The Boston Bruins May Be Losing Their First Round Pick

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Austin Sabourin
October 7, 2023 (6:39 PM)

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The Boston Bruins have made some intriguing moves recently by placing forwards Oskar Steen and Jesper Boqvist, along with defenseman Jakub Zboril, on waivers for potential reassignment.

According to an NHL executive source, there's anticipation that interest will arise around the Bruins' 2015 first-round pick, who is now 26 years old and entering the final season of a two-year, $2.2 million ($1.1 million AAV) contract.

The source shared,

"If he can stay healthy, he's got an NHL roster spot, in my opinion. I wouldn't be surprised at all if a team picked him up, even with the cap issues out there."

Reflecting on the 2015 NHL Draft, the Boston Bruins held three consecutive picks at 13th, 14th, and 15th overall, thanks to shrewd maneuvering by General Manager Don Sweeney. However, the choices made that day, including drafting Jakub Zboril 13th overall, Jake DeBrusk, and Zach Senyshyn at 14th and 15th overall, have raised questions about missed opportunities, considering players like Mathew Barzal, Kyle Connor, and Thomas Chabot were also available.

Of these three first-round selections, only Jake DeBrusk has made a notable impact at the NHL level, amassing impressive statistics over his career. DeBrusk, who is entering the final season of a two-year, $8 million contract, is poised for a significant free-agent year.

Zach Senyshyn's tenure with the Boston Bruins organization was marked by limited NHL appearances, culminating in a trade to the Ottawa Senators, including a fifth-round pick in 2022, in exchange for defenseman Josh Brown and a conditional seventh-round pick.

Jakub Zboril, while battling injuries and misfortune, has struggled to establish himself in the NHL. As he enters the new season, he has just 76 NHL games under his belt. The sentiment among NHL scouts and observers is that Zboril's journey to become a full-time NHL defenseman in the Bruins organization may be reaching its conclusion, driven more by bad luck than his performance.

Zboril's latest setback, suffering an injury at the beginning of training camp that limited his preseason appearances, opened the door for recently acquired defenseman Ian Mitchell, obtained from the Chicago Blackhawks in the Taylor Hall and Nick Foligno trade. Mitchell appears to be on the cusp of securing the seventh defenseman slot for the 2023-24 season.

As the Boston Bruins navigate these challenging decisions, the team faces the prospect of retaining only Jake DeBrusk from the trio of 2015 first-round picks. The fate of Jakub Zboril remains uncertain, with the possibility of rejoining the Providence Bruins looming.

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