The Boston Bruins draft classes of the 2010s featured some studs who are still paying dividends years later, but this edition wasn't one of them. The best Don Sweeney could get out of this class is an average fourth-line center who could be in danger of losing his job if Boston upgrades their forwards this offseason.
It's just adding insult to injury that they picked 30th overall, given that they came up a win short in the Stanley Cup Final, as successful seasons unfortunately also lead to thin prospect pools.
30th Overall - John Beecher
John Beecher is the only player from his class who has played in an NHL game, but the value he has brought to the Bruins is more comparable to a second or third rounder than a first rounder. It isn't Beecher's fault that the Bruins took him a little higher than they should've, but it's also an underwhelming draft year overall.
There were no bonafide stars taken after Beecher in the second round, but there are players with more production like Shane Pinto, Arthur Kaliyev, Bobby Brink, Nils Hoglander, and defenseman Jackson LaCombe. Beecher has been a good fourth-liner, but for a team starving for scoring, his 21 points in 130 games doesn't stack up to the others.
92nd Overall - Quinn Olson
Quinn Olson's draft rights expired last offseason when the Bruins decided not to sign him once he left the University of Minnesota-Duluth. He didn't put up terrible numbers in college, but it was clear he wasn't ready for an NHL contract. He played one game in the AHL last season before joining the Greenville Swamp Rabbits for the postseason.
Greenville is where he stayed for his season, recording 19 points in 29 games. He played six games for the Reign, ironically under new Bruins head coach Marco Sturm. The Reign signed him to an AHL contract but he spent most of his time in the ECHL.
154th Overall - Roman Bychkov
Roman Bychkov is another player who remains unsigned, as he hasn't left Russia in his career. He still hasn't cracked a KHL roster full-time, as he played just 22 games for Spartak Moskva last season and 12 games in the VHL with Khimik Voskresensk.
He is an undersized defenseman who had just four points combined between the two leagues last season. It's no massive surprise he hasn't found a home in North America.
185th Overall - Matias Mantykivi
Matias Mantykivi's draft rights expired in 2023, as he is another player that the Bruins drafted but never made his way to North America. In a cruel twist for the Bruins, the season after his rights expired he broke out for 48 points in 60 games with Ilves in Liiga, and then recorded 54 points in 60 games this past season.
The Bruins were smart not to waste a contract on him if he had no plans of making the trip across the pond, but his offensive upside shining through now when its too late is disappointing. Boston could've at least given him a look at making the roster with their limited offensive depth.
192nd Overall - Jake Schmaltz
Jake Schmaltz could end up being the best pick for the Bruins from this draft, which isn't really saying a ton. He had a breakout freshman season at the University of North Dakota with 24 poiints in 39 games, but had just 39 over the next three seasons. He signed an ATO with Providence to end this season, and will be on an AHL contract in 2025-26.