20 Under 25: Why it's important for Bruins to keep 2025 first-round pick

The first round of the NHL Draft is a fun time for hockey fans, but not so much if you're a supporter of the Boston Bruins.

The B's have not been super active in the first round since Don Sweeney took over as general manager in 2015. Overall, drafting and developing hasn't been a strength of the organization.

One of the reasons why the Bruins have been so good for so long -- they have the second-most regular season wins over the last decade -- is because several of their best veteran players were so good for so long.

Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, Zdeno Chara and Tuukka Rask all played at a high level in Boston for around 10 years (more in some cases). B's captain Brad Marchand is in his 16th season with the franchise and still ranks as a top-tier left wing.

Surrounding these veterans with good young talent through the draft has proven to be a significant challenge for the Bruins, and you could argue this failure is a major reason why the franchise hasn't won a Stanley Cup title after 2011.

The Bruins had around a decade to draft and develop replacements for Bergeron and Krejci in the No. 1 and No. 2 center roles, and they still haven't done it. That's why they had to splurge in free agency to sign Elias Lindholm back in July.

Sweeney has made nine first-round picks in his tenure as general manager, and only three of them -- Charlie McAvoy (2016), Trent Frederic (2016) and John Beecher (2019) -- are on the NHL roster right now. Boston selected center Dean Letourneau with the No. 25 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft -- a pick they acquired from the Ottawa Senators in the Linus Ullmark trade a few days before. It was the Bruins' first Round 1 pick since 2021.

The Bruins have traded away four of their last seven first-round picks, and they haven't made a selection in Round 1 in back-to-back years since 2016 and 2017.

Here's a look at all nine of Sweeney's first-round picks and where they are now:

It's time for the Bruins to stop trading first-round picks and start rebuilding the prospect pool. Boston's prospect pool ranks among the worst in the league and has for several years. There are no elite prospects in the system at any position.

Here's a roundup of where the Bruins stand in NHL prospect pool rankings from 2024:

• Scott Wheeler, The Athletic (Jan, 2024): No. 30 (of 32)
• Rachel Doerrie, ESPN (Oct, 2024): No. 32
• Steven Ellis, Daily Faceoff (Aug, 2024): No. 31
• Hannah Stuart, Bleacher Report: (Sept, 2024): No. 32
• Logan Horn, The Hockey Writers (Sept, 2024): No. 32

The Bruins have traded first-round picks in recent years because it was an effective way to add impact pieces to teams considered legit Stanley Cup contenders. Nobody could have faulted Sweeney for trading multiple first-round picks ahead of the 2023 trade deadline amid a record-breaking regular season for Boston. Dealing away first-round picks to improve an already great roster makes sense in the right circumstances.

But the 2024-25 Bruins are not on that level.

Sure, the Bruins have played better since firing head coach Jim Montgomery last month and replacing him with Joe Sacco on an interim basis. And if this improvement continues, it would make sense for Sweeney to invest in the team and part with assets to upgrade the roster before the March 7 trade deadline. But it's hard to envision a scenario where trading the team's 2025 first-round pick would be a good idea, unless the proposed deal involves Boston getting a really good young NHL player in return.

The Bruins cannot afford to not have good young talent coming up through the AHL and junior levels on a regular basis. It's not a sustainable way to win long term. The NHL is a hard salary cap league, and the Bruins have some expensive players, led by David Pastrnak's $11.25 million cap hit. The best way to build a perennial contender is by surrounding your veteran core with young players on entry-level contracts. Boston has failed to do that because of its poor drafting.

To be fair, the Bruins have had some good wins in the draft under Sweeney. Selecting McAvoy over his Boston University teammate Dante Fabbro in 2016 was a great move. Finding goaltender Jeremy Swayman in the fourth round in 2017 was a home run pick. Brandon Carlo in the second round in 2015 was a quality selection, too. But these draft wins have not happened consistently enough for the B's.

The Bruins have to balance remaining a contender in the Eastern Conference while simultaneously replenishing the prospect pool. It's not an easy task, but it's definitely achievable, and keeping their 2025 first-round pick needs to be part of the gameplan.

Editor's Note: Using the form below, you can evaluate each of the 20 Under 25 candidates “video game” style, giving each athlete a player “rating” that reflects their maximum potential in the coming years.