When asked if the Bruins are focusing on a certain position with the seventh choice in the 2025 NHL Draft, Don Sweeney pushed back on Wednesday.
At Warrior Ice Arena, Sweeney declared, “We’re taking the best player,” before adding, “I think I’m going back to saying that we’re looking for the most impactful players.” These days, competitiveness, hockey acumen, and skill can all have an impact.
It may be used in scoring. It goes without saying that you have the ideal storm when you can mix them all. For us, it is not a positional choice.
The Bruins prospect pool desperately needs a boost of blue-chip talent after years of trading away first-round picks for quick fixes.
For a team that needs youthful, cost-controlled talent at almost every position on the depth chart, it should not be surprising that Boston’s general manager is not concentrating on just one player or position of need.
However, the Bruins have a great chance to begin restocking their pipeline this weekend, as Boston retains seven picks in the first six rounds of the NHL Draft, including two second-round picks.
Boston’s main needs in the 2025 NHL Draft are as follows:
A top-six center
With a franchise winger like David Pastrnak, a top-pairing defenseman in Charlie McAvoy, and a promising goalie in Jeremy Swayman, the Bruins have some strong components to work around going forward.
However, if Boston is unable to find and develop a real top-six center, the floor and ceiling of whatever squad it is trying to assemble can only go so high as it attempts to cultivate a new generation of talent and open up a fresh window of competitiveness.
Although it’s unclear if such options will even materialize over the coming years, the Bruins may try to address those urgent needs down the middle through trade or free agency (Jack Eichel in 2026?).
This could be Sweeney’s and the Bruins’ best chance to acquire a homegrown, exceptional player down the middle if they are considering the dismal 2024–25 season as an anomaly and don’t plan on selecting in the top 10 again in 2026.
Additionally, it is likely that at least one or two intriguing pivots will be available when Boston clocks in at No. 7 due to the abundance of possibilities in the top 10 of this predicted draft class.
Could Brady Martin, a physical force, be selected by the Bruins?Caleb Desnoyers has all the ingredients to be a long-term, successful two-way difference-maker.
Although he has top-line potential, a 6-foot-5 center like Roger McQueen also has significant injury concerns.
While James Hagens, a standout for BC, would be a huge coup for Boston if the talented pivot were selected at No. 7 overall, Jake O. Brien has the playmaking ability to be a featured player.
To give themselves as many opportunities as possible to add skill down the middle, it wouldn’t be shocking if the Bruins also used other draft selections in the later rounds.
However, Boston has its greatest chance to add a franchise center to the system in more than ten years if it holds onto that No. 7 pick.
A right-shot defenseman
McAvoy is a star blueliner on the right side for the Bruins. However, the Bruins have few choices following him.
After Brandon Carlo was traded in March, the Bruins will need to find a long-term option to place in the top four grouping, even though Andrew Peeke is a reliable third-pairing player.
The Bruins could look to sign a right-shot defenseman in free agency on July 1st, given their cap room. However, the Bruins should have a great chance to add a big-bodied defenseman who could grow into that featured role over the next few years, as Boston is using two second-round picks this season.
Peyton Kettles, Max Psenicka, and Carter Amico—all projected second-round picks—would all be suitable since they are strong, versatile defensemen who can play a lot of minutes in the NHL.
Speed and skill on the wing
The Bruins aren’t exactly stacked on the wing after passing Pastrnak, much like Boston’s depth chart following McAvoy on the right side.
The Bruins need to add some scoring punch to their system after slogging through a dismal 2024–25 season in which Boston struggled to produce offense every night.
Porter Martone, a 6-foot-3 winger, would be a desirable addition if he were available at No. 7 and the Bruins were sticking with the best player method. He is a genuine top-line talent who might start in the NHL sooner than a number of other prospects in this draft class.
Porter Martone’s highlight reel is impressive.:@OHLHockey&@OHLSteelheads #NHLDrafthgpUufUpes https://t.co/SnabC7z644pic.twitter.com
However, there may be a number of gifted forwards in the second and third rounds who could draw attention in a few years if the Bruins decide to select a center in the first round.
Targeting tiny wingers like 5-foot-7 Cameron Schmidt and 5-foot-7 L.J. Mooney would raise some eyebrows for a Bruins team that seems to be preoccupied with size and grit. However, if they are accessible in Rounds 2-3, it is difficult to overlook their pace and scoring touch.
In recent years, the Bruins have come under fire for selecting guys who are far too safe and who end up playing in the bottom six. If the Bruins decide to take a little more chance with a player whose dynamic skill set is difficult to overlook, that would be a pleasant change.
A goalie project
The Bruins may rest easy knowing they have a franchise goaltender in place for the long run if Swayman takes over in 2025–2026.
However, Boston may benefit from finding a long-term partner to team with Swayman in the future if they wish to develop a contender who can be sustained.
The Bruins could look for a goaltender like Semyon Frolov in the third round this year after selecting Swayman in the fourth round of the 2017 NHL Draft.
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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