One of the defensemen on Czechia's roster who was blocking the Boston Bruins' draft pick, Vashek Blanar, from playing at the World Junior Championship was Tomas Galvas. The left-shot defenseman didn't do enough in the Czech league last season to earn an NHL draft selection, while recording four assists for a surprising Czechia squad at last year's World Juniors.
Galvas stole the show again at the 2026 tournament, finishing second in points on Czechia with three goals and six assists. Six of the top seven scorers for Czechia were under control of an NHL team, with Galvas being the only player without an organization.
The two-way defenseman is now ranked in the third-round for the 2026 NHL Draft. It feels nearly impossible that teams will overlook him again this year, but the hype of the World Junior tournament will wear off by June, and players in their second draft year usually slip farther than people expect.
The Bruins acquired another fourth-round pick in the draft when they traded Jeffrey Viel to the Anaheim Ducks on Friday afternoon. It gives them three picks in that round at the upcoming draft, which could give them the chance to draft Galvas if he slips or trade up using all their fourth-rounders to get another pick in the third round where the scouts rank the defender.
Why the Bruins should take a flier on this undrafted defenseman
The Bruins could have some depth to fix on the left side if the prevailing social media theory that Mason Lohrei could leave town comes true. The advantage of selecting a player in his second time in the draft is that he is closer to turning pro, and the Bruins could welcome Galvas sooner than people think, given his experience playing pro in his home country.
The internet's scouting community loved Galvas in his actual draft year, but no team was willing to take a flier on him. With four draft picks in the 3-4 rounds and possibly more to come, depending on whether they sell at the deadline, Boston is a fine position to take a chance on the 2026 WJC's breakout star.
"Tomas Galvas is a smooth-skating two-way defenceman with a suffocating defensive game, crafty retrievals, and skill. He’s a fluid, powerful, agile skater, explosive in straight lines and nimble on his edges. He can evade forechecking pressure and carry the puck up-ice with ease; he’ll activate from the offensive blue line and into the play at pace as opportunities present themselves; and his defensive range is immense."Elite Prospects 2024 NHL Draft Guide
The Bruins are beginning to form a mini Czech mafia like what the Dallas Stars are doing with their Finnish players. With David Pastrnak, Pavel Zacha (if he stays with the team), and eventually Vashek Blanar when he comes to North America, Galvas would have no shortage of friends to make him feel comfortable.