The Boston Bruins' front office and fans wish that whoever the team selects this year will be a cornerstone for the franchise for years to come. They would have preferred the pick to be slightly higher than seventh overall, but some players could potentially fall into their laps. The only wish is that Don Sweeney won't have another draft blunder after a couple of controversial classes.
Let's look back at the 2021 draft class, which hasn't reached it's full potential as of yet but could end up being one that surprises if some more prospects fall into place.
21st overall - Fabian Lysell
Bruins fans begged and pleaded for Don Sweeney to give Fabian Lysell a chance this season finally. It took plenty of struggles and injuries to the roster for Sweeney to relent finally, but he might have been justified in his reasoning when Lysell had three points in 12 games and looked out of place for much of the first seven games.
Lysell had a goal and two assists over the final four games, which gave some hope that he might be finding his way in the NHL. It's challenging to see Lysell taking a step back and returning to Providence next season, so 2025-26 will be a massive year for the young Swede. It's his last before his entry-level deal expires, and the Bruins could reconsider his place in the organization if he doesn't figure things out over an 82-game season.
85th overall - Brett Harrison
Brett Harrison has been unable to find the scoring touch in the AHL that made him a star in the OHL. He had 69 points in 57 games in his final year in the OHL, and also recorded four points in four games in the postseason. Many wondered whether Harrison could take his game to the next level when he started his pro career with Providence in 2023-24, but he had just 14 points in 47 games.
2024-25 would've been a good determining factor for Harrison's future, but his development stalled, with just 17 points in 46 games. The Bruins will want to see him increase those totals in 2025-26.
117th overall - Philip Svedebäck
Philip Svedebäck has been lights out at Providence College, recording a 2.30 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage over 95 games in the NCAA. He will return to Providence for his senior year in 2025-26, but one wonders if he would have been better off turning pro after the 2024-25 season.
Brandon Bussi and Michael Dipietro are both unrestricted free agents this summer. It would've been a good opportunity for Svedebäck to stake a claim as one of the two goalies in the AHL.
149th overall - Oskar Jellvik
Oskar Jellvik's 2023-24 season had many people close with the Bruins thinking he was going to be a diamond in the rough for the organization. The Boston College forward had 42 points in 41 games playing with Cutter Gauthier and fellow Bruins draft pick Andre Gasseau for most of the season. However, once Gauthier left, Jellvik had just 13 points in 23 games this season.
Injuries and inconsistent play took a toll this year, but it's never good to see a prospect's numbers decline this much from his sophomore to junior season.
181st overall - Ryan Mast
It's a marathon, not a sprint, for Ryan Mast's development. The massive defender had a couple of good seasons with the Sarnia Sting in the OHL, but the Bruins started him out in the ECHL with the Maine Mariners in 2023-24. It allowed Mast to play big minutes at the pro game before advancing to the next level, which he did this past season with Providence.
Mast spent some time learning the press box, but he seemed to improve as the season progressed. It's hard to rule out the defender ever advancing to the NHL, but there are many individuals he'd have to pass on the depth chart to make that happen.
213th overall - Andre Gasseau
While Jellvik took a step back this season, Gasseau managed to improve with Boston College. The Eagles didn't have as much team success this year, but Gasseau's point total went from 29 to 30 in four fewer games.
Gasseau and Jellvik will return to the Eagles for their senior seasons, and the Bruins hope they'll decide to stay in the area when they sign their professional contracts. However, despite their draft positioning, Gasseau has distanced himself from his Boston College teammate.
217th overall - Ty Gallagher
It has been an interesting career for Ty Gallagher since the Bruins drafted him. He had a good first two seasons with Boston University, but struggled in his junior year with just five points in 37 games. Gallagher knew he needed a fresh start and transferred to Colorado College, where he exploded for 26 points in 37 games and improved his defensive game.
The successful senior year earned him an amateur tryout for the remainder of the season and a two-year deal starting in 2025-26 with Providence, where he played 11 regular season games and seven in the playoffs. Gallagher has a long way to go before playing in the NHL, but he could be a valuable piece for Providence in the next two seasons.