Boston Bruins: Top 30 Draft Picks of All Time

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Boston Bruins: Top 30 Draft Picks In Franchise History

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The Boston Bruins have been around since the 1924 season as one of the Original Six franchises in the NHL. In their history, they have made quite a few draft picks. While it isn’t easy to quantify which players are the best, or the worst out of those selections, this list will attempt to narrow down the list to the top 30 draft picks in the history of the franchise.

30. Dwight Foster – 1977 – 16th Overall

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Dwight Foster was selected with the 16th overall draft pick in the 1977 NHL Entry Draft and spent four seasons with the Boston Bruins from 1977 until 1981 before finishing his career with the Bruins in his final two seasons in 1985-86 and 1986-87. Foster found most success with the Bruins when he centered a line that included Rick Middleton and Stan Jonathan. The line brought excitement, scoring, and hard-hitting play to a Bruins team that was looking to regain the success they found early on in the 1970s.

Foster ended up being traded away to the Colorado Avalanche in 1982 in a deal that included a first round draft pick swap between the Bruins and the Avalanche. The most notable part of this trade was the fact that the Boston Bruins ended up getting to switch their first round pick for the first overall pick that year, as the Avalanche had finished with the league’s worst record the season before.

With six years spent skating with the spoked B on his chest as a member of the Boston Bruins and 274 points in a career 541 games, as well as being the focal point of a trade that brought a 1^st overall draft pick to the Bruins, Foster is certainly deserving of his spot on this list.

Next: #29 Was Traded And The Return Still Affects The Bruins To This Day

29. Andrew Raycroft – 1998 – 135th Overall

Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

The Boston Bruins selected goaltender Andrew Raycroft with the 135th overall draft pick in the 1998 draft. While his name may seem confusing on a list of “top draft picks in franchise history” it’s important to note that his importance stretched beyond his play in net for Boston. If the Bruins hadn’t acquired Raycroft, then it’s highly unlikely that the Boston Bruins would have gotten Tuukka Rask.

Raycroft had a few good seasons in Boston, and that made him tempting trade bait for the Toronto Maple Leafs (We can discuss the Maple Leafs desire to trade us quality players for magic beans later.) Tuukka Rask went on to become the starting goaltender for the Bruins, and Raycroft went on to a less than distinguished career in Toronto, Colorado, Vancouver, and Dallas.

(Contributed by Andrew Thompson of Causeway Crowd)

Next: #28 Was On The 1970 Stanley Cup Winning Team

28. Rick Smith – 1966 – 7th Overall

Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

Of all of Causeway Crowd’s picks, Rick Smith certainly had one of the most interesting careers in hockey. He played in four different leagues throughout his career, spending eight of his eighteen years in professional hockey as a member of the Boston Bruins. The Bruins have been fortunate enough throughout history with defensemen, and Rick Smith can be placed right up near the top of franchise defensemen for the Bruins.

He was part of the 1970 Stanley Cup championship team, and regarded as one of the most dependable defensemen in the league during his career. Smith’s playing style was a lot like Dennis Seidenberg. Neither flashy, nor high scoring, but someone who could get the job done.

(Contributed by Andrew Thompson of Causeway Crowd)

Next: #27 Was A Local Boy For The Bruins

27. Bob Sweeney – 1982 – 123rd Overall

Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

Bruins fans love a local kid just as much as the next team, and Sweeney was one of them. Concordborn and Boxborough raised, Sweeney spent four years at Boston College before debuting with the Bruins in the 1986-87 season. In his first full season with the Bruins, the team made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they were beaten by Wayne Gretzky and the Edmonton Oilers.

Sweeney would end up playing for the Bruins for six years before moving around the league. He ended up playing for the Buffalo Sabres, the New York Islanders, and the Calgary Flames before retiring in the 1995-96 season.

