Unprecedented moves in NCAA hockey are becoming more and more common. The NIL era has players doing new things, such as Canadians Keaton Verhoeff and Gavin McKenna leaving the CHL to play college hockey in their draft years. Another move we don't see often is players leaving their junior teams mid-season to join a university, but that is happening with Tynan Lawrence and Boston University.
Lawrence has been quickly rising in the ranks for the 2026 draft. He has always been an option in the top half of the first round, but a solid U18 tournament this summer and a great start to his USHL year have him challenging for first overall.
Lawrence has the qualities that could make him an elite player at the NHL level. He might not blow anyone away with goalscoring or point-producing once he gets there, but he's the type of game-controller that teams look for in a first-line center.
It was becoming increasingly clear that he was too good to play in the USHL. There were plenty of nights where he looked like a man amongst boys playing against that competition, and trying his hand at college-aged players is a great step for him to possibly elevate himself to that No. 1 position.
Why Tynan Lawrence going to BU matters more than you think for the Bruins
After the Boston Bruins' loss to the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday night, they are just four points out of falling into the bottom-five in the league. It's possible things will get worse before they get better, and Lawrence's draft stock rising can have a trickle-down effect on the Bruins if they end up with a top-five pick.
For one, in their search for more center depth, the Bruins can get a closer look at Lawrence at Boston University to possibly pick him in the first round. We know how much Don Sweeney loves to take college guys from nearby schools, and Lawrence would fit that bill perfectly. With James Hagens possibly trending more towards the wing, Lawrence would be a good replacement down the middle on the team's depth chart.
If Lawrence proves worthy of a pick above the Bruins, it'll push some of the other elite players down towards Boston's selection. In a top-heavy draft, the Bruins will be able to rest easy knowing there are plenty of game-breakers available to them anywhere in the top five or seven picks in the draft. If Lawrence steals a higher spot like Porter Martone or Brady Martin last season, a player like Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg could potentially slip into the Bruins' hands, much like Hagens last season.
If nothing else, Lawrence's early commitment further legitimizes NCAA hockey. The sport has been growing exponentially over the past 365 days, and another draft-eligible player joining to increase his stock will further confirm that the NCAA is becoming the best developmental league in the world.