the theme Sweeney went with is compete. Beyond having silky smooth hands DeBrusk also doesn't mind going to those dirty areas. He'll have to be a bit more like Recchi in that he needs to get there with timing but he's deadly around the net and has the shot to be deadly out by the tops of the circles. Not the fastest skater but shifty and with a decent motor. See a bit of Michael Ryder in his game and while that may be a turn off to some fans I'm not saying he's a carbon copy but just a player that understand space and has the tools to score when he gets the puck in those spaces like Ryder, I hear his glove hand is pretty good too
. Could be deadly on the PP off the halfwall or in a power I in the slot.
15th - Love this pick. About 2 months before the draft Dom was nice enough to give me a list of players to look into for the 37th pick. The one he seemed most excited about was someone I had not really heard of, Zach Senyshyn. After a little (OK a lot!
) digging up of videos it was hard not to be cheering for this kid. Great motor, elite speed and skating, real good shot, size and the ability and willingness to use it whether it be hitting or taking a hit. Upside is a legit top-6 powerforward, floor is likely a 3rd line energy player with a scoring touch. Certainly has a similar skill and game to Kreider. This year could certainly be a huge coming out party for him if all his skills progress and he gets top-6 minutes.
37th - I was a little scared Boston would fall into the Carlo trap at 15. You saw mocks with the Bruins taking him because "they need to replace Chara" or "He's big and Bad so he needs to be a Bruin" yet all I could think of was "please not another Mark Stuart situation". I was shocked to see him still there at 37 and after development camp I'm really happy with this pick. The guy is a giant and plays a physical game, with an edge but his skating for his size is what stands out. If he gets anywhere close to his ceiling this could be a dangerous NHLer that can be paired with a slew of players and he'll compliment nearly any of them.
45th - Wasn't overly familiar with this pick before the draft. Real good hands, skating and two-way play. Again the Bruins scouting and development team sticking to their guns of getting harder to play against and tenacious players with high compete. JFK again is a player with the skillset and IQ to reach a top-6 role if he maxes out but the two-way play and compete to be a bottom-6er if it doesn't all come together. Another good value pick halfway through the second round.
52nd - This is my sleeper of the top-60. Kid has a massive chip on his shoulder and his compete and willingness to do whatever it takes to win is evident every second he's on the ice. Another defensemen comfortable mixing it up physically and willing to send a message. Has a good all around tool set, decent skater, good size, good shot, good transition. The overall theme amongst defensemen in this draft is guys with games that can stand on their own that don't need to be paired with a particular type of defensemen to thrive. These do it all defensemen are becoming the cornerstone of great teams while not being elite they are essential to building whatever defense you want.
You add Gabrielle and Vladar to that group and you have a solid draft, maybe low on high end skill but guys who are top-6 and top-4 ceiling talent who will leave it all out on the ice. Something sorely missing the last few years here in Boston. Really happy with the direction this team in going in.
Just my take and I'm happy RDL seems to agree.