(Contributed by Andrew Thompson of Causeway Crowd)

Next: #26 Had A Long NHL Career

26. Glen Wesley – 1987 – 3rd Overall

Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

Wesley was one of those players who got off to a great start in Boston, but earned his Stanley Cup with another team. Wesley was fortunate enough to go on to two Stanley Cup Finals with Boston (1988, 1990). Wesley played seven of his twenty years in Boston.

While Wesley did contribute to the Bruins as a player, he was also valuable to the team as a trade. Wesley was traded to the Hartford Whalers before the start of the 1994-95 season. The Whalers (soon to become the Carolina Hurricanes) gave up their 1995, 1996, and 1996 first round draft picks for the defenseman. The first round pick in 1997 was Sergei Samsonov

He finally won his Stanley Cup with the Hurricanes in 2006.

(Contributed by Andrew Thompson of Causeway Crowd)

Next: #25 Was a Giant Blueliner

25. Hal Gill – 1993 – 207th Overall

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The Boston Bruins selected Massachusetts-native Hal Gill with the 207th overall selection in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft. It’s not every day that a player drafted so low in the draft becomes much in terms of a quality player, but Hal Gill is one of the best examples that a solid player can slip between the cracks.

In his 16 year NHL career, Hal Gill played a total of 1,108 career games split between the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Pittsburgh Penguins, Montreal Canadiens, Nashville Predators, and finally, the Philadelphia Flyers. In those 1,108 games, Hal Gill proved that he was an absolute monster as a defenseman, and that made up for his offensive deficiencies. With only 36 goals and 148 assists, Gill showed that a stay-at-home defenseman can thrive in this league without contributing points. Gill also added 962 penalty minutes over his career, showing that he wasn’t afraid to throw his body around to make a play, and often just to make a statement.

Hall Gill is 6-foot-7 and weighs 250 pounds, and his immense size made him an ever-intimidating presense on the blueline. Gill tasted the glory of winning the Stanley Cup one time in his career in 2009 when he was finally able to hoist the trophy that all North American hockey players grow up desiring.

Next: #24 Played In A Few Hockey Leagues In His Career

24. Greg Hawgood – 1986 – 202nd Overall

Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

Hawgood is another one of those selections that had an eclectic career. He played for eight different NHL teams, and in six different leagues in North America and Europe.

Hawgood was another tough defenseman who came up through the smaller leagues and made a splash for the Bruins putting up 84 minutes in penalties in his rookie year for the B’s. He was part of the team that made Cup runs in 1988 and 1990.

He spent just two years in Boston, but they were his most productive years in an NHL uniform. He put up double digits in goals and assists and a respectable 160 minutes in penalties.

(Contributed by Andrew Thompson of Causeway Crowd)

Next: #23 Was A Tough Player From A Tough Era

23. Stan Jonathan – 1975 – 86th Overall

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Despite his size at 5’8” and 175 lbs, there may not have been a tougher pound-for-pound NHL enforcer than Stan Jonathan in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. Jonathan was actually drafted 86^th overall in the 5^th round by Boston in 1975 for his combination of toughness and offensive skill as he put up 36 goals and 75 points in 70 games with 138 penalty minutes for the Peterborough Petes his draft year. He had another good year in the IHL before making the B’s full time in 1976-77 when he potted 17 goals and 30 points in 69 games and a modest 69 PIMs. He won the 7^th Player Award the following year, netting 27 goals, 52 points and a plus-34 as a key part of Boston’s checking attack. But over the next few seasons his skills as a feared fighter began to emerge and overshadow other facets of his game.

Appropriately nicknamed “Bulldog”, Jonathan took on all comers including the toughest and sometimes much bigger heavyweights in a ‘rock ‘em, sock ‘em’ era of the league. He used his shorter height but stocky frame to his advantage, often ducking under opponents’ punches and launching with machine gun-like barrages of his own as well as using positioning and technique to take fighters down. He was vicious and quick, and would sometimes disappear in the shadow of a bigger fighter amid a blur of fists only to emerge the victor atop a bloodied opponent on the ice.

