The Player(s) that Got Away 2015 Draft - or ALL prior draft discussion here

[00BW]

It's stupid for anyone to say a team is unprepared at the draft table. They have their own internal list, just like a public list, and they choose the next available player. We know the Bruins scouts pick differently than other teams. In the 2018 draft they got Andersson in the 2nd and Lauko in the 3rd and they mentioned they had both on their list for 1st round talent.

You can absolutely argue whether their evaluation of talent is good or bad but not that they don't know who they are drafting. A simple google search of 'who did the Bruins interview at 2015 combine' returns Haggs article as the top entry. There are 12 confirmed interviews and 2 confirmed non-interviews in this article. https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/boston-bruins/bruins-finish-out-busy-combine-week-filled-interviews

3 years later, I certainly have some doubts on 3 of the 6 guys chosen in the first two rounds but 2 are established NHL players and a 3rd, Lauzon, is pushing to stay (or be a high value trade chip). It also seems like they may have hit on 3rd rounder, Vladar, and 6th rounder, Hughes. But I also know that at 21 years old, I'm not prepared to write off anyone in the 2015 draft just yet.

 

[BruinsNetwork]

Think it’s early to call Senyshyn or Zboril a “blunder” because of what their counterparts are doing. Both are in Y2 of their professional career and are still developing.

Zboril has his cup of coffee in the NHL and I thought he was quite serviceable. Shaky at times, but defense is a hard position to learn and not everyone gets it right away like McAvoy. He might not be a top-pair defender down the line, but he certainly shows the potential to be a rough, physical, two-way, second-pair player.

As far as Senyshyn goes, he was a “reach,” but he posted back-to-back 40-goal seasons in the OHL following the year he was drafted. Important to note that his goals weren’t because he was playing with the best lines or anything, instead they came as a result of mostly his own talent. Senyshyn was beating defenders and putting goalies down like old race horses using his speed, size, skating and shot. Is not worthy of a top-15 pick in the draft? I think it is.

He’s currently in the bottom-six in Providence with hardly any time on the PP, and he scored 12-goals as a rookie last season playing with bottom-six guys. Still, he’s showing significant improvement from last year and is really starting to separate himself from the back, while remaining in the bottom-six. His two-way ability is much better than last year and he appears faster and stronger— already threw a couple of big hits this year.

I’m not going to say he’s ready for the NHL, but if you put him next to someone like Krejci at 2RW right now, I really doubt he would look out of place. His potential is still extremely high.

 

[RoccoF14]

Taking Hamill and Cross and passing on McDonagh and Pacioretty in the first and PK in the second

I think even when the Bruins win the Cup next year they fire Sweeney

I’d like to see the poster here who 99% of the time has been correct about these picks become GM

I disagree on the McDonagh part. That’s after the fact thinking...I watched Ryan McDonagh a lot when he played at Wisconsin, and there was a ton of risk with that pick and no guarantee that he’d be the NHL defensemen he developed into....so much so that the Habs dumped him for a washed up Scott Gomez...

 

[DKH]

I disagree on the McDonagh part. That’s after the fact thinking...I watched Ryan McDonagh a lot when he played at Wisconsin, and there was a ton of risk with that pick and no guarantee that he’d be the NHL defensemen he developed into....so much so that the Habs dumped him for a washed up Scott Gomez...

It’s all after the fact

This is the Bruins message board

That’s 90% of what these folks do here

 

[Fenway]

It’s all after the fact

This is the Bruins message board

That’s 90% of what these folks do here

BTW @DKH

Congrats on 50,000+ posts om HF

 

[DKH]

BTW @DKH

Congrats on 50,000+ posts om HF

Interestingly 40,000 of them are bang on

Over 20 + years

First 10+ not one infraction all since 2011

I did a reverse Mikita

 

[LSCII]

It's easy to point after the fact when you know what guys actually became impact players. But to call the draft an inexact science is selling it way too low.

In terms of this topic though, one of the worst was Kluzak over Brian Bellows. Even if you wanted to take a dman there, you had Scott Stevens and Phil Housley to pick from as well. Obviously injuries curtailed Gord's career, but man, Bellows would have been sweet.

 

[ON3M4N]

Think it’s early to call Senyshyn or Zboril a “blunder” because of what their counterparts are doing. Both are in Y2 of their professional career and are still developing.

Zboril has his cup of coffee in the NHL and I thought he was quite serviceable. Shaky at times, but defense is a hard position to learn and not everyone gets it right away like McAvoy. He might not be a top-pair defender down the line, but he certainly shows the potential to be a rough, physical, two-way, second-pair player.

