The Boston Bruins' 2019 draft class was abysmal, but it might be slightly better than what Don Sweeney and the scouting staff pulled off in 2018. The 2019 edition was somewhat easier to handle, considering the Bruins had gone to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final just a week earlier. However, 2018 only added to the fans' disdain, as they were coming off a five-game loss in the second round to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
When looking at how the 2018 and 2019 classes shaped up, it's easy to see why the prospect pool ended up pretty thin six years later.
57th Overall: Axel Andersson
The Bruins are hoping that their newest right-shot offensive defenseman, Victor Soderstrom, will have much more success in the black and gold than Axel Andersson. Ironically, Andersson and Soderstrom were teammates this past season in Brynas, but the difference is that Andersson was never able to sign a contract with Boston.
The Bruins were able to get Andersson in North America for the 2019-20 season with the Moncton Wildcats. Andersson and the Bruins were never able to reach a deal, and after three years on an AHL contract with the San Diego Gulls, Andersson returned to Sweden. 2024-25 was his first year in the top division.
77th Overall: Jakub Lauko
Lauko has been the most successful of the 2018 draft picks, but like Beecher in 2019, the production hasn't been anything impressive. The two could help create an interesting fourth line for the Bruins in 2025-26 after Lauko returned to the team at the trade deadline. Lauko was a teammate and fan favorite from 2022 to 2024, but cut ties with the team to pursue a fresh start in Minnesota for the 2024-25 season. He returned in the trade for Justin Brazeau.
119th Overall: Curtis Hall
The Bruins drafted Curtis Hall with the belief that he'd one day develop into a valuable power forward. He had some impressive development and training camps that gave some hope that it could happen, but in the end he was never anything more than a bottom-six grinder for the Providence Bruins.
Hall played 65 games over his first two seasons in the AHL, but the next two years featured a couple of demotions to the ECHL to work on his game. After four years in the organization, Hall left for a fresh start with the Cleveland Monsters and Cincinnati Cyclones.
181st Overall: Dustyn McFaul
Dustyn McFaul used the pandemic rules in the NCAA to play five years at Clarkson University, which caused him to not turn pro until this past season. McFaul played 58 games in the ECHL with the Fort Wayne Komets, but there doesn't seem to be much of an NHL career in his future.
212th Overall: Pavel Shen
The Bruins managed to get Pavel Shen to come to North America for parts of two seasons with Providence, but he had just 13 points in 51 games. The idea to pick Shen was to capitalize on some untapped offensive upside, but that production in the AHL doesn't lend itself to much success. Shen saw the writing on the wall, and returned to Russia, where he has been since 2021-22.
Give Shen credit, he hasn't stopped trying to chase down the dream. He had his breakout year in 2024-25, recording 33 points in 67 games, a 20-point jump from the past season.