Welcome The 2021, Bruins NHL Draft Class.
Well, just like that, the 2021 NHL Entry Draft has come and gone. What usually ends up being a disappointing and lackluster event for Bruins fans, ended up being somewhat of a pleasant surprise. Normally, we would be left wondering why the Bruins would pick a prospect who was projected to be picked much later in the draft. This time around, it seems as though the dire need to replenish the Bruin’s farm system was apparent not just to us fans and sports writers, but also to Bruins General Manager, Don Sweeney, team President, Cam Neely, and the rest of the Bruins scouting staff. They picked players who were not only considered to be the best player available at the time of their pick, but also prospects who NHL Central Scouting have high NHL expectations for. Again, very surprising given Sweeney’s draft history, but it is a much welcomed surprise. So, let us take a look at, and welcome, the Bruin’s 2021 NHL Entry Draft Prospects.
With the 21st overall pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, the Bruins select from the SHL; skilled, speedy right-winger, Fabian Lysell (shown above). The 18-year old comes in at 5'10, 172 lbs, and was ranked pretty highly by most NHL scouts. According to www.eliteprospects.com , Lysell was ranked #9 by NHL Central Scouting among European Skaters, and was ranked as high as #3 by DobberProspects. A scouting report from Elite Prospects describes Lysell, “His skating form is nearly perfect, with great posture, depth, and flexibility at the ankles, knees, and hips, giving him straight-line speed and two-step quickness to burn. Lysell spots teammates through layers, and has the deft touch to get them the puck when the time is right. He scans regularly, reloads to support his defencemen, tracks well through the neutral zone, and his work rate never wanes.” In the 2020–2021 World Junior Championship (U18) he helped Sweden win the Bronze Medal, playing in 7 games and tallying 3 goals, 6 assists, for 9 points, tied for team lead in points. Although his most reason season with Lulea HF of the SHL was disappointing, 2 goals, 1 assist for 3 points in 26 games, it should be noted that he was playing a 4th line role and only played 3 to 10 minutes on any given night. Not a role you would expect any player to have eye popping numbers in. Overall though, it seems like he is known for his great skating, speed, puck pursuit, and of course, his two-way play. His tenacious puck pursuit and skating speed make him a nuisance on opposing defenses, drawing comparisons to that of Brad Marchand. If he can develop his offense at the NHL level, the Bruins could have just drafted themselves a skilled top 6 scorer.
Despite his promising skill set, there seems to be a caveat with this player. Apparently, there have been some concerns surrounding Lysell’s “Character”. Ty Anderson from 98.5 The Sports Hub discussed the concerns surrounding this player, “It’s still up in the air exactly what it was that Lysell did that constitutes true “character concerns.” In hockey, that can mean anything from being a legitimate criminal to being an introvert who enjoys playing video games…….It would instead appear that his desire to leave Frolunda’s junior team to take his game to the next level and get a chance in the Swedish pro ranks (one he ultimately got with his move to Luleå HF) landed him on the ‘character concern’ list.” Anderson goes on to mention that as far as 98.5 is concerned, there is nothing that sticks out that would make his “Character” a concern. Perhaps at the moment there is nothing glaring about Lysell and his character, but only time will tell if there are any true “character” issues with him. As far as I am concerned, as long as he does not have a drug habit, a criminal record and/or is not involved in criminal activities, I am not worried. After all, the main reason for the Bruins trading away star centerman, Tyler Seguin, was because of his “character” flaws, and look at how that turned out…..
The only qualm I have with this pick is that he is a right-winger, not a centerman. If you read my previous article “Bruins Off-Season 2021 Edition: Plans, Rumors, And Draft Goals”, you would know that I was desperately hoping that they would choose a centerman. With David Krejci’s tenure in Boston still in question, the age of both him and Patrice Bergeron getting ever so higher, and with no clear replacements for either of them outside of Charlie Coyle, they are very thin down the middle. Yet still, Fabian Lysell was a good pick; he is not a Massachusetts Native, he is not a defenseman, and most importantly, he was highly ranked by most NHL scouts and not considered a “reach” player like the Bruins are historically known for. As such, I will take it.