He served his role as fearless protector well in a much nastier time of the NHL, putting up highs of 208 penalty minutes in 1979-80 and 192 the following year while finishing his eight-year Boston career with 738 over 392 games. He still found time to contribute offensively, putting up a second 20-goal season in 1979-80 and finishing his B’s career with 91 goals and 198 points with another eight goals and 137 PIMs in 63 playoff games.

(Contributed by Matt Pueschel of Causeway Crowd)

Next: #22 Was Another Massachusetts Native

22. Steve Heinze – 1988 – 60th Overall

Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

Steve Heinze was another Massachsuetts native that got to live the dream of playing for the Boston Bruins. Heinze spent three years at Boston College and played for the 1992 US Olympic team before he came on board with the Bruins. Various players have played at the university level in Boston before eventually going on to play for the Boston Bruins, and they have all experienced varying levels of success. Heinze certainly had up-and-down seasons with the Bruins, but he did finish strongly by the end of his tenure with the team.

Heinze spent nine seasons with the Black and Gold, putting up his best numbers towards the end of his time in Boston. He had 40 point seasons in both the 1997-98 and 1998-99 seasons.

(Contributed by Andrew Thompson of Causeway Crowd)

Next: #21 Was a Fan Favorite For Years In Boston

21. PJ Axelsson – 1995 – 177th Overall

Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

The Swedish forward was selected with the 177th overall pick in the 1995 Entry Draft. Axelsson was one of those players who spent his entire career with the Bruins, playing from 1997-2009. One of the team’s fan-favorites for his entire tenure on the roster, Axelsson gave it his all each and every game to show that he was a legitimate player in the NHL.

Axelsson was a reliable and dependable winger for the B’s. While he was never a superstar for the Black and Gold, he was one of those players that always worked hard, and remained loyal to the Bruins organization. Following his tenure as a roster player for the Boston Bruins, Axelsson retired from professional hockey, but his time in Boston didn’t end there. As a retired man, Axelsson continued to give back to the Boston Bruins organization and went on to be a talent scout for the team.

(Contributed by Andrew Thompson of Causeway Crowd)

Next: #20 Has a Son Currently In The Bruins Organization

20. Ted Donato – 1987 – 98th Overall

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Ted Donato has done it all in hockey in Massachusetts. From playing in championship games in high school, to scoring the game-winning goal in the NCAA championship as a member of Harvard in 1989, to playing for his home-town team of the Boston Bruins, and eventually returning to Harvard as a coach, Donato has had an illustrious career.

In his 796 career games in the NHL, Ted Donato scored 150 goals and added 197 assists for 347 points. Showing that he still had an affinity for scoring big goals, even at the NHL level, Ted Donato went on to score 22 game winners in his NHL career. While Donato did come up as a clutch performer many times in his career, he was most known for his penalty killing ability. With a high hockey-IQ and elite speed, Donato earned his way to the US Olympic team in 1992, as well as three world championships on the United States teams in 1997, 1999, and 2002.

Ted Donato’s legacy could live on in Boston for years to come in the form of his son, Ryan Donato, who the Bruins drafted in the second round of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.

Next: #19 Will Forever Be An Infamous Bruins Figure

19. Phil Kessel – 2006 – 5th Overall

(Contributed by Andrew Thompson of Causeway Crowd)

John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports.

Phil Kessel is as infamous a player in the Boston Bruins organization as it gets. After being selected with the fifth overall pick in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, Phil Kessel showed that he has what it takes to be a dominant force in the NHL. in his three seasons as a Boston Bruin, Kessel put up 66 goals, proving he had a knack for scoring goals even at a young age.

After his battle with cancer, he was the first rookie ever to win the Masterson trophy. While Kessel was a dynamic scorer, and an offensive powerhouse, he was clearly not a fit for the Boston Bruins based on his attitude and unwillingness to play defense in a system that heavily relied on player-accountability.

