Boston Bruins Prospects: Closer Look at Cameron Hughes
With the 165th pick in this year’s NHL Entry Draft, the Boston Bruins selected centerman Cameron Hughes.
The 18-year-old left-shot played in only 34 games with the University of Wisconsin. He totaled only 13 points in his first year with the school (3-10 – 13). Hughes posted a minus-17 last season and 64 shots on goal. He was ranked 196th among North American skaters from the NHL Central Scouting Rank.
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Hughes’ skill set is strong. He plays the position crisply for a freshmen, and is paced to remain in the middle of the ice in the next level. He skates well and is making solid strides with a talented team in Wisconsin.
Defensively, Hughes struggled. He failed to hold his own. He couldn’t win the pivotal battles along the halfboards. Hughes was seemingly over-matched. The centerman’s shooting percentage also lapsed, finishing under 5% last season. While his shot could use more touch, his passing was par. Hughes is a decent passer while betaking the role as playmaker.
Hughes eluded junior hockey in favor of the Badgers, an ambiguous decision to many. What reassured general manager Don Sweeney to invest in Hughes was he production in the tail-end of season, with nine of his 13 points arriving in the second half of the season. The Bruins would have likely never picked Hughes if the teen had not left the Alberta Junior Hockey League for a poor NCAA team in Wisconsin. His draft stock plummeted due to his decision, yet he still managed to get drafted.
As the numbers stand, the Bruins expect Hughes the potential to improve. Their draft camp feels the Badger has room to improve. To most teams, the general claim was Hughes was a gamble. The Bruins were willing to take chance.