The Boston Bruins left fans hanging on Day 1 of the NHL Draft. They entered the night with the 23rd overall pick, but before the festivities even began, rumors emerged about a potential trade with the Utah Mammoth for German winger JJ Peterka. With the Bruins trading their 23rd overall pick in this draft and the Florida Panthers' first-round pick in 2028, Don Sweeney was left on the sidelines for the rest of the night.
With seven picks on the draft's second day, the Bruins have some ability to upgrade their depth at key positions. If Boston wants to make the most of the weekend, here are three prospects they could target on Saturday in Buffalo.
Ethan MacKenzie
The Bruins will have the 88th pick in the third round, which sets them up with the perfect opportunity to snag Ethan MacKenzie as an underrated offensive defenseman. MacKenzie is a holdover from last year's draft, as the late-bloomer burst onto the scene this season by recording nearly a point per game from the backend and also making Canada's prestigious World Juniors team.
MacKenzie still has some of the warts to his game that caused him to go undrafted before, but with Mason Lohrei potentially exiting the organization soon, MacKenzie could be a second chance at developing that type of player. The Bruins need more puck-movers, and it is the Edmonton Oil Kings defenseman's greatest strength.
Tomas Galvas
Speaking of offensive left-shot defensemen, Tomas Galvas is one that many are going to keep an eye on as he continues to develop. The 5-foot-10 defender is a bit undersized for his position, but his nine points at the World Juniors and 24 points in 32 games in Czechia's pro league give plenty of reason for optimism.
Teams are going to let Galvas fall because of his size, but Sweeney shouldn't have any fears of taking the risk here. If he needs a reason why, the Bruins' blueline hasn't moved the puck the same since Torey Krug and even Matt Grzelcyk's departures, and they did just fine for the organization despite their smaller statures.
Lars Steiner
If Galvas isn't available with the 56th pick and no other defensemen are in the range, the Bruins should look at Lars Steiner out of the QMJHL as a potential high offense swing. He is an undersized right winger who plays much bigger than his 5-foot-10 frame suggests, making up for it with an aggressive, physical style of play.
Steiner isn't just an energy guy, though. He can also put the puck in the back of the net, scoring 30 goals in just 44 games for Rouyn-Noranda.
The Bruins have three picks in the fourth round on Saturday. If they are put on the clock for those picks with some combination of Steiner, MacKenzie, and Galvas as their two previous picks, it'll start looking like a very successful draft for Sweeney.
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