What does Andre Gasseau's future with the Bruins look like?

It's always hard to predict what an NHL prospect is going to look like when they spend the full four years in the NCAA. Most of the best prospects leave college early, but there are a select few who feel like staying for the full degree is in their best interests. Those players normally dominate by their fourth year, because of course they would, since they're older than most of their opponents and have over 100 games of experience under their belts.

That's where the case of Andre Gasseau at Boston College begins. The Boston Bruins seventh round pick in the 2021 draft took the correct route and stayed with the Eagles for his entire tenure. He will likely elect to stay in the city and sign a deal with the organization after Boston College's season is over, with his most likely destination being Providence for their playoff run.

Will Gasseau get any playing time this year in Providence? It's hard to say. The team is loaded, and it'd be hard to justify upsetting the chemistry too much to get him into the lineup. There's even a small chance that James Hagens will sign out of Boston College at year's end and play some games in Providence, as Charlie McAvoy did in his first year after the 2016 draft.

People do need to pump the brakes on Gasseau for a minute. He is on pace to record over a point per game this season, but he has been a solid offensive player for the Eagles throughout his career. He has 108 points in 129 career games, and has taken off with 13 points in his last 10 games after moving to the center on Hagens' line. However, he is a fourth-year player.

Andre Gasseau's comparables

One example of a four-year player who had some hype out of college was Jimmy Vesey. The Harvard product had much better production than Gasseau in his four seasons in the NCAA, and was one of the most heralded prospects coming out thanks to his final two years. However, he ended up recording just 194 points in 626 games, and is now playing in Europe.

Another example is Kevin Porter, who was an elite player at the University of Michigan in his four years at the program. He joined the Phoenix Coyotes organization after graduating, and eventually became a captain of the Rochester Americans for two different tenures. He played 249 NHL games and tallied 58 points.

If you want a non-position, hometown example of a player who four years worked out for, it's Matt Grzelcyk. He was a third-round pick of the Bruins, but it took some time for him to physically mature, which was why he stayed at Boston University for four years. However, once he signed with the Bruins, he didn't look back, and played some big minutes for some good Boston teams over the past decade.

The Bruins would certainly take 250+ games from Gasseau. However, it's not enough of a gurantee to heap too much praise onto Gasseau. Bruins fans are better served projecting him as a solid AHL player, and as someone who could develop into a bottom-six forward depending on how his time with Providence goes.