Boston Bruins fans don't have the most belief in Don Sweeney given some of his draft day blunders in the past. While the fans are happy with the seventh overall pick, there are likely some that have a lingering feeling that the front office will find some way to mess up the selection. It was the reason why getting a top five pick was so pivotal, as it would've made it nearly impossible for Sweeney to mess up the pick with the depth at the top of the class.
Things start to get interesting once we get into the 7-12 range of this draft. While some superb players could fall to the Bruins, there's also a possibility that the team will reach with this selection. We've covered plenty of the players that the Bruins SHOULD be happy selecting at seven, but let's look at three players who Sweeney must avoid.
Kashawn Aitcheson
Kashawn Aitcheson is all over the map in the public mock drafts, and no one is quite sure on where he will fall in this year's draft. It could be anywhere in the 10-20 range, but it'd be surprising to no one if he finds a way into the top ten. He was a solid two-way defenseman for the Barrie Colts in the OHL, recording 59 points in 64 games (including 26 goals) and also playing some solid shutdown defense.
Aitcheson will lay a player out coming over the blue line with his elite checking ability, and then go the other way and score a highlight reel goal. However, there is some bust potential with him, and Sweeney has no room to make another drafting mistake. Left-shot defensemen aren't a need for the Bruins, and it's hard to see why Aitcheson's name is starting to pop up in Boston rumors.
Jackson Smith
Jackson Smith is another defenseman with high offensive upside. We recently labeled him as a player with potential for the Bruins to trade down in the draft and take him as their future powerplay quarterback. That idea is a good one in theory, and I'd still be in support of that happening. However, Sweeney holds on to the seventh pick and uses it on Smith with so many better players on the board, it could be 2015 all over again.
Roger McQueen
Roger McQueen could end up being one of the steals of the draft. It isn't impossible that it happens, but it isn't likely enough that the Bruins should feel comfortable using a pick on him. He missed most of the year with a back injury, much like Cayden Lindstrom in 2023-24. The Columbus Blue Jackets drafted him thinking the injury worries were behind him, and he proceeded to miss most of this season.
Maybe Sweeney will have a good couple of drafts and buy himself the opportuntity to take a risk in the first round one day. The current state of the franchise doesn't allow him to do that in 2025.