With the NHL Draft just days away, I’m opening the floor to your draft‑related questions. I appreciate everyone who took the time to send one in, and I’m grateful to all of you who make this community worth writing for. If you enjoy this kind of coverage, sticking around—and subscribing—helps ensure you never miss what’s next.
From Domenic: Could Pavel Zacha fetch the Bruins a top-5 or top-10 pick in this year’s draft? For example, Zacha for Chicago’s 4th overall? Should the Bruins do that?
Answer: Hi Dom — hope all’s well. Zacha on his own isn’t bringing you a top‑five pick, and even cracking the top‑ten likely requires a meaningful sweetener. But if that kind of return were actually on the table, you’d have to give it serious consideration.
That said, if the Bruins don’t extend him, his real value probably peaks at the trade deadline. Contending teams pay a premium for proven, versatile forwards in that window, and you’re far more likely to pull in A‑level prospects who are closer to NHL‑ready than anything you’d get with a mid-to-late‑first‑round swing.
From Kevin F.: Hi Dom. Enjoy the coverage. Have you sensed a shift in the Bruins draft philosophy in the last year or two where they are drafting (and trading for) players with a higher ceiling even if their floor is much lower than they have been traditionally comfortable with? Past Example: Trent Frederic vs Alex DeBrincat in 2017. I always trust the Bruins ability to find good bottom 6 and bottom pair D via free agency/trade/waiver wire, so I’d rather they use the draft to take more risk to get maybe a better rewards toward the top of the lineup.
Answer: Thanks, Kevin. There’s no question their drafting philosophy has shifted over the past two years. You can see the intent, the recalibration, the willingness to bet on upside. But for me, full conviction comes when we see how they handle this draft — that’s the real indicator of whether they’re truly committed to the approach.
And it’s not just about the top of the board. Over the last three drafts, they’ve quietly done well in the middle rounds by leaning into that same philosophy. Cooper Simpson, Vashek Blanar, Elliott Groenewold — the book is still being written on all three, but the early returns are undeniably encouraging. Now they just need to keep stacking those wins.
Ed H. Asks: Might the Bruins have something up their sleeve or could it be a ho hum yawner draft?
Answer: I do think they’ll look to make a move, but what qualifies as “ho‑hum” is going to vary depending on who you ask. With three fourth‑round picks in hand, there’s enough ammunition to package those assets — either together or with an additional piece — to climb a bit. Not into the first round, but an early‑third‑round jump is very much in play.
Keegan G asks: How do you feel about Bleyl? Do you think the bruins could potentially draft him?
Answer: I like Tommy Bleyl — he’s a dynamic player with real pop in his game, and it wouldn’t surprise me at all if the Bruins called his name. But I do think there are players on the board with a higher ceiling and, more importantly, a higher floor. That combination has me leaning more toward those options than Bleyl at this stage.
David asks: Hi Dom, Thank you for everything. Very insightful and helpful. Much appreciated.
Two questions:
1) If Ilya Morozov, Nikita Klepov, Elton Hermansson are gone at 23 do you consider Jack Hextall? He looks to be a pretty complete player with a high IQ in all 3 zones, with skill & quick release who’s just starting to blossom. One of those underrated prospects that ends up in the 2nd Rd. Bruins know a little something about top 6 C in the 2nd Rd.
2) I’m also thinking B’s need to draft a Goalie. I’ve been watching Dmitry Borichev out of Russia. Would you consider taking him with the 2nd Rd pick? I would. With Goalies, especially in Europe (Russia) it can be a 4/5-year process. Jeremy Swayman will be 33 and you just never know what happens down the line. I think B’s need another top G in the system. This guy just turned 18 and has all the makings of a number 1.
Answer: For me, Hextall profiles as more of an early‑second‑round target. Even if the names you mentioned are off the board, I still see players with greater upside available at 23. That said, Hextall likely carries a higher floor than some of those swing‑for‑the‑fences options. So, it really comes down to philosophy: do you want to take a big cut on ceiling, or do you prefer the safer, more projectable play in Hextall?
2) I’m with you on drafting a goalie, but I think it will take an early second‑round pick do nab Borichev. That said, if he’s there when the Bruins pick, I would certainly give it serious consideration. Given the needs at other positions though, I would rather use a third-round pick for a goaltender that might be further away.
Jeff asks: Great work as always! Not only did the Bruins not get Toronto’s 2026 pick, but also the Leafs made a move improving in the short term, Darren Raddysh. Also, Florida improved via Brady Tkachuk. Does this potentially slightly devalue those picks discernibly enough that Don Sweeney more likely pivots to trading picks to exploit the prime of their big three instead of keeping those. I hope not.
