Boston Bruins Re-Draft: 2005 NHL Draft

The 2015-16 NHL season is almost underway and with the Bruins coming off of a very busy draft a few months ago, it seems appropriate to re-draft previous years for the Bruins based on present-day knowledge. The premise is simple; the draft falls the exact same way it did within any given year, and the Bruins would draft the best available player on the board, regardless of positional need at the time. Please read with suspended belief as the draft positions clearly would have fallen differently if the players were taken out of order; this is just a fun little exercise.

The first year that will be re-drafted will be the 2005 NHL Draft.

1st Round:

Actual Pick: Matt Lashoff – Defense
Re-Draft Pick: Mark-Edouard Vlasic – Defense

Honorable Mentions: TJ Oshie, Matt Niskanen, James Neal

The Bruins selected Matt Lashoff with the 22nd overall draft pick in the first round. If the Boston Bruins were to re-make that draft pick with present day knowledge, it seems like the better defenseman based on the current draft-board would be Vlasic. As a legitimate #1 defenseman in San Jose, Vlasic has been one of the most reliable defenseman in the league for years. Although he is underrated, that shouldn’t diminish his value.

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2nd Round:

Actual Pick: Petr Kalus – Center
Re-Draft Pick: Kris Letang – Defense

Honorable Mentions: Paul Stastny, Adam McQuaid, Mason Raymond

Although Paul Stastny was on the board, it’s hard to bet against another legitimate #1 defenseman in Kris Letang who actually fell to the beginning of the third round in the 2005 NHL draft. The Penguins were able to grab their starting goalie, top two centers, and top defenseman within three years…not too shabby. Kris Letang is an elite offensive presence who can dictate the speed of a game. Letang is considered one of the best skaters in the league, and is also a physical force on the ice. Due to his speed, he is able to back-check or join the rush efficiently, and his work ethic is superb. Kris Letang is one of the best defensemen in the leagues and the Bruins could have had their #1 and #2 defenseman for years by drafting Vlasic and Letang.

3rd Round:

Actual Pick: Mikko Lehtonen – Right Wing
Re-Draft Pick: Ben Bishop – Goalie

Honorable Mentions: None

Funnily enough, Tuukka Rask was picked with the 21st overall draft pick of the 2005 NHL draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs; one pick before the Bruins were up to draft. Eventually, the Bruins were able to trade Andrew Raycroft to acquire their ace-goaltender in Rask, but Ben Bishop is also a legitimate #1 goaltender in the NHL. The best player on the board between the Bruins third and fourth round picks was Ben Bishop. There were no other significant players on the board in between those picks, and the Bruins couldn’t go wrong with drafting Bishop here.

4th Round:

Actual Picks: Jonathan Sigalet – Defense & Vladimir Sobotka – Center
Re-Draft Pick: Keith Yandle – Defense & Niklas Hjalmarsson – Defense

Honorable Mentions: Vladimir Sobotka

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The Boston Bruins could have drafted their second pairing defensemen in this draft as well with two very solid defenseman in the 4th round. Niklas Hjlamarsson is widely considered one of the most underrated defenseman in the NHL and Keith Yandle is an elite offensive force from the back-end year-in and year-out. Consistency is important in the NHL and both of these defenders are consistent at doing what they do best. While Yandle is sometimes considered overrated, it’s hard to argue that he would be the best bet for the Bruins to draft here alongside Hjalmarsson.

5th Round:

Actual Pick: Wacey Rabbit – Center
Re-Draft Pick: Colin Greening – Left Wing

Honorable Mentions: None

Colin Greening hasn’t really taken off at the NHL level, but has excelled at every previous level he’s played at. Greening went into the draft with an exceptional skill level, a good size, and was considered a superb skater. His speed was elite and smooth, and that helped him score at impressive rates. On top of his skating, his shot was considered to be elite, with a fast release. Greening may have had a different story if he was drafted by the Bruins in 2005, but as it stands, he’ll forever be a player that just couldn’t hit his stride in the NHL.

6th Round:

Actual Pick: Lukas Vantuch – Right Wing
Re-Draft Pick: Anton Stralman – Defense

Honorable Mentions: None

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Due to his size, Stralman has never been considered an elite defenseman in the league, although he is certainly a smart player. With a good shot and the vision necessary to make smart passes, Stralman has become a trusted player in the NHL, which is why the Tampa Bay Lightning signed him to a long term deal at $4,500,000 per year. Stralman is a reliable defenseman who has just enough offensive ability to be a steal in the 6th round of any NHL draft.

7th Round:

Actual Pick: Brock Bradford – Center
Re-Draft Pick: Patric Hornqvist – Right Wing

Honorable Mention: None

The Nashville Predators got the steal of the draft in 2005 with Patric Hornqvist, drafting him with the last pick (230th overall) that year. Hornqvist has become as reliable as scorer as anyone in the NHL, scoring at least 20 goals in five seasons since 2008-09, and any season in which he played at least 60 games. His best goal-count came in the 2009-10 season when he scored 30 goals, which is more than anyone can expect from a 7th round draft pick, especially the final pick in the draft. The Bruins would have drafted a legitimate top line right wing, and at worst a top-six right wing with their 7th round pick, which is pretty successful by any stretch of the imagination.

If you have any differing opinions, or if you agree, let me know in the comments below!

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