Just prior the start of the 2009-10 season, the Bruins traded Phil Kessel to the Maple Leafs. Due to that trade, the Bruins ended up with two players who have already shown from a young age that they have the potential to be cornerstone players in any franchise in the NHL. The Bruins got a 2010 first-round pick (which ended up being Tyler Seguin, who helped the Bruins win the Cup in 2011) a 2010 second-round pick (Jared Knight) and a 2011 first-round pick (which was Dougie Hamilton.) Hamilton helped the B’s get to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2013.

Next: #18 Had A Lot Of Productive Time Spent With The Bruins

18. Tom Fergus – 1980 – 60th Overall

Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

Fergus was a native of Montreal who ended up getting picked by the Boston Bruins in 1980. Despite being born in the city of the rival Montreal Candiens, Tom Fergus was able to contribute for a long time as a member of the Boston Bruins.

Fergus had a 12 season career in the NHL where he spent most of his productive years in a Black and Gold uniform. He had three straight 60-plus point seasons for Boston, and became part of the B’s top line in the early 80s when there wasn’t much to cheer about for the Bruins.

(Contributed by Andrew Thompson of Causeway Crowd)

Next: #17 Was Another Quebec Native Who Played For The Bruins

17. Joe Juneau – 1988 – 81st Overall

Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

Juneau was another Quebec native who played for the Boston Bruins, as well as the Montreal Canadiens in his career. Juneau joined the Bruins in the 1991-92 season, after winning the Silver medal in hockey during the 1992 Olympics in Albertville as a member of Team Canada.

Juneau spent three years in the Bruins organization, having his best year in 1992-93, playing with Adam Oates and Cam Neely. He had a 102 point season that year including 32 goals in 84 games. He ended up playing with five more NHL teams during the course of his career, and put up 572 points (156 goals) in his thirteen season career

(Contributed by Andrew Thompson of Causeway Crowd)

Next: #16 Still Hurts Bruins Fans To Think About

16. Tyler Seguin – 2010 – 2nd Overall

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The Boston Bruins received a gem as the first piece returning from the Phil Kessel trade in the form of Tyler Seguin. The team selected Seguin with the second overall draft pick in the 2010 NHL Draft, and it was clear from very early on that Tyler Seguin would go on to do amazing things in the NHL.

In his first season with the Boston Bruins, Tyler Seguin won a Stanley Cup; an honor that many great players have never experienced after decades of trying. While Tyler Seguin experienced mixed results with the Boston Bruins over his time with the team, it was undeniably that he possessed tremendous talent and was a player the Boston Bruins were going to build around for years to come — until they didn’t. Tyler Seguin’s rookie campaign was impressive enough, however his sophomore season was what really made him standout as a star in the league.

Tyler Seguin scored 29 goals and totaled 67 points in 81 games that seasons, and he scored 16 goals and added 32 points in 48 games in the lock-out shortened season just one year later. For some reason, the management team of the Boston Bruins decided that Tyler Seguin was no longer a fit for the team, and they did the unthinkable.

Similarly to the trading of Phil Kessel that brought Tyler Seguin to the Boston Bruins in the first place, the team traded Tyler Seguin to the Dallas Stars when he was only 21 years old, a trade that shocked the entire hockey world.

Since being acquired by the Dallas Stars, Tyler Seguin has become an offensive-machine, scoring 37 goals in two consecutive seasons. Tyler Seguin currently has 149 goals and 328 points in 389 career games, and Bruins’ fans will forever look at him and think about the player they could have had

Next: #15 Has Settled in Nicely As a General Manager

15. Don Sweeney – 1984 – 166th Overall

Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

Before Don Sweeney put on a suit and became a member of the management team in the Bruins organization, Don Sweeney skated in 1,115 games, including 1,052 as a member of the Boston Bruins. While not known for his point scoring ability, having only scored 52 goals and 221 assists for 273 points in his career, Sweeney was a very effective defenseman for the Bruins for many years.