Answer: I’m not convinced that draft picks three years out are significantly devalued — the truth is, no one really knows what those selections will represent by the time they come due. And while there’s always an appetite to flip future assets for immediate help, I don’t get the sense the Bruins want to veer off the long‑term plan they set in motion last season.
Could moving those picks help in the short term? Probably. But this isn’t a team sitting on the cusp of a Stanley Cup run. The way I look at it: those selections aren’t about propping up the current core — they’re about building the next one, ideally around players like James Hagens and Dean Letourneau. There’s risk in holding them, sure, but ask yourself this: what one or two additions could they realistically acquire right now that would vault them into true contention?
Freddy asks: Greetings Dom. Mike Morreale of NHL.com released a list of his top 10 goalies for this year’s draft and couldn’t help but notice 5 or 6 of them are Czech-born. Regardless of it being an opinion-based column, it seems like more than I’ve ever seen in a single draft year. Is Czechia the next goalie factory? Compared to the number of players expected to be drafted, I feel like this is a tight ratio when measuring goalies to skaters. Just wanted to hear your thoughts on this.
Answer: You’re right — this is a strong year for Czech goaltenders. I’m not entirely aligned with Morreale’s rankings, but as you said, that’s the nature of opinion‑based lists. What’s undeniable is how far Czechia has come.
Back in the early 2000s, Sweden launched a nationwide goaltending development program for kids at a very young age, and Finland followed with its own version soon after. Both countries have reaped the benefits.
Czechia implemented its standardized, age‑wide goalie program in 2015, and the results are already showing. In fact, I’d argue their system may now be ahead of both Sweden’s and Finland’s. The Bruins clearly have eyes on it — they signed Simon Zajicek last summer, a product of that very pipeline.
What does surprise me is that Hockey Canada and USA Hockey haven’t adopted a similar unified structure. They’ve introduced their own development models, but they still differ significantly from the European approach.
Mike asks: Who should the Bruins draft with their first-round pick and why?
Answer: Mike, it really comes down to how the board breaks and who’s still there. That 15–25 range can unfold in countless different ways. But I think I’ve been pretty clear on this: they need to prioritize skill. Take the player with the highest upside and steer clear of the “safe” option — the high‑floor pick who may not have the highest ceiling. There’s risk in swinging big, absolutely. But it’s the kind of risk they have to embrace.
Paul asks: Feels like there are 7 defenseman that are 1st round grades (Reid, Carels, Verhoeff, Smits, Rudolph, Lin, Bleyl). If they are all gone by #23, do the Bruins swing on Villenueve (please god no) or do they switch their focus to a scoring winger (Klepov, Hurlbert, Hermansson)?
My worry is that Tommy Bleyl is gone, it’s either a vanilla bottom 6 C pick or they reach on a D when it should be best player available.
Answer: I’m not convinced all of them will be off the board by 23, but it’s certainly within the realm of possibility. And I’m with you on Xavier Villeneuve — there’s skill there but plenty to be concerned about.
If that tier is gone, the priority has to shift squarely to skill. Nikita Klepov, if he’s still available, brings more pure upside than many of the other likely options in that range. Ilia Morozov is also in the mix, but he doesn’t offer the same ceiling; he’s the safer, more predictable projection. At that point, it becomes a straightforward choice between swinging big or settling for stability.
Ken asks: Hi Dom. Appreciate all the work you do. I’m just curious, if you had to pick one player you like with the [Bruins] first pick, who would that be?
Answer: Thanks, Ken. I don’t have a single must‑have target at 23 — there are several players I like in that range, and I’m confident they can come away with real talent there. So much of it hinges on how the board breaks, and that 15‑to‑25 window can unfold in a lot of different ways.
Either way, I’m genuinely looking forward to seeing how it plays out and who they ultimately land.
Kim asks: Do you think the Bruins make a trade on draft day?
Answer: Yes, I do — and I’ve mentioned it a few times. With three fourth‑round picks, I can absolutely see them bundling two together, or pairing one with a sweetener, to move up into the third round if there’s a player they really want.
There’s also a plausible scenario where they flip one of those fourths for a 2027 pick to start recouping one of the two picks they traded away.
It’s not the splashy, headline‑grabbing move fans dream about, but it’s the kind of practical, incremental maneuver that feels entirely realistic.
Tyler asks: Is there any way they draft a goalie in the first round?
Answer: It’s possible, sure — but in my view it would be a major mistake and set them back. I don’t see a single goaltender in this class who warrants a first‑round selection.
Thanks for the questions. The dom.hockey podcast goes live Saturday morning at 9:00, where I’ll break down the Bruins’ first‑round pick and look ahead to what could unfold on Day 2. Tune in if you can. You can find the episode — along with the full archive — by clicking on “Podcasts” at the top of the home page.
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