As far as Senyshyn goes, he was a “reach,” but he posted back-to-back 40-goal seasons in the OHL following the year he was drafted. Important to note that his goals weren’t because he was playing with the best lines or anything, instead they came as a result of mostly his own talent. Senyshyn was beating defenders and putting goalies down like old race horses using his speed, size, skating and shot. Is not worthy of a top-15 pick in the draft? I think it is.

He’s currently in the bottom-six in Providence with hardly any time on the PP, and he scored 12-goals as a rookie last season playing with bottom-six guys. Still, he’s showing significant improvement from last year and is really starting to separate himself from the back, while remaining in the bottom-six. His two-way ability is much better than last year and he appears faster and stronger— already threw a couple of big hits this year.

I’m not going to say he’s ready for the NHL, but if you put him next to someone like Krejci at 2RW right now, I really doubt he would look out of place. His potential is still extremely high.

As you said, Senyshyn had back to back 40+ goals in the OHL. Now he's not scoring like that in the AHL, but he's also being asked to play a different role. Do you think he could still be a goal scorer at the NHL level if put in that role? Seems like are almost trying to get him to be like a Corey Perry type winger.

 

[The don godfather]

I'm happy that Donny didn't trade all 3 first round picks for hannifin. Just getting debrusk was the better move. I'll take him over hannifin anyday. Zboril and senyshyn haven't panned out yet. Crossing my fingers.

 

[BruinDust]

1990

Bruins pick at #84 - Jerry Buckley

Rangers pick at #85 - Sergei Zubov

 

[DKH]

As you said, Senyshyn had back to back 40+ goals in the OHL. Now he's not scoring like that in the AHL, but he's also being asked to play a different role. Do you think he could still be a goal scorer at the NHL level if put in that role? Seems like are almost trying to get him to be like a Corey Perry type winger.

Senyshyn isn’t a bust he’s enrolled in the Prospect Protection Program

He will be in the lineup full time next season

 

[ON3M4N]

Senyshyn isn’t a bust he’s enrolled in the Prospect Protection Program

He will be in the lineup full time next season

I hope he is, I really want to see the kid succeed. mostly to piss off all the people that crap all over the pick, but also because he can skate, has size and can shoot...all 3 things this team needs. Also helps that he's a pure RW and that's something we need as well.

 

[Judge Smails]

Think it’s early to call Senyshyn or Zboril a “blunder” because of what their counterparts are doing. Both are in Y2 of their professional career and are still developing.

Zboril has his cup of coffee in the NHL and I thought he was quite serviceable. Shaky at times, but defense is a hard position to learn and not everyone gets it right away like McAvoy. He might not be a top-pair defender down the line, but he certainly shows the potential to be a rough, physical, two-way, second-pair player.

As far as Senyshyn goes, he was a “reach,” but he posted back-to-back 40-goal seasons in the OHL following the year he was drafted. Important to note that his goals weren’t because he was playing with the best lines or anything, instead they came as a result of mostly his own talent. Senyshyn was beating defenders and putting goalies down like old race horses using his speed, size, skating and shot. Is not worthy of a top-15 pick in the draft? I think it is.

He’s currently in the bottom-six in Providence with hardly any time on the PP, and he scored 12-goals as a rookie last season playing with bottom-six guys. Still, he’s showing significant improvement from last year and is really starting to separate himself from the back, while remaining in the bottom-six. His two-way ability is much better than last year and he appears faster and stronger— already threw a couple of big hits this year.

I’m not going to say he’s ready for the NHL, but if you put him next to someone like Krejci at 2RW right now, I really doubt he would look out of place. His potential is still extremely high.

You're not related to Don Sweeny or anthing, right?

 

[Roll 4 Lines]

Maybe not the worst, but Doug Halward certainly wasn't the best pick ever.

 

[Oates2Neely]

1994 Boston selects Evgeni Ryabchikov 21st overall

NJ selects Patrik Elias 51st overall in the second round

That was an awful draft class

 

[BruinsNetwork]

You're not related to Don Sweeny or anthing, right?

Nope, just refuse to be like those who grab their pitchforks because they look at everything in a vacuum.

It’s funny, not many people continuously harp on Arizona in the 2015 draft saying they should have drafted Barzal because Strome was the “consensus” pick at No. 3. The alleged “best player available.” Well, how’s that “consensus” pick working out for them? I guess my point is that TSN’s list can be wrong and private lists from teams can be right. The book is far from written on Zboril and Senyshyn.