Similarly to Hal Gill, Don Sweeney was able to use his defensive ability to earn him a spot in the NHL for over 1,000 games, although Sweeney had to do it at only 5-foot-10 and weighing 184 pounds, as opposed to Gill’s 6-foot-7, 250 pound frame. Sweeney used his high hockey-IQ as well as his good anticipation to make plays throughout his career, and it clearly worked well for him, as well as the Bruins.

As a general manager, Don Sweeney has shown that he isn’t afraid to make big moves, and in his first season as the Bruins general manager, he has used his hockey smarts to totally restructure the team; seemingly for the better.

Next: #14 Is No Longer In Boston, But Will Always Be a Beloved Former-Bruin

14. Milan Lucic – 2006 – 50th Overall

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The Boston Bruins selected the big-bodied forward, Milan Lucic, with the 50th overall pick of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. Immediately upon being drafted, Bruins fans were informed of the type of player Milan Lucic was, and he delivered on all of those expectations, and then some.

The instant-fan-favorite found a ton of success with the Bruins in his eight seasons on the team, much in part to his huge size. Milan Lucic stands at 6-foot-4 and he isn’t afraid to use his 240 pound frame to make things happen in true Bruins style. Lucic showed that he could lay out hits, fight with the toughest players in the league, and still be an effective top-six player, all at once. Lucic has a career 363 points in 598 games including a 30 goal season and two 20 goal seasons, and he showed that he was far more than just a brute on the ice.

Milan Lucic would eventually be traded away in the offeseason prior to the 2015-16 season, but his contributions to the team will always be remembered. His name will always be immortalized in Bruins history as well, as he was an integral part of the Bruins’ 2011 Stanley Cup Victory.

Next: #13 Is Just One Big Ball Of Hate

13. Brad Marchand – 2006 – 71st Overall

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The Boston Bruins double-dipped in the second round of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, and they hit on both picks when they selected Milan Lucic with the 50th overall draft pick, and then Brad Marchand with the 71st overall draft pick.

Widely considered the biggest pest in the NHL, Marchand has a knack for getting under the skin of his opponents while also performing as one of the most effective 200-foot players in the entire league. Brad Marchand has incredible defensive-awareness, and that has led to his success alongside Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron on the team’s top line. Marchand might also be one of the league’s most underrated goal scorers, however, with with four 20 goal seasons in as many full years, and an 18 goal season in the lock-out shortened season.

Brad Marchand has room to move up on this list if he continues to play at the level he has to this point in his career, and Bruins fans will continue to cheer him on so long as he remains in the black and gold.

Next: #12 Played His Best Hockey In Boston

12. Sergei Samsonov – 1997 – 8th Overall

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The Boston Bruins had fallen to last place in the Northeast Division in the 1996-97 season and missed the playoffs for the first time in 30 years, but fortunately the next year they had a “Mighty Mouse” swoop in to save the day.

At just 5’8” and 188 lbs, Sergei Samsonov was Boston’s less high profile pick at 8th overall in the 1997 draft after they took Joe Thornton at number one. But while Thornton took a couple years to get on track, the Russian-born Samsonov had an immediate impact. He had scored 110 goals and 182 points in just 50 games for Russia’s national junior team at age 16, and wowed Bruins fans right away with his shiftiness, deft stickhandling and array of quick moves cutting, slashing and circling by defenders in the offensive zone to find the open man with a slick pass, give and go or pop a deadly wrist shot from different angles. He also used his speed and strength to get open around the net. He scored 22 goals and 47 points to earn Rookie of the Year in 1997-98 and help return the Bruins to the playoffs, adding seven points in six postseason games.

Samsonov went on to score five 20-goal seasons, including consecutive 29-goal, 70-point years with the B’s from 2000-2002. The winger made the All-Star team in 2001 and had his eight best NHL years for Boston tallying 164 goals and 376 points in 514 games along with 30 game-winning goals. He missed most of 2002-03 with a wrist injury and made a good comeback for a couple seasons before being traded to Edmonton in 2006 for Marty Reasoner, Yan Stastny and a 2^nd rounder that became Milan Lucic.

