Boston Bruins pregame notes: A look back at the 2015 Draft
By Dan Watkins
The Boston Bruins take on the New York Islanders at the TD Garden Saturday Night, the 2015 Draft is the hot topic of conversation as first rounders’ Jake DeBrusk and Matthew Barzal are making big impacts for their respective teams.
Leading up to the 2015 NHL Draft, Don Sweeney was just appointed the new General Manager of the Boston Bruins, replacing Peter Chiarelli after nine years of running the team. Sweeney got to work quickly, shipping out mainstays like Milan Lucic and Dougie Hamilton and receiving draft picks and young players in return.
The Bruins were set up to have the 13th, 14th and 15th selections in the draft, where they selected Jakub Zboril, Jake DeBrusk, and Zach Senyshyn respectively. The New York Islanders had the 16th selection, where they selected Mathew Barzal, which brings us to tonight.
The Bruins welcome the Islanders to town and they bring Barzal with them. The rookie center has 27 points (8-19-27) in 28 games which is the best among first-year players league wide. While it appears Sweeney has hit on DeBrusk (12 points in 22 games) many can’t help but play the “what-if” game as Zboril and Senyshyn both skate for the Providence Bruins in the AHL, while Barzal skipped the AHL level and is tearing it up in the pros.
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Now, I get it, in 2017, we don’t like waiting for things, but can we at least hold off judgement on the trio of picks until they reach the NHL level? Not every player is going to be like Charlie McAvoy and be ready to make a significant impact at 18 years old. None of these players are older than 21 yet, and both are developing nicely down in Providence, Zboril, a left shot defenseman, is a +10 thru his first 19 games, while Senyshyn, a right wing has 11 points (3-8-11) thru his first 21 games.
Time will tell if the Bruins did make a big mistake by passing on Barzal, but for Saturday’s game at least try not scream “THE BRUINS COULD’VE HAD HIM AND THEY BLEW IT” if the rookie lights the lamp tonight.
Other Pregame Notes
Tuukka Rask has been named the starting goalie for tonight’s game after missing Friday’s practice due to a “maintenance day.” Over his last five games, Rask is 3-1-0 ( he came in to relieve Anton Khudobin against Nashville on Monday) boasting a .940 SV% and 1.54 GAA with a shutout to along with it.
Patrice Bergeron and Noel Acciari are both expected to play after also missing Friday’s practice with “maintenance days” according to Bruce Cassidy.
Adam McQuaid has been first on the ice doing solo work ahead of Friday’s and Saturday’s practices, but he has left before the rest of the team came out both days. I’d say Thursday night against the Capitals is the earliest we would see him suit up.
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The Islanders game is a good measuring stick for the Bruins, New York is 16-9-3 this year and currently hold the first wild card spot in the standings.
Cassidy was asked during his Friday press conference what he thinks his squad is capable of now that the the team finally nears full health “We expect to build off of last year” said Cassidy ” I think we’re a good team, but we want to be a very good team, I like the way we’re trending.”