With their second-round pick, 60th overall, at the 2013 National Hockey League Draft, the Boston Bruins selected Linus Arnesson from the Djurgardens IF of the HockeyAllsvenskan League in Sweden. During his draft year, Arnesson represented his native Sweden in Under-19 and under-20 international competition, including the World Junior Championship Under-20 after recording 1 assist in 31 games for Djurgardens.
Following his 2014-2015 season with Djurgardens, where he put up 5 helpers in 41 games, Arnesson made the trek over to North America and joined the Providence Bruins to finish out their season. Things looked at the least, enticing for the Bruins. Arnesson finished out 11 games with the P-Bruins scoring once and assisting on 3 others.
The scouting report on Arnesson suggested this was a safe pick and that he would be an above average shut down defender.
Stop me if you have heard this before: The Bruins are often questioned about their decisions on the draft floor, namely for reaching. Unless you are sure you are getting an elite shut down defender, is it not wise to find his type in later rounds, at least outside the second?
If you look back at the third round of that draft class, 10 players have gone on to play 100 NHL games and that number will rise again this season. Names like Brett Pesce, Pavel Buchnevich and Jake Guentzel, just to name a few.
Arnesson returned to the AHL for the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 seasons but they were hampered by injuries. He appeared in 48 games in 15-16 and just 20 the following season, registering 5 assists and 1 assist respectively.
Some of you may be wondering why I am wasting my time talking about Arnesson. Well, he’s still a Bruin and some fans might be interested in keeping tabs on him.
But the book is just about closed on Arnesson.
Because he was drafted from Europe, and because he returned home to Sweden after his contract with the Bruins had expired, then the Bruins hold his rights until his 27-year-old year, and that happens to be next year. Barring a miracle season with Djurgardens of the Swedish Hockey League, it’s a good bet the Bruins will let him hit unrestricted free agency next summer.
Dom - Hockey 