BRUINS PROSPECT POOL EXPLODES! Who Can Actually Make an The NHL IMPACT in 2026? 🚀
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[Music] [Music] I’m Unlock a world of convenience with Mully Box. Your one-stop solution for personalized subscription boxes delivered right to your door. From gourmet snacks to unique finds, each box is tailored to your taste. Experience the joy of surprises. Subscribe today at mllybox.com. That’s mbox.com. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] Heat. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] We are Rogue Media Sports. [Music] There we go. Break the glass. It’s time for the Cam Show live on YouTube as we are every weekday high noon Eastern time and then available wherever you get your podcasts as well. I’m your host, Cam Stewart, hence the name. Okay, Zack Burke keeping us on the air like he does every weekday. And we’re going to talk some hockey today because that’s what we do here. All right, we’re going to talk Bruins prospects because yes, the Bruins actually have some prospects. It’s actually time to be excited about the future of the Boston Bruins. We’re going to do a tier list. Who’s ready to contribute next year? Who’s a year or two away? Who’s three or four years away? And who we’re most excited about. We’ll also look at the immediate future. Should the Bruins be one of the teams tanking for Gavin McKenna? One outlet certainly think so. They think they might be the most apt team to go and tank for Gavin McKenna. And then we will talk a little bit about a graphic I saw that just proves this unfortunate point about who is the most overrated Boston sports athlete of my lifetime. Definitely a fan favorite obviously and certainly one of my favorites. But it’s time to talk about that the fact that he is overrated. All that and more coming up on this episode of the Cam Show. But we start where we start. Finally. Man, it feels like it’s been a long time since the Bruins have had what we call prospects. And they finally do. Like this is the most excitement around development camp that there’s been in a long time, right? if if that’s not an oxymoron to be excited around development camp. They move somewhere between the 25 and 30 range for prospect pools in the NHL, but consistently they have been the last place team over the last few seasons. No longer the case. In fact, Colorado, who is right there with the Bruins for all these years, traded one of their best prospects to Boston. We’ll talk about him in a second. I’m tearing this list. So, what I’m doing is looking at the prospects that we’re most excited about, but looking at how close they are to the NHL. So, we’ll start with the guys who could be making an impact in this year. Um, then the guys who will be doing it in the next probably two years and then probably three to maybe even four years away kind of guys. Last qualifier, Matthew Potra is not on this list. I’m not considering him a prospect anymore. Same way I’m not doing it for Mason Lorai. Um, Patra’s played 66 NHL games. I certainly hope that he’ll be a part of this team next year and might have a little bit of time in Providence because that’s what the Bruins do. I don’t think many other teams would do it. So, I’m not counting him. Without any further ado, let’s look at the guys who are going to be helping out the Bruins next season. First prospect on this list, Fraser Mitten. The guy they got from Toronto in the Brandon Carlo deal at the trade deadline. He was one of really only two worthwhile prospects that Toronto had. Um, and that’s why a lot of Leafs fans were pretty pissed that they parted with him. It was really just him and Eastston Cowan. He did play some time uh for the Bruins at the end of the season. Uh, played 25 games in his career, five points, a minus five. Um, played the last six games with the Bruins this year where he did score a goal. uh 46% faceoff rate in his career in the NHL, which is not good um for a center, but you’re probably projecting him to be uh kind of a bottom six guy uh not only this year, but maybe for the rest of his career. Um and I think he can bring a good two-way game to you. Like Fraser Mitten’s not going to be a guy that’s scoring 65 70 points. Um when he was drafted, he was compared to William Carlson, which I think would be a really nice comp. I mean, William Carlson’s a career like 50 point guy, somewhere between 40 and 50 points a year. Um, they actually had similar starts to their career. They were both traded like within their first season in the NHL basically. And it took Carlson a couple years. He didn’t really get it going until about age 25. And that’s that’s when he really broke out. And Fraser Mitten still sitting here at age 21. It could be a couple years before he truly breaks out. But honestly, if he even becomes Charlie Coyle, I think that’s a benefit for the Bruins. Like that’s someone who should like Charlie Coyle should be a mainstay on a good team’s bottom six third line center can hopefully give you 40 points, give you a good defensive game. If Fraser Mitten can give you that, I think you’d be really happy. And the biggest thing where I think he helps you is just the the roster makeup, the way you build your team. Because if Fraser Mitten can be a Charlie Coyle, dare I say a William Carlson type, like that’s a that’s a good high-end. Like if he can