(Contributed by Matt Pueschel of Causeway Crowd)

Next: #11 Was A Typical Hard-Nose Bruin

11. Keith Crowder – 1979 – 57th Overall

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The Boston Bruins have had a lot of hard-nosed players in their system of their history, but Keith Crowder will forever be one of the best. With an ability to play physically, as well as offensively, Crowder was the perfect power-forward for the Bruins for much of the 1980s. When Keith Crowder wasn’t looking for his next victim to hit, he was using his goal-scoring ability to help the Bruins find the back of the net with regularity.

In his 662 career games as a member of the Boston Bruins and Los Angeles Kings, Keith Crowder tallied point totals of 223 goals and 271 assists for 494 points.

Next: #10 Was In Many Ways The Patrice Bergeron Of His Time

10. Steve Kasper – 1980 – 81st Overall

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Steve Kasper was the Patrice Bergeron of his era.

A forward who played seriously defensive-minded hockey, Kasper was one of those players who became one of the best physical players in the game, and was awarded the Selke in 1982 for his efforts. In his nine seasons with the Black and Gold, he had six 40 point seasons, four 50 point seasons, and a 70 point run during the 1987-88 season. He hung up his skates at the end of the 1993 season and went into coaching.

Kasper came back as an assistance coach for the Bruins organization, working his way into the head coaching jobs ov both the Providence and Boston Bruin. Kasper spent two years as the head coach of the NHL’s Bruins. He got the team to the playoffs in the first year (1995-96), but was then fired after generating only 26 wins the next year.

(Contributed by Andrew Thompson of Causeway Crowd)

Next: #9 Was Slowed By Injuries But Was Still An Effective Player

9. Jozef Stumpel – 1991 – 40th Overall

Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

Jozef Stumpel was drafted by the Boston Bruins with the 40th overall pick in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft. Over his career he the right-handed center was known for his relatively good hands, especially for a player with his size — 6-foot-3 and 222 pounds. Stumpel was considered a playmaker by most largely in part to his great vision, high hockey IQ, and his ability to find open passing lanes to feed his teammates the puck in timely situations.

Stumpel also excelled as a two-way player over his career, which was unfortunately slowed down significantly due to injuries. It’s hard to keep up pace as an NHL player when dealing with injuries, but Jozef Stumpel was effective for many years, despite dealing with his injury-troubles.

in 957 career games in the NHL, Stumpel was able to score 196 goals and add 481 assists for 677 points. The 500 point milestone is something that many players aim for, but come short of, and Stumpel was able to reach it and pass it by a long shot.

Next: #8 Was One Of The Best Playmakers Of His Generation

8. Craig Janney – 1986 – 13th Overall

Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

The Boston Bruins selected Craig Janney with the 13th overall selection in the 1986 NHL Entry Draft, and in doing so, they received one of the best playmakers the franchise has ever seen.

Craig Janney skated alongside some of the best players in NHL history throughout his career, including former-Bruins’ forward and current-Bruins’ President Cam Neely, as well as Brett Hull and Brendan Shanahan during his time with the St Louis Blues. Janney had tremendous hands and was able to handle his stick as smoothly as any player in the league at the time.

Janney was another player who first played at Boston College before finding his way to the Boston Bruins, although he dropped out of school to join the United States National Team before finding his way to the NHL. Janney was able to translate his success to the international level as well, having scored six points in five games at the 1988 Olympics for the United States National Olympic Team. It was only following the 1988 Olympics that Janney made his NHL debut, and he excelled, scoring 7 goals and totaling 16 points in the final 15 regular season games. He also scored 6 goals and added 10 assists in the playoffs to help the Bruins reach the Stanley Cup Finals before the team ultimately lost the the Edmonton Oilers.

