Whilst the Boston Bruins are engaged in Stanley Cup Final action; a couple of days ago their 2018 third round pick (77th overall), Jakub Lauko picked up the Memorial Cup as a key member of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.
All eyes are currently on the Boston Bruins and their Stanley Cup Final match-up with the St. Louis Blues and rightly so; right now, all eyes should be in the present. However, it’s always worth having a keen eye towards the future and Jakub Lauko should be a part of that.
The young forward may not have looked to be the most incredible prospect in his first year in North America; he got the job done in the QMJHL but didn’t exactly set the world on fire. However, in the Memorial Cup, Jakub Lauko broke out, leading the tournament with two goals and six assists to total 8 points in the 5 games it took the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies to lift the trophy.
It may be a while off, but eventually the core of this group that has led the Boston Bruins to the Stanley Cup Final and indeed to a Game 1 win, will eventually age. Either that or they may make salary demands that mean it becomes a necessity to trade decent players.
This is where guys like Jakub Lauko are vital. As a third-round pick, he isn’t a lock to eventually make it to the NHL. However, the improvement he showed as this campaign went on and his break-out in the Memorial Cup point to a player that shouldn’t be overtly challenged by the expectation for continual development.
Perhaps the biggest advantage for Jakub Lauko when he eventually makes it to the NHL is that there will be fellow Czech players in the Boston Bruins line-up. That he would have David Krejci and David Pastrnak there could really help the youngster bridge the gap between junior league player and major league player.
Should the day come soon where Jakub Lauko makes a regular season debut in Boston Bruins colours, it will surely be one that the scouting department can once again rest their hats upon.
Another third round pick that, based on the Memorial Cup, thrives in big games. Right now, the Boston Bruins are in the very biggest of big games in the NHL. Jakub Lauko will be hoping that he has a role in that very same game in the future.
For now, he will be watching on, basking in a Memorial Cup victory and the successes of his first North American campaign, whilst no doubt simultaneously cheering on the team he hopes to eventually graduate to.