The Bruins have their finest chance in more than ten years to add a potential franchise center to their system with the seventh pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.
It’s unclear which blue-chip players will be available when Don Sweeney and his team eventually get on the clock, considering the abundance of pivots predicted to be selected from the draft board within the top 10 on Friday night.
One could think that picking the top player available at No. 7 is the best course of action for the Bruins’ talent-poor pipeline.
Naturally, given that this anticipated draft order has been roughly as linear as a Christopher Nolan movie, the question is whether or not there will even be a consensus best player available at No. 7.
The Bruins might bring in Brady Martin, a feisty forward who is unlikely to struggle in the NHL.However, using a top-10 pick on a player who might be more firmly established in the middle-six of a lineup has drawn legitimate criticism.
Roger McQueen, a 6-foot-5 playmaking center, would appear to fulfill many Boston needs. But for a Bruins team that cannot afford to pass up this pick, a back ailment that seriously hindered the pivot this past season does stand out as a clear warning sign.
There would still be concerns about whether the talented center’s height (5-foot-11, 178 pounds) would negate some of his exceptional skills at the next level of competition, even if Boston College forward James Hagens, who was formerly the top-ranked player expected in this selection, were selected by Boston at No. 7.
None of the players Boston selects at No. 7 will be immune to criticism or valid worries about their NHL ceiling, and there isn’t a flawless prospect in this draft class.
The Bruins might be better off pursuing Jake O. Brien, a playmaking center whose game may not be particularly spectacular but whose potential makes him appealing to a team like Boston, in order to reduce said risk with such a sought-after lottery pick.
O Brien shares several similarities with David Krejci, a longtime Bruins regular.
At the NHL Scouting Combine in Buffalo earlier this month, O Brien stated, “I think I slow the game down a bit, and I’m very good at finding little seams.”
In comparison to skaters like Hagens or Michael Misa, O Brien, who stands 6 feet 2 inches tall, is not the most agile skater. The Toronto native’s game isn’t centered on landing welts like Martin’s, nor does he have the same lightning-fast shot as Anton Frondell.
However, if O Brien finds his rhythm in the professional game, he is the kind of intelligent, playmaking center who can improve an NHL club in a number of ways.
Wyatt Johnston, a forward for Dallas, is someone I like to compare myself to because of his hockey IQ, intelligence, and general understanding of the game, O Brien stated. The way he can score goals and how he is cunning around the net. Thus, I would say him.
Jake O. Brien (C)24/25 (OHL): 66 GP 32 G, 66 A, 98 PTS#2 on my Pens board is the second player profile. Clever around the net like Guentzel, who scores a lot, and intelligent in all three zones.Watching creative puck play is entertaining.Floor: Bottom-6 CCPtspic.twitter.com/vfm8z92rCM Top-6 C, 65, 85
O Brien might not be slamming home one-timers or taking advantage of hurried opportunities. But by creating scoring opportunities with ease, the 18-year-old forward has dominated the stat sheet throughout the past few seasons with the OHL’s Brantford Bulldogs.
O Brien won OHL Rookie of the Year in 2023–24 with 13 goals and 51 assists in 61 games. This past season, he scored 32 goals and 98 total points in 66 games.
O Brien may be the kind of player who, despite not being very showy, may produce points on a line with a top-tier scorer due to his calmness with the puck, strong hockey IQ, and vision.
His value is further bolstered by the fact that even though O Brien is a lanky 177 pounds, his 6-foot-2 frame paints the picture of a player who could withstand the punishment that awaits in the NHL once he adds on some pounds.
O Brien noted that he is hoping to reach 185-190 pounds by the start of next season, while Bruins director of amateur scouting Ryan Nadeau also noted that O Brien has the potential to be a strong two-way player in the pros.
Jake O Brien is a really skilled and he s got a lot of vision, lot of good offensive creativity. He helped to drive the bus offensively for [Brantford],Nadeau said. He s got a little bit of length. He s worked hard throughout the year in improving his skating, he s able to play both sides of the puck. He takes a lot of responsibility in the D zone.
His play has been really impressive. Kind of plays a pretty mature game, but yet has some excitement offensively. He can really manipulate time and space. He tends to want to slow the game down a little bit because he s so good with the puck, but it s been fun to watch him play.
O Brien will need to spend plenty of time in the gym moving forward, while his focus on skating and faceoff work might mean that he ll need some time to really settle into a groove once he makes it to the NHL.
But O Brien still offers a lot of what the Bruins would seemingly be enamored with in a top-10 pick: a pass-first center with legitimate top-line upside, a 6-foot-2 frame, and a two-way profile.
Drafting O Brien won t incite the same type of debate and discourse both online and on the radio airwaves at least when compared to other potential options like Martin, McQueen, or Hagens.
But that might be just what the Bruins are looking for with such a crucial pick especially when factoring in O Brien s upside.
I m just staying confident, believing in my ability, O Brien said. I don t want to get too into the draft list and everything. Just trying to make an impact from where I get drafted to, and go from there.
Since 2023, Conor Ryan has worked as a staff writer for Boston.com, covering the Boston Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox.
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