Next: #7 Is Jumbo And Is A Former 1st Overall Pick

7. Joe Thornton – 1997 – 1st Overall

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The Boston Bruins and Joe Thornton will forever be linked after the team selected him with the 1st overall pick in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft. Joe Thornton saw a ton of success while wearing the black and gold, skating in 532 games and posting 169 goals and 285 assists for 454 points in that time. While Joe Thornton showed that he was one of the best players in the NHL throughout his tenure as a member of the Boston Bruins, it wasn’t until he was traded to the San Jose Sharks that he really showed what he was capable of.

In one of the most shocking trades in Boston Bruins history, the team sent then-captain Joe Thronton to the San Jose Sharks, a team that he has found success with ever since. In his 786 games with the Sharks, Joe Thornton has scored 194 goals and added 631 assists for 825 points. His career totals add up to an impressive 363 goals and 916 assists for 1279 points in his 1318 career NHL games. In addition to his point scoring ability, Thornton has amassed a total of 1071 penalty minutes in his career, showing that he isn’t afraid to his huge frame to his advantage.

Next: #6 Will Always Be Loved In Boston

6. Glen Murray – 1991 – 18th Overall

Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

The Boston Bruins selected Glen Murray with the 18th overall draft pick in 1991, and he found success quickly with the team. To say that Glenn Murray was a fan favorite for many years as a member of the Black and Gold, would be an understatement. There was so much to like about Murray’s game, including the fact that he never shied away from the dirty areas of the ice, and was never afraid to create a play by using his body to his advantage.

In addition to what he did away from the puck, Glen Murray could be seen as one of the best goal scorers in the history of the Boston Bruins franchise. His 209 goals as a member of the Boston Bruins helped earn him a spot on this list, as well as in the hearts of Bruins fans forever. Unfortunately, Glen Murray was unable to hoist the Stanley Cup over his head as a player in his career, but that shouldn’t ever take away from the amazing career he had.

Next: #5 Is A Current Bruins Forward

5. David Krejci – 2004 – 63rd Overall

Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

The Boston Bruins selected David Krejci with the 63rd overall draft pick in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. Within a few years of hearing his name called, David Krejci showed a natural affinity to create plays and generate offense while also playing a strong two-way game. David Krejci has all of the talent in the world, and his ability to dictate the pace of the game has allowed the Boston Bruins to experience success for many years, including the 2011 Stanley Cup victory when he paced the entire league during the playoffs with 23 points in 25 games. Krejci has also shown that he can produce points during the regular season, and he has tallied 440 points in 583 career NHL games

David Krejci may go down as one of the Bruins best players in franchise history if he continues to excel in all areas of the game over the course of his career. He is currently under contract until the 2020-2021 season, and he should only continue to grow as a player as he is currently in his prime.

The Boston Bruins have had a lot of success in recent years when drafting players in the second round, and David Krejci just might just go down as one of the best.

Next: #4 Was A Great Player, And A Great Trade Piece

4. Barry Pederson – 1980 – 18th Overall

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Barry Pederson had a very illustrious career, however, his most notable moment as a Bruin might have been his trade that brought back future-president of the Boston Bruins, Cam Neely. The Vancouver Canucks traded away a budding start in Cam Neely, and the Bruins simply couldn’t resist; a decision that has paid off even decades later.

While it’s easy to look at Barry Pederson and see him solely as a trade piece, he was so much more than that. As a rookie in the 1981-82 season, Barry Pederson was sensational for the Bruins, scoring 44 goals — which happens to be the most goals scored by a Bruins rookie even to this day. In the following season, Pederson posted 107 points, and he followed that up with 116 points the next year.

Barry Pederson is one of the best goal scorers to ever play for the Boston Bruins, with four seasons of at least 20 goals, three with at least 30, and two with at least 40. Goal scorers like Pederson simply don’t grow on trees, and the Boston Bruins were fortunate to have him on their team for his entire tenure in the hub. Pederson was also known for his playmaking ability, with two 100 point seasons under his belt as a member of the Bruins.

