Boston Bruins Re-Draft: 2008 NHL Draft

Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

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 fourth year that will be re-drafted will be the 2008 NHL Draft.

1st Round:

Actual Pick: Joe Colborne – Center
Re-Draft Pick: Roman Josi – Defense

Honorable Mentions: Jake Gardiner, John Carlson, Tyler Ennis

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The Boston Bruins used their 2008 first round pick on Joe Colborne. In 163 NHL games, Colborne has scored 19 goals and posted 62 points. The Bruins traded Colborne before he ever amounted to anything in Boston, and so far, Colborne has yet to prove he is worthy of his first round draft status. The more suitable pick in the first round pick for the Boston Bruins would have been Roman Josi. One of the more underrated defenseman in the league, Josi is 25 years old and is capable of playing big minutes while also posting impressive offensive numbers. While Josi isn’t particularly exceptional at any part of the game, he is extremely well-rounded and would have provided a very solid shift for the Bruins every time he stepped on the ice.

2nd Round:

Actual Pick: Maxime Sauve – Center
Re-Draft Pick: Derek Stepan – Center

honorable mentions: Jimmy Hayes, Jori Lehtera

Maxime Sauve was able to play one game in the NHL in the 2011-12 season, his only opportunity to date. The best pick coming out of the second round of the 2008 NHL draft is arguably Derek Stepan, having scored 89 goals and 252 points in 362 games with the New York Rangers. Stepan would have been the center Boston was looking for in Maxime Sauve, but the intangibles that Stepan brings and his compete level clearly earned him a role as a #1 centerman in New York. Stepan recently signed a huge contract extension, whereas Maxime Sauve is currently playing for the Cologne Sharks of the DEL (German Ice Hockey League). Going back to the juniors, Sauve never posted more than 49 points and never played in more than 64 games; it’s safe to say the scouts were relying too heavily on the intangible parts of Sauve’s game and not on his actual skill level.

3rd Round:

Actual Pick: Michael Hutchinson – Goalie
Re-Draft Pick: Braden Holtby – Goalie

honorable mentions: Adam Henrique

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The Boston Bruins were looking for a goalie in the 3rd round of the 2008 NHL draft and while Michael Hutchinson wasn’t a horrible pick, Braden Holtby, found two picks into the 4th round, was the clear winner of the two. Braden Holtby is proving that he can be one of the league’s best goaltenders, and he earned himself a sizable raise in Washington this offseason to attest to that. Braden Holtby is a very smart goaltender who is hardly ever caught out of position. His compete level is excellent and he can play work-horse minutes as well as any goalie in the NHL. Grabbing Holtby in the 4th round was a steal for the Washington Capitals, and the Bruins just barely missed him.

4th Round:

Actual Pick: Jamie Arniel – Center
Re-Draft Pick: Gustav Nyquist – Right Wing

honorable mentions: TJ Brodie

Jamie Arniel, similarly to Maxime Sauve, only played one game in the NHL. In his one game in the 2010-11 season, Jamie Arniel posted zero points. Arniel never amounted to anything in the NHL, whereas Gustav Nyquist has been one of the best young talents in the entire league. in only 179 NHL games, Nyquist has 115 points, including a 28, and a 27 goal season. Gustav Nyquist was one of the gems to come out of the 2008 NHL draft and the Red Wings were able to find him in the 4th round, just another day in the life of the Detroit front office.

5th Round:

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Actual Pick: None
Re-Draft Pick: None

honorable mentions: None

6th Round:

Actual Pick: Nicolas Tremblay – Center
Re-Draft Pick: Jason Demers – Defense

honorable mentions: Tommy Wingels

Nicolas Tremblay never played a game in the NHL and never really amounted to much in terms of the AHL either. Jason Demers is a quality NHL player who can play bottom-six, or even middle-six minutes while also playing on the powerplay. In 361 NHL games, Demers has posted 120 points which would be a sizable increase on the zero that Tremblay posted. Having played on San Jose, and currently playing on Dallas, Demers knows a thing or two about playing against tough, heavy hitting teams in the west, and while he’s managed well in that situation, the fast-paced game that the eastern conference employs might be better suited to his offensive mindset.

7th Round:

Actual Pick: Mark Goggin – Center
Re-Draft Pick: Anders Lindback

honorable mentions: None

This pick was a simple one, as Anders Lindback is the only player that is actually currently in the NHL, and only one of two players to have actually played in an NHL game since that draft. While Lindback isn’t exactly a great pick, he is still a quality backup on the right team and better than the original pick of Marg Goggin.

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

Feel free to follow me on Twitter @FansidedBrandon where we can discuss all things Bruins and sports!

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