Boston Bruins: Analyzing and grading the Mason Langenbrunner pick
By Matt Hawkins
Let’s take a more in-depth look at the Boston Bruins’ NHL Draft selection of defenseman Mason Langenbrunner.
In the fifth round (151st overall) of the 2020 NHL Draft, the Boston Bruins selected defenseman Mason Langenbrunner. Langenbrunner just turned 18 years old in September and is American-born from Dallas, Texas.
If you think you’ve seen the name Langenbrunner somewhere else before, it’s because you have. Mason is the son of former Dallas Stars and New Jersey Devils forward Jamie Langenbrunner.
In 2019-20, Langenbrunner was one of the best offensive defensemen in his current home state of Minnesota. For his high school team of Eden Prairie High, the young blueliner scored 19 points (five goals, 14 assists) in 25 regular-season games while also adding two assists in six playoff games.
Additionally, Langenbrunner also played for the Corner Home Medical team of the Upper Midwest High School Elite Hockey League (UMHSEHL). In 16 games, he put up nine assists.
So far this season, 2020-21, Langenbrunner has suited up for three games with the Sioux City Musketeers of the United States Hockey League (USHL). However, he has failed to register a point so far.
For the 2021-22 season, Langenbrunner is committed to Harvard University to play college hockey.
The grade for the Boston Bruins’ selection of Mason Langenbrunner.
It’s going to be a long time before we see Langenbrunner in the NHL, if he even makes it there. The teenage blueliner is nothing close to a perfect prospect in any way.
Although he was relatively successful as an offensive defenseman in high school, it is yet to be seen if this type of play can be sustained at any higher level.
Langenbrunner may be gifted offensively, but he has a lot of work to do when it comes to his defensive play. The 18-year-old has the skills to make a great breakout pass, lead the rush, or score from the point, however, he makes boneheaded mistakes like forcing plays or being caught out of position.
Just because Langebrunner is from a hockey family doesn’t mean he’s a guarantee to make the NHL and be a great player. He’s going to have to put in a lot of work to become an NHL-caliber defenseman.
Overall, Langenbrunner has the upside to be worthy of a third or fourth-round pick, however, the uncertainty of him reaching that potential and where he’s currently at dropped him down to the fifth round.
I think this pick deserves a grade of a C+.
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It’s nothing special and the most I can see Langenbrunner being is a depth or third-pairing defenseman at best. He has the offensive skillset and size at 6-foot-2 to be an NHL defenseman, but it remains unclear if he has the smarts and defensive ability to be one.