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20 hours ago
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2025 NHL mock draft roundup: Final No. 7 pick predictions for Bruins
2025 NHL mock draft roundup: Final No. 7 pick predictions for Bruins originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston The 2025 NHL Draft is of the utmost importance to the Boston Bruins. They have the No. 7 overall pick — their highest first-round selection since 2011. If the Bruins keep the pick and don't trade it, the position they need to target is center. Advertisement The Bruins were lucky to have a top-tier center tandem in Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci for well over a decade. The franchise has been unable to draft a worthy replacement for either player, but that drought could end this year. The 2025 draft class is loaded with quality centers. We might even see seven of them taken in the top 10 picks. A talented wing such as Porter Martone or Victor Eklund could be enticing, but the Bruins desperately need a top-six center, and given how expensive that kind of player is to acquire via trade or free agency, the most effective way to get one is through the draft. Which players should the Bruins consider with the No. 7 pick? Here's a roundup of projections from recent expert mock drafts. Nick Goss, NBC Sports Boston: Jake O'Brien, C, Brantford (OHL) 'It's no secret the Bruins need a center. They haven't drafted well at that position for a long time. Luckily for the B's, they have a top 10 pick (their first since 2011) in a draft that's loaded with quality centers. Advertisement O'Brien is the best center available at this point in Round 1. He has a really strong two-way skill set with the high-end offensive talent to consistently create scoring chances for himself and teammates. He tallied 66 assists in 66 games for Brantford last season.' Corey Pronman, The Athletic: Roger McQueen, C, Brandon (WHL) 'Despite their needs, I don't think Boston is as hard pressed to take a center here as the organizations in front of them, in part because six centers in a row just got picked. I could see the Bruins lean toward winger Martone or defenseman Radim Mrtka for that reason but it wouldn't surprise me as well if they took another center. McQueen, O'Brien and Hagens would all be possible fits here.' Scott Wheeler, The Athletic: James Hagens, C, Boston College (NCAA) 'Everyone I've talked to in the last week or so seems to think O'Brien/Martin/Hagens don't get past the Flyers and Bruins at 6-7, and yet one of the top eight guys has to go outside the top seven. I've also heard the Bruins have looked into moving up. I do think it's interesting that the Flyers and Bruins seem to like the same three guys and pick back-to-back, though, and Hagens just makes so much sense for the Bruins as that high-end piece to build around if he's there.' Lyle Richardson, Bleacher Report: Victor Eklund, RW, Djurgarden (Sweden) 'With only one natural right wing among their top 15 prospects, the Boston Bruins could use this opportunity to address that particular need. They could turn to Victor Eklund of the SHL's Djurgårdens IF. NHL Central Scouting ranked him No. 2 among international skaters. Advertisement 'Eklund is the younger brother of San Jose Sharks forward William Eklund. The 5'11', 170-pound Swede had 31 points in 42 games this season for Djurgårdens' HockeyAllsvenskan squad, helping them earn promotion to the SHL alongside teammate and fellow NHL prospect Anton Frondell. ' Mike G. Morreale considers him to be the second-best right wing in this year's draft. Corey Pronman praised Eklund's speed and creativity, while Steven Ellis cited his playmaking and excellent shot. Eklund will likely spend next season with Djurgårdens IF, where he'll garner valuable experience against SHL talent. He has the potential to become a top-six right wing for the Bruins.' Alex Daugherty, The Tennessean: Jake O'Brien, C, Brantford (OHL) 'The Bruins need to reload up the middle and O'Brien has the potential to be a top-six center that can lead the way. He had 98 points in 66 games with the Bulldogs last season.' Sam Russell, Bleacher Nation: Brady Martin, C, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL) 'Martin is an accomplished two-way player and has solid defensive instincts. His game doesn't involve any unnecessary risks and is good at cutting passing lanes in the neutral zone.'
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30-01-2025
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NHL Trade Deadline Needs: Boston Bruins And Florida Panthers
The paths of the Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers have crossed in the Stanley Cup playoffs in the last two seasons. In 2023, the Panthers barely squeaked into the playoffs but upset the Presidents' Trophy-winning Bruins in a first-round, seventh-game overtime thriller. Last season, the Panthers won the Atlantic Division and faced Boston in the second round, but Florida outlasted the B's in six games. This season, the defending Cup-champion Panthers have a roster depleted by key players leaving in free agency, while Boston has struggled to fill the leadership and scoring void created by the departures of Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci and Zdeno Chara. Here are the main and secondary areas of need that each club is likely to address before the March 7 NHL trade deadline: Due to cap restrictions, the Panthers lost power-play quarterback Brandon Montour and veteran Oliver Ekman-Larsson in July. They replaced them with bargain-basement additions Nate Schmidt and Latvian Uvis Balinskis, who split the previous season between Florida and AHL Charlotte. Making a defensive upgrade will be challenging for Florida GM Bill Zito because the club has just over $1 million in cap space and no picks in the first three rounds of the 2025 NHL draft, according to PuckPedia. Zito has accomplished the difficult task of keeping his core forward group of Aleksander Barkov, Sam Reinhart, Anton Lundell and Carter Verhaeghe intact. The Panthers also have a useful secondary group of Sam Bennett, Evan Rodrigues and Eetu Luostarinen. The free-agent replacements for useful energy forwards, such as Nick Cousins, Ryan Lomberg and Steven Lorentz, have fallen short. The Panthers' advantage is that fourth-liners are relatively inexpensive and can be acquired with their low-round Bruins went from being second in the NHL in goals-for in 2023 to 13th last season to 26th this season with 2.71 goals-for per game. The traditionally stingy Boston defense has also declined. Currently, both Bruins goalies have a sub .900 save percentage, but it is expected the club will improve in the second half and that Jeremy Swayman will begin to resemble the goalie who earned an eight-year extension right before the season. Part of the club's offensive issues are the pedestrian numbers put up by center Elias Lindholm and the lack of a replacement for Jake DeBrusk. GM Don Sweeney must add a scorer who can take some of the heat off David Pastrnak and Brad Bruins are expected to have both of their top blueliners, Hampus Lindholm and Charlie McAvoy, back before the 4 Nations Face-Off begins on Feb. 12. With the addition of Nikita Zadorov to go along with Andrew Peeke, Brandon Carlo and Mason Lohrei, Boston should be solid enough defensively. The departure of veteran forwards James van Riemsdyk and Danton Heinen hurt the Bruins' forward depth. Charlie Coyle and Trent Frederic have also produced at a lower rate than last year. The Bruins will need to add another forward to provide some secondary scoring in the bottom six as well. Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on or by visiting our forum.
