Grading the Bruins' 2024 NHL Draft class
Going into the NHL entry draft, the Bruins had one goal in mind. Did they do a good job achieving it?
Going into the 2024 NHL Draft on Friday night, the Boston Bruins - and their fans - knew a few things for certain. They knew what the Bruins' goals should be cautious about drafting forwards, avoid goaltenders at all costs, and do everything they could to go get a left-handed defenseman.
Boston held four draft picks throughout the two nights in Las Vegas. Their first pick came in the first round (25th overall), the Bruins' first opening round since 2021, when they selected Fabian Lysell at No. 21 overall.
Following the first round, Boston had one in the fourth round that originally No. 122 overall, but they moved up to No. 110 following a trade with the Minnesota Wild that involved an exchange of players in Jakub Lauko from the Bruins, and Vinni Lettieri from the wild, respectively.
Their next one came in the fifth round at No. 154 overall, and shortly after that Boston picked in the sixth round at No. 186 overall.
Here's how we grade each pick.
Round 1, Pick No. 25 - Dean Letourneau (Forward)
Now, while I did say that the Bruins needed to be cautious of drafting a forward, I did not anticipate them taking a forward with such a dynamic skillset like Dean Letourneau.
Letourneau stands at 6-foot-7, and not only comes with a physical presence to him that Boston will be craving should Patrick Maroon walk in free agency, but he also brings some excellent offensive skills with him as well.
Letourneau, drafted out of St. Andrews College (prep school), played in 56 games in his final season, scoring 61 goals, and racking up 66 assists (127 points).
Letourneau is committed to play for Greg Brown at Boston College in the 2024-25 season, adding to the first round talent that Brown already has on his roster. He also gives the Eagles now three players on their roster that are Boston draft picks (Andre Gasseau, Oskar Jelvik).
The Bruins will likely not see Letourneau take the ice for them for at least two years, but an excellent pick nonetheless.
Grade: A+
Round 4, Pick No. 110 - Elliot Groenewold (Defenseman)
In the fourth round, the Bruins achieved what fans had been clammoring for for months: a left-handed shot defenseman. They got that Elliot Groenewold out of Cedar Rapids in the USHL.
Groenewold stands at 6-foot-2, so he's no Zdeno Chara, but he projects to be a hard-hitting defenseman that is not afraid to play physical if needed. He will need some time to develop, but his last season in the USHL a solid one.
In 57 games, he scored five goals and tallied 11 assists (16 points). He also has 77 penalty minutes. He is committed to play at Quinnipiac University this season.
Don't be surprised if the Bobcats pair him up with former UMass defenseman Aaron Bohlinger, who both bring a balance of physicality, but also offense at the same time.
Grade: A-
Round 5, No. 154 - Jonathan Morello (Forward)
In the fifth round, Boston drafted Jonathan Morello, who most recently played for the St. Michael's Buzzers of the Ontario Junior Hockey League for the past two seasons.
The 17-year-old played in 50 regular season games last season where he went on to rack up 57 points on 25 goals and 32 assists. In the playoffs, he also played in 11 games and scored 12 goals, and racked up nine assists (21 points).
At 6-foot-3, Morello will be one of the taller forwards on the team, but is still young and does not turn 18 until the end of July.
He is committed to play at Clarkson University in the 2023-24 season. Considering his age, he will most likely attend a few development camps with the Bruins and maybe even all four years at Clarkson before turning pro.
Grade: B
Round 6, No. 186 Loke Johansson (Defenseman)
For its final pick in the draft, Boston took Loke Johansson out of Sweden junior leagues. Johansson is currently not eligible to ranked as a prospect, and it is unclear at this point what his destination is moving forward.
Johansson from a statistical standpoint, needs a little bit more time before anything is fully decided on the Bruins end of things.
This past season, Johansson played in 52 games and scored five goals, and racked up nine assists (14 points). Not bad point totals for a defenseman, and he will definitely be a project for the team.
He will play a defensive role, and is described by Elite Prospects as a "heavy hitter" or "defensive defenseman."
Johansson remains unsigned, but also unassigned, we shall see what happens with them.
Grade: C
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