Sometimes, the NHL draft is the Wild West.

 

[Deal Law]

2005 - MOC (most recently seen riding the short bus in LA) drafts Matt Lashoff at #22. While Oshie, Cogliano and Niskanen went 24, 25 and 28, respectively; James Neal and Vlasic ended up going at 33 and 35, respectively, in the second round.

 

[yazmybaby]

Here are some whiffs that come to mind:
Kluzak drafted first overall, we missed Bellows, Scott Stevens, Housley and Andreychuk.
Dave Pasin and Ray Podloski were bad misses as well.
The draft is a crap shoot, there are no guarantees, even with a top 3 pick. I bet Arizona is wishing they picked Marner or Rantanen instead of Strome.

 

[Dr Hook]

Here are some whiffs that come to mind:
Kluzak drafted first overall, we missed Bellows, Scott Stevens, Housley and Andreychuk.

That isn't really fair because no one could predict Kluze's knees.

 

[Mount Kramer Cameras]

Nope, just refuse to be like those who grab their pitchforks because they look at everything in a vacuum.

It’s funny, not many people continuously harp on Arizona in the 2015 draft saying they should have drafted Barzal because Strome was the “consensus” pick at No. 3. The alleged “best player available.” Well, how’s that “consensus” pick working out for them? I guess my point is that TSN’s list can be wrong and private lists from teams can be right. The book is far from written on Zboril and Senyshyn.

Sometimes, the NHL draft is the Wild West.

I'd guess 80% of teams would've taken Strome in the top 5. So that is what it is.

I'd also guess that 80%+ of teams would've taken Barzal or Connor somewhere in the 13/14/15 slots, given the opportunity. Maybe even 90%. I think it's okay to say that the Bruins tried to be the smartest guys in the room, because they did.

I'm not saying anyone is a bust, by the way. I just find it jarring to think that what the Bruins did was par for the course in a 'wild west' NHL draft. It was unusual.

 

[BruinDust]

1994 Boston selects Evgeni Ryabchikov 21st overall

NJ selects Patrik Elias 51st overall in the second round

That was an awful draft class

That was the 1st draft I really followed, mostly through my copies of The Hockey News. I knew the Bruins needed a goalie desperately, didn't think Storr or Fichaud would drop to them, and desperately wanted the Bruins to pick Dan Cloutier. Then they picked this Russian goalie whose last name I still can't pronounce.

 

[shelbysdad]

I can't believe this isn't here yet

Trading down, drafting Mark Stuart, and passing on Zach Parise

 

[Olden McGroin]

For comparison purposes, there's a similar discussion going on in the Canucks board, here's a sampling of their draft history, I've bolded some of the more interesting recent picks:

1979 - Canucks pick Ken Ellacott. Mark Messier taken with the next pick.
1984 - Canucks pick Jeff Korchinski. Brett Hull taken two picks later.
1985 - Canucks pick Troy Gamble. Joe Nieuwendyk taken two picks later.
1986 - Canucks pick Dan Woodley. Brian Leetch taken two picks later.
1990 - Canucks pick Petr Nedved. Jaromir Jagr taken three picks later.
1990 - Canucks pick Shawn Antoski. Keith Tkachuk, Martin Brodeur taken with the next two picks.
1993 - Canucks pick Mike Wilson. Saku Koivu taken with the next pick.
1997 - Canucks pick Brad Ference. Marian Hossa taken two picks later.
2005 - Canucks pick Luc Bourdon. Anze Kopitar taken with the next pick.
2011 - Canucks pick Joe Labate. Johnny Gaudreau taken three picks later.
2014 - Canucks pick Jared McCann. David Pastrnak taken with the next pick.
2014 - Canucks pick Jake Virtanen. William Nylander and Nikolaj Ehlers taken 2 and 3 picks later.
2016 - Canucks pick Olli Juolevi. Matthew Tkachuk and Clayton Keller taken with the next two picks.

 

[Donnie Shulzhoffer]

Wait! What?!!?!?!?

This happens with other teams too?

 

[UConn126]

i have to think team need was weighed heavily in that 2015 draft. We clearly targeted natural wingers over centers like Barzal or Konecny. I think Senyshyn over Connor or Boeser happened because they wanted Zach or Carlo with their earlier 2nd and couldn't decide between the two, so they opted to reach for Zach and get both.