Next: #3 Could Be A Future Bruins Captain

3. Patrice Bergeron – 2003 – 45th Overall

Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

Arguably the most beloved player currently on the Boston Bruins roster, Patrice Bergeron has done it all in the professional hockey, and he is only 29 years old. Whether it be winning a Stanley Cup in 2011, experiencing a Stanley Cup loss in 2013, winning a gold medal at the World Junior Championships in 2005, the World Championships in 2004 — at the age of 19 years old — and the Olympics as a member of team Canada twice in 2010 and 2014, Bergeron has experienced everything.

Patrice Bergeron has been a fan-favorite since he first skated for the Bruins in 2003 at the age of 18. Bergeron is widely considered one of the best all-around players in the league, and his three Selke Trophy wins, combined with his consistent point totals can attest to that. Bergeron is consistently the best face-off man in the league, and he is widely considered to be next in line to the Bruins captaincy.

Showing that he can play offense just as efficiently as defense, Patrice Bergeron has scored extremely timely goals for the Boston Bruins multiple times in his career, and he has reached the thirty goal mark twice, and scoring over 50 points in 7 of his 11 seasons (some of which were shortened by lock-out, or concussion issues).

Patrice Bergeron is still under 30 years old and has a lot of time to move up on this list and potentially become #1 one day.

Next: #2 Was One Of The League's Best Enforcers

2. Terry O’Reilly – 1971 – 14th Overall

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Fans of the Boston Bruins fell in love with Terry O’Reilly almost instantly upon being drafted with the 14th overall draft pick in the 1971. The hard-nosed Bruin will go down as one of the best enforcers to ever lace up a pair of skates, not only as a member of the Boston Bruins, but in NHL history. In true enforcer fashion, O’Reilly registered over 200 penalty minutes in five consecutive seasons.

In his thirteen NHL seasons, all spent as a member of the Boston Bruins, he accounted for over two thousand penalty minutes. One of O’Reilly’s most infamous moments came in 1979 in New York City at Madison Square Garden. The Boston Bruins and New York Rangers had a very serious rivalry, and O’Reilly took it upon himself to climb over the glass and engage spectators in a brawl that led to an eight game suspension. He was captain of the team for his final two seasons in Boston.

O’Reilly was an efficient point scorer, as well as an enforcer, and was able to post a total of 606 points, including 202 goals, in his 891 career games.

After retiring, he became the Boston Bruins head coach for two seasons, taking the Bruins to the Stanley Cup final in 1988. His time as the coach of the Bruins may have been short, but the fact that he was the head coach of a team that played in the Stanley Cup Finals speaks for itself. The Bruins honored O’Reilly by retiring his number in 2002 and his #24 can be seen hanging in the rafters in TD Garden to this day.

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1. Ray Bourque – 1978 – 8th Overall

Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

After being drafted with the 8th overall draft pick in the 1979 NHL Entry Draft, Ray Bourque went on to set multiple milestones as a member of the Boston Bruins, and then as a member of the Colorado Avalanche. Ray Bourque was not only one of the best point-scorers in Bruins history, but he was also one of the best point-scorers in the history of the league, ranking 11th all-time with 1579 points. Ray Bourque skated in 1518 career games with the Boston Bruins which ranks first in franchise history, as do his 1506 points. Ray Bourque is also the franchise leader in assists, power play goals, and even leads the NHL in points from defenders.

Ray Bourque showed that he was more than just a point scorer, having been honored as the league’s ebst defenseman five times as the Norris trophy winner. Ray was also honored as a First or Second Team All-Star in 19 of his 21 career seasons in the NHL, showing that he was among the best in the league for just about every single season he played. Ray Bourque will always be recognized as one of the best NHL players of all time, and even more-so, having been the longest tenured captain in franchise history, as one of the greatest Boston Bruins of all time. Ray Bourque was inducted into the NHL Hall of Fame in 2004.

Next: Who Are The Boston Bruins Best Picks In The Last 20 Years?

With such an amazing career, Ray Bourque is far-and-away the best draft pick the Boston Bruins ever made.

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