be that and be a full 200 foot mainly defensive kind of center that plays in your middle to bottom six, that means you can stop making everybody else into or trying that means you can stop trying to make all your other centers into Patrice Berseron. Okay? Because I think that is something that sucks about the Bruins with their young skilled players is they just they try to make them into Patrice Berseron and Berseron is one of one. You try to make them into Berseron and they end up becoming Charlie Coyle and you’re stunting their offensive growth. Fraser Mitten, no offense, doesn’t have a huge offensive upside for his entire career. So, if he can be kind of a shut down but two-way kind of center, uh that that way you can not have James Higgins be that. You can just have James Haggins be Jack Hughes and Fraser Mitten can be Charlie Coyle and you’ll kind of figure out the rest from there. You don’t need to try to make James Higgins into something he’s not because you have Fraser Mitten down there. Uh 10 points in 11 games at the end of the season for Providence, too. Played on both special teams units. I think he is going to be a good penalty killing center uh for years to come. And if he can be that starting this year, that is a huge lift for the Bruins all the way down the line. The other guy that I think will make an impact this year that we’ve seen a little bit of before, but we’re still waiting for something more is Fabian Lysel. Came up, scored his first NHL goal finally uh towards the end of last season. And to be fair to Fabian, it was the first time he really got a run of NHL games. I think that’s something that we’ve been complaining about as Bruins fans for years. It’s just like, give this kid a shot, you know, uh and really the last year and a half or so, right? give this kid a shot. Obviously, there was something that was keeping him down in Providence, but with the way the Bruins went last year, it it really shouldn’t have taken as long as it did to give him to give him a string of games in the NHL. He only played the last 12 games of the season for the Bruins and it was a lot of the last year and a half, one game up, back down. And that that just wasn’t good for for the team, and it wasn’t good for Fabian Lysel either. obviously former first round pick back in 2021. Uh wasn’t actually seen as a reach at that point, which is kind of interesting. This is this is um a pick that kind of bucks the trend of what the Bruins were doing in in the in the early rounds of the NHL draft. They didn’t draft him because he was big and physical and could have a lot of defensive upside. They drafted him because he was known for his speed, his his stick handling ability, and had a ton of offensive upside. and it just hasn’t really worked out so far. He’s still 22 years old. Okay, there’s still some time for Fabian Lysel, but it’s kind of now or never this season. Like, he should get a run in where he’s playing the whole season for the Bruins. Um, he was seen at the time that he was drafted as a Jake De Brusk replacement and he couldn’t crack the NHL roster in time for Jake De Brusk to walk three years later. So, there’s been a ton of criticism around Lysel, mainly because two picks behind him, the Dallas Stars picked Wyatt Johnston, and the next round the Dallas Stars picked Logan Stanovven. So, it really doesn’t look good for the Bruins and the the way that they’ve been drafting. Uh, it did have three points to end the season in those 12 games for the big club and then went back down to Providence, which I thought was actually a good move like for someone who was critical of how much he had played in Providence. getting those 12 games at the end of the season in the NHL and then going down to the AHL for the postseason I think was a good thing, but he only had two assists minus one in seven AHL playoff games and he only had three points in 12 games at the end of the NHL season. But I’m reminded of a good point. Someone brought it up on Twitter about Fabian Lysel is that Brad Marshand played his first 20 games in the NHL at the end of the 2010 season and that was a Bruins team that was pretty solid. They were fighting for a playoff spot which they obviously did get and won the first round against Buffalo. That was a much better Bruins team than the one that Fabian Lysel played on this year. And Brad Marshand only had one point in those 20 games, one assist, and I think it was in his first game and then nothing after that until the ent the next season and he became a Hall of Famer. Not saying Fabian Lysel is going to be a Hall of Famer, but just saying, let’s see some more gains for this kid at the NHL level. Lysel could absolutely be a top six winger for a team that, let’s be frank, is going to be pretty bad and could bring some offensive upside. and maybe he does become a legit top six winger in the future. Fabian Lysel, Fraser Mitten, those are the guys that you’re going to see on the team next year, making an impact next year, 2025, 2026. Let’s go down to that next tier of kind of the the next wave, who you’re going to see in probably two years. You could maybe see one of these guys playing in Providence this season and kind of track his progress. Let’s start with what could be a diamond in the rough for the Bruins. All of a sudden, Dons Lutch Melis out of Latvia and UMass. He was a