Speaking of centerman, although they did not draft a centerman in the 1st round, the Bruins did end up taking Canadian centerman, Brett Harrison with the 85th overall pick in the 3rd round of the 2021 NHL draft. Brett Harrison is a larger center, listed at 6'2, 185 lbs, and like Fabian Lysell, was picked right around where NHL scouts had him ranked (another huge surprise). According to Elite Prospects, “He hunts pockets of space and loves to trail behind the play to receive drop passes and fire from the top of the circle. He can win most battles through his reach and stature.” Harrison won the gold medal with team Canada in the 2020–2021 U18 World Junior Championship. However, in 7 games he scored only 2 goals and had 0 assists. Nothing to write home about. However, If we look at his previous season with the Oshawa Generals of the OHL (2019–2020), we can feel a little more optimistic about his offensive upside. In 58 games, he scored 21 goals and 16 assists for 37 points, probably due to playing a more major role than what he was playing in with team Canada. Reportedly he has a terrific one-timer and excellent wrist shot with a high hockey IQ. His size allows him to shield the puck effectively and his long reach allows him to get to pucks first and win battles. Furthermore, he is not afraid to drive to the front of the net and generate goals off of rebounds. All of this information by NHL central scouts is reported by Ben Kerr of Last Word On Sports. The biggest downside of this player according to scouts is that his skating is below average. This, however, is a minor issue. With good coaching and practice, his skating can be improved dramatically, and if so, projects to be either a top-6 winger or a #2 centerman at the NHL level.
This was another good pick for the Boston Bruins. They chose a large centerman with high hockey IQ and offensive capabilities. Unfortunately for us fans, however, we will have to wait a few years to see if this was actually a good pick up for the Bruins. With their center depth in question, he better be. Oh, for what it is worth, Harrison’s favorite NHL player growing up was no other than Patrice Bergeron.
With their 4th round pick (117th overall), the Bruins ended up selecting goaltender Philip Svedeback from the Vaxjo Lakers HC in Sweden.
At age 19, he comes in at 6'2, 192 lbs and is going to play in the USHL this upcoming season. Not much is known on this prospect, and I am sure the Bruins will be keeping an eye on him throughout his development in the USHL. His numbers in the Swedish league are average. His best save percentage came in the 2019–2020 Vaxjo Lakers season where he played in the J18 Allsvenskan league. His save percentage through 11 games played was a .921, his goals against average was 3.27, and his record was 4–6–0 with 1 shutout, according to www.eliteprospects.com. Again, not much else can be found on this prospect, but I am sure his time in the USHL will expose more of what this player can do. It is surprising though, the Bruins already have two young and upcoming goaltenders in Jeremy Swayman and Dan Vladar who are waiting for a starting role with the Bruins. Why did the Bruins brass feel the need for another goaltender in their system? Depth perhaps?
Moving on, with their 6th round pick (181st overall), the Bruins select big, shutdown defenseman, Ryan Mast.
