The Boston Bruins draft brings about multiple questions, the foremost of which is why did they draft another defenseman in the first round. The team, overloaded with defensive prospects and lacking in young playmakers used the #18 pick to take Finland’s Urho Vaakanainen, a defensive defenseman, which to many was a disappointing pick. While it will be years before anyone knows how good of a player Vaakanainen is, CSNNE’s Joe Haggerty suggests the team played it safe instead of going after dynamic forwards such as Kailer Yamamoto, who went to Edmonton at #22, and Kristian Vesalainen, who went to Winnipeg at #24. The Bruins have drafted defense with their first pick in four of the last five drafts.
- Haggerty also says the team was looking to trade the number one pick on Friday with the hopes of acquiring a defenseman to replace the departed Colin Miller or a top-six left wing. However, trade negotiations with Minnesota for Marco Scandella didn’t come to fruition. That was disappointing, considering that #18 pick was likely their top trade chip.
- The Detroit Red Wings received some questionable grades for their first-round pick at #9, center Michael Rasmussen out of the WHL. The 6-foot-5 center has little experience, only tallied 15 even strength goals last year and lacks the great speed that is so highly coveted in the NHL these days. The biggest complaint is the team passed on two other quick, speedy forwards in Owen Tippett, who went #10 to the Florida Panthers and Gabe Vilardi, who went #11 to the Los Angeles Kings.
I was surprised that the Bruins didn’t draft a winger in the 1st round. That is the biggest weakness position wise in the organization. The Bruins have plenty of defensive prospects & are deep at center. I would’ve rather the Bruins traded the pick for a defenseman or a winger than take another defenseman. I’m not knocking Vaakanainen, but unlike a few years ago, the Bruins do not have an organizational need on defense. Their depth on the wing, however, is a question mark
Sweeney’s ineptness follows Chiarelli’s but the only constant is Neely who is an under qualified moron.
Got to wonder if because Sweeney was a defenseman he only knows how judge them I know stupid but it’s pretty crazy all he’s drafted is D-men they need to work on a goalie or left wing
I also wonder if he sees how valuable a top defenseman can be and he’s just taking who he believes is the best player available which has just happened to be defense. It’s easy to trade a top 4 defenseman for a forward. So if you have 6 top 4 defenseman because of a few of the prospects pan out you can flip a couple for forwards. There are less teams out there flipping defense for forwards so it’s a sellers market. Minnesota and Anaheim appear content to not make a move now and Carolina wants to move a defenseman and that’s really it.
First, Haggs is a less than credible and thought provoking Bruins “insider”. Also, Vaakannainen is a left shot D. We have two others in the system while the rest of them are a Right shot.
Lastly, the last two times we questioned a Bruins draft pick (Fredrick and Sensenshyn) everyone, myself included, had egg on their face. Seemingly they know what they want and it’s sort of working out.
You can never have too many defensive prospects.
Exactly, you never draft for need. You draft the best player you think is available. It takes a few years for prospects to fully develop so taking a winger now doesn’t help you this season, and that’s what the bruins need.
You absolutely get my friend. I agree with Puckhead83 as well. Joe Haggs is not exactly what you’d call a “wizened sage” kinda guy….uh insider.
Plus they don’t have many defenseman for long term. They lost C. Miller, and McQuaid, Chara, and K. Miller aren’t getting any younger. They have Krug who is a 2nd pair D, McAvoy and Carlo. They are going to be good but the 3 of them can’t fill out a whole defense. Plus defense is a valuable commodity and we’ve seen teams that go 5 deep in good defenseman be successful. Even if you want to trade it like Hamonic just went for a first and two seconds. And he’s not a number 1 defenseman on a good team.
In his three drafts, Sweeny has drafted 11 forwards, 9 defensemen, and 2 goalies; 41% d-men. The league as a whole drafted 349 forwards, 227 defensemen, and 62 goalies; 36% d-men, basically the same as Sweeny’s rate. But in 2015, 3 of his 10 picks were D, whereas in both 2016 and 2017, 3 of his only 6 picks were D. Unquestionably, but certainly for some reason, he has been favoring D in the last two drafts.