fourth round pick in 2022. He’s still only 21 years old. Played a couple of seasons at the zoo and didn’t have eyepopping numbers. Okay, 15 goals, 47 points, 70 games out there at UMass. He wasn’t exactly lighting it up, but he signed his entry- level contract. He went to Providence this year and at the end of the regular season for the P Bruins, he kind of shocked everybody. Okay, amazingly, he goes down to Providence at the end of the regular season. He plays six regular season games and scores 12 points, three goals, and nine assists. They stuck him on the wing. He was playing next to Matt Potra, and they had incredible chemistry, and it kind of took everybody by surprise. and they did it because they didn’t want to put a bunch of the pressure on him to be playing center right away and kind of all the responsibilities that comes with being a center for the Bruins in the Bruins system. So, they stuck him on the wing and his hockey IQ really shined and that’s why his he just had this sudden burst of scoring playing alongside an NHL guy basically in Matthew Potra. He’s only I say only he’s six foot. He’s only 180 pounds. You see him and he looks bigger than that. Maybe it’s because he was playing in the AHL, but he looks bigger than that. He plays bigger than that. And you certainly have to play pretty physical to play in Hockey East. I mean, you’re playing with guys who are 24 years old like that. That’s just a prerequisite. Um did have a really nice World Junior Championships as well for a surprise Latafia team. six points in seven games and really got a reputation at that tournament for being like a shutdown center. Um, and played at the World Championships last year for Latvia. Sydney Crosby found him after a game and complimented him on on his play. So, uh, there is maybe maybe some some big- time kind of prospectus there from the great Sydney Crosby, but I see him as being again kind of like Fraser Mitten, a shutdown, penalty kill, defensive first uh, center who can definitely still bring some offensive upside. Uh, I expect him to play probably the whole season at Providence, really learn how to play center and maybe you’ll see him up in Boston in the 2026 27 season or you know things could go wrong and you might see him before then. Um, but I think he is someone who really kind of jumped leaps and bounds his last year at UMass and certainly made a great first impression in his first couple of weeks in Providence. Dons Loach Melis, remember the name. Next guy we’re looking at is a guy you’re pretty familiar with, let’s be honest. Uh that next guy is James Hagens. So obviously we kind of know the deal with James Hagens. Seventh overall pick just last month. Um really fell into the Bruins lap. I still see it as a slam dunk kind of pick. I know some people have pushed back on it just a little bit, but to me James Hagen’s huge upside. Absolutely the pick at number seven. People complaining that he only was a point of game player as a 1718 year old in Hockey East are stupid. I’m sorry. That’s just that’s just a stupid take. Like he’s playing against 24 25 year olds and he was playing alongside two NHLs that he was referring to and he was only a point a game for one of the very best college hockey programs in the country. I’m sorry. I can’t I can’t take that as like a downside for James Hagens. Um I fully expect him to go back to BC this year, although he hasn’t announced it yet. Uh it would obviously make the most sense. He goes back to BC, becomes a 60 65 point guy, maybe a Hobie Baker finalist and becomes the guy at the Heights. You could see James Hagens at the end of the 2025 26 season after the BC season is over. The Bruins have a couple more games just to just to ride out the regular season. I think you could absolutely see James Hagens up on that level at that point. But probably a guy whose best cocky or best first impression for the Bruins is coming not this next season, but the season after. Now, let’s look at the guys who are truly a few years away. Okay? Like, not you’re not going to see him at the end of this season. You’re not even going to see him in Providence this season. They are truly a few years away from making anything happen. And the first guy on this part of the tier is one of my favorite prospects for the Bruins. And that is Will Zeers. The guy who played the USHL this past year as a 19-year-old and lit it up. USHL player of the year. He came to Boston from the Charlie Coyle trade which sent Coyle to Colorado. Zeers and Casey Middlestat and a draft pick to the Bruins. He was one of the only real prospects in Colorado system, obviously at a very uh young young age. Um and then they traded him to Boston for a rental that they’ve already let Charlie Coyle go um and sent him out to Columbus. Will Zelers to me is one of the most fascinating prospects and mouthwatering prospects in this Bruin system. He’s a long way away. Okay. Again, played in the USL as a 19-year-old. He’s going to North Dakota this year, one of the best college hockey programs in the country. Decommitted from truly one of the best in Boston University, so he might be a few more years away than he would have been. Uh, but this kid is a pure goal scorer. No ifands or buts. This kid wakes up in the morning, he laces up his skates, and he scores goals. That’s all he does. He won the USHL player of the