It seems evident with this pick (and the Brett Harrison pick) that the Bruins are definitely trying to address their lack of size within their organization. A team once feared for it’s size and brutality, the Bruins have lost much of that in recent years and it has been a massive weakness of theirs in the postseason. Ryan Mast, 18, comes in at 6'4, 190 lbs, and is a right shot. His latest offensive numbers aren’t eye popping, 1 goal, 10 assists for 11 points in 58 games during the 2019–2020 season with the Sarnia Stings, all according to www.eliteprospects.com. But, he has been providing the shutdown role for the Stings, so offense isn’t the biggest part of his game. A scouting report from Ashley Glover of Recruit Scouting says that he, “Has a very translatable style. Whilst he may not have a high point ceiling; his ability to transition the puck effectively and the one-on-one defensive play should continue to elevate as he matures and sees greater competition. Mast is a great natural athlete and hockey player, but foremost he is an intellect; something that is VERY apparent on the ice. Mast is one of the most dependable and responsible defenders in this class, he’s often tasked with big responsibilities and shows that he’s capable of problem solving and out-thinking his peers.” If anything, it sounds like a player very comparable to Brandon Carlo. He won’t dazzle you with offense, but he has high hockey IQ, has a good transition game, and plays a huge shut down role in his own end which should only get better with age. Although, like any of these later round draft picks, only time will tell how good this player truly is, and if he can even play at the NHL level against men, not boys.
Finally, to wrap up this draft class, the Bruins had two picks in the 7th round, the 213th overall pick and the 217th overall pick. With the 213th overall pick, the Bruins selected big centerman, Andre Gasseau, and offensive defenseman, Ty Gallagher.
Of course, with not having picked any local collegiate players in the draft yet, Don Sweeney couldn’t help himself, and chose 18-year old, Andre Gasseau, who will play in the NCAA 2021–2022 season for Boston College. He is a big centerman, listed at 6'4, 203 lbs, and has had an okay past couple seasons; scoring 12 goals, 15 assists for 27 points in 42 games for the U.S. National U18 team, and 3 goals, 5 assists for 8 points in 23 games in the USHL junior team. A scouting report from Elite Prospects says, “He’s a shooter with some flash and instincts. He consistently finds space between the faceoff dots, ready for a one-timer or catch-and-release wrister. Handling skills complement Gasseau’s shooting, as he turns tricky passes into powerful wristers. He catches passes in motion, beats players in motion, and flashes the 1-on-1 skill to watch through a defender on occasion.” Again, he is a low round draft choice who has some skill but is very raw. We may not know what he can do for another 4 to 5 years as he develops in the NCAA. Who knows if he will be an NHL caliber talent, but we can be hopeful.
Last, but not least, we have defenseman, Ty Gallagher, selected with the 217th overall selection.
A little smaller than his draft mate Ryan Mast, Ty Gallagher comes in at 6'0, 190 lbs, and is a right shot. He is another prospect who is going to, you guessed it, Boston University to play in the NCAA for the 2021–2022 season. Gallagher is more of an offensive defenseman, as evidence by his award for most goals by a defenseman in the U18 World Junior Championship where he scored 3 goals in 5 games. In his most recent stint with the U.S. U18 Development Program, he tallied 14 goals, and 13 assists for 27 points in 48 games. Pretty good for a defenseman. A scouting report from Elite Prospects describes Gallagher as, “Not one to pass up an opportunity to shoot, Gallagher’s Gatling gun mentality makes him a constant threat. When Gallagher takes his finger off the trigger, he shows deceptive playmaking skill with look-off passes. He identifies teammates in scoring position, and if the lane’s open, he usually connects.” He may not blow you away with size, but he does have very good puck moving skills, skating abilities, and offensive play making talents. Like other prospects chosen in the 7th round, he will most likely play the next 4 years with Boston University before he makes the jump to the AHL or NHL, assuming he is even able to play at that level. Still, a seemingly decent prospect that could be part of the future of this team.
For all of my criticisms of Don Sweeney, I will give him a slight break and admit that this was definitely one of his best drafts (but again, all his other drafts have been so bad nearly anything would be a step up). He chose the best player on the board during his selection, and for the most part, chose players based on organizational need. Unfortunately, it may be a few years before we see these prospects in action, donning the Black and Gold, but they provide some much needed talent in what is a barren, talent-less farm system. Now, one good draft does not absolve Sweeney of all of his horrendous blunders, nor does it make our farm system even close to being the best in the league, or even in the top 20, but it is a start. Let us now turn our attention to the next chapter of the 2021 NHL off season, free agency.
