A Look Back at Don Sweeney’s Draft History: 2021

Previous drafts: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020

What constitutes a successful draft or a failing draft? The hockey community looks at NHL games played to determine success, although some choose to look at 100 games as successful while others look at 200 games. Fans in droves prefer to look at stats. Harman Dayal and Dom Luszczyszyn of the Athletic broke down the drafts from 2007 on and found your Bruins to be the fourth most successful NHL team at the draft. They took their analysis even further.

It is premature to label this draft as a failure, success, or something in between. Therefore, we will steer it in a different direction. There is potential for it to surpass the 2020 draft, but near-perfection is required for this to happen. Only time will reveal the outcome.

In my previously published articles, I used career NHL statistics of players. Here, for those who have not yet played in the NHL, I included the statistics from the last season of the league they were in, except for a couple players who have NHL experience, whose career NHL statistics are showcased.

FIRST ROUND

The Bruins picked Fabian Lysell with the 21st overall selection, highlighting his exceptional talent which could be the best the Bruins have drafted since David Pastrnak. Developing Lysell’s skills to their full potential is crucial, with his determination required to reach it. Reflecting on past choices, Wyatt Johnston might have been a better selection in hindsight. Considering my in-depth coverage of the OHL, I confidently state that had the year not been lost to COVID-19, Johnston could have been a top-5 or at least a top-10 pick. While Logan Mailloux could have been a viable option, it is important to remember the circumstances leading up to the draft.

THIRD ROUND

The Bruins chose Brett Harrison with the 85th pick. I had hoped the Bruins would select him even before he joined the OHL. Similar to Lysell, Harrison’s only obstacle to NHL success is his determination. Despite limited playing time during his rookie AHL season, there were signs of progress. To fully capitalize on this pick, Harrison must persist in his efforts. Only then will he become a bona-fide NHL player and make this an excellent selection.

FOURTH ROUND

The Bruins traded Daniel Vladar to the Calgary Flames the previous summer. They needed a new goaltender in the system and chose Philip Svedeback with the 117th pick. Svedeback was seen as the top goaltender at the time at the stage of the draft. Despite facing challenges in his second NCAA season, no other goaltender picked after him would have been a better choice, at least to this point.

FIFTH ROUND

If you follow Dom-Hockey regularly, you’re aware of my admiration for Oskar Jellvik, whom the Bruins picked 149th overall. He delivered a solid freshman season in the NCAA and backed it up with an impressive sophomore year. He possesses the skill and talent, with size being the only apparent missing element coveted in today’s players. It’s uncertain if there’s a better pick the Bruins could have made. Depending on Lysell and Harrison’s progress, Jellvik might emerge as the top player chosen by the Bruins in this draft.

SIXTH ROUND

The Bruins chose Ryan Mast with the 181st pick. I have consistently admired his defensive skills, size, mobility, and physicality. However, I have always had reservations about his offensive abilities transitioning to a higher level. While he is performing well in the ECHL, I am waiting to assess his performance in the AHL on a full-time basis. I am not dismissing Mast’s potential; he could establish himself as a reliable shutdown defenseman. Despite observing him for years, I am still uncertain about his overall identity as a player.

SEVENTH ROUND

Having two picks in the final 12 of the draft should yield superior results. The Bruins opted for Andre Gasseau at 213th and Ty Gallagher at 217th. Looking back, Sam Lipkin and Niko Huuhtanen seem like better choices. Gasseau showed promise in his freshman year at the NCAA but experienced a slight decline in his sophomore year. Similarly, Gallagher struggled in the same fashion and had a dreadful third year. The reasons for his performances have been discussed on this site, so it remains to be seen if he can stage a comeback.

This has the makings of being Sweeney and company’s best draft to date. It’s possible they could pull five NHL players out of this class and the good news is that they drafted them right about where they should have. When I began this series, I promised it would get better as we went along. And here we are the last couple of drafts.