year for the Green Bay Gamblers, and he led the league in goals with 44 points per game in 1.37 and led the league in shots. He did it on a 21% shooting percentage. He also went and pitched in 27 assists to go along with his 44 goals, 71 points in 52 games. The kid just pounds a puck, man. He’s just a goal scorer. You can’t teach it. And he was part of the best power play in the US, which was 27%. Um, still has a lot to learn, obviously. Um, and we’ll learn that with a couple of years in Grand Forks playing for the Fighting Sue. Oh. Oh Can’t say that anymore. Can’t say the Fighting Hawks of North Dakota. Um, he will learn a lot about a full 200 foot game. It’s no Hockey East, but they play some pretty good hockey out there. What the CCHA? Um, he will learn a lot in college. I see him as kind of a to use a Bruin, uh, a former Bruin as an example. I see him as kind of a Michael Ryder type. I I don’t think he’s ever going to become like this elite playmaker. I don’t think he’s going to be an elite 200 foot guy, but he’s got an instinct for scoring goals and you really can’t teach that. So, uh, that’s someone I’m really excited about seeing, you know, going through the ranks, college hockey into the AHL. Um, with his scoring touch, it could be a lot of fun, but you just might not see it in Boston for I I would say three or four years, maybe even 22 years old. I think that’s probably a good a good uh benchmark for him to hit uh to be a realistic prospect for this team at age 22. Next guy we’re looking at, I also did a segment on him um just a few days ago, so check that out on the channel if you haven’t seen it already. Because of that, I’ll keep it quick, but it’s Vashek Blar, the no-name prospect, the guy who they draft in the fourth round, taking a flyer, and they don’t even have a graphic for him. and everybody’s looking for his elite prospect page. They can’t find it because they’re looking for Vashek Blanar when he was actually Vashek Richards for a long time. Uh, grew up in Colorado. Uh, has Swiss ancestry, I want to say, and is playing in Sweden. Vashek Blar, offensive defenseman, certainly with a bit of potential on both ends. Uh, looks a lot like Mason Lori. And I know to a lot of Bruins fans who are impatient, that’s a bad comp. They don’t want to hear that. I love Mason Loai and I think he is going to take some serious steps forward in this season. He just needs some time, man. He’s just needs a lot of time at the NHL level and unfortunately for the Bruins, you couldn’t hide Mason Loai because of how bad you were. So Vashek Blanar takes all the good things in Mason Loy. Big, tall, exceptional skater at 6’4. great on his edges. Uh, everybody was gushing about him in development camp in the drills. Adam Mcuade um was really speaking very highly of him and McUade was kind of running the camp. So, Vashek Blanar could be that next diamond in the rough as a fourth round pick, but I think he’s going to go back and play in Sweden this year. It’s going to be a couple years before you see him. Last guy that we’re going to talk about today, not so much a diamond in the rough, but we’re worried that he might become a firstround draft bust after just one year. Of course, that next guy who’s a couple years away is Dean Lerno, currently playing at Boston College. Uh we all know kind of how this went. First round pick last year, um 25th overall, kind of coming in the um in the Lenus Olmark deal. There are already people that think Dean Lerno is a bust after one season of college hockey. And I’ll admit it really wasn’t good. I don’t think he’s a bust yet, but it was not a great first impression. He went straight from prep hockey to Hockey East at Boston College. And he has already admitted, the Bruins have already admitted that probably wasn’t the best move. Um, in fact, I think a lot of us at the time were saying that’s kind of a crazy move. That doesn’t happen. and it showed. He only had two points in his year at BC. They were two assists. He was a healthy scratch quite a bit. Um 67 is I think the reason why the Bruins were so intent on drafting him in the first round. A center big tough like it’s just classic. All the things that the Fabian Lysel pick was, this one wasn’t. Um it’s it’s all the things that Cam Neely and Don Sweeney absolutely love. And I think because of that, a lot of Bruins fans uh rush to say he’s a bust because when Neil and Sweeney get guys like this, whether it be through free agency or the draft, they tend to be busts. Okay. Um but Dean Lerno isn’t that yet. I think he’s going to get more of a solid role and is going to understand the college hockey game a lot better. And what is really close to a pro game, let’s be honest. Um with the NCAA and Hockey East, he’s still getting used to that. Um, I think he’s still a good couple of years away, three maybe four years away, but I’m not ready to list Dean Lerno as a complete bust just yet. It was just a tough look that the Bruins were so bad this year and their first round pick was doing nothing at BC. Uh, it was just a tough look. I I think it was just a tough one for Bruins fans to to watch this whole season. So, let me know who you’re most excited about in this Bruins prospect pool. Let me know down in the comments section below. Who do you think is going to make an impact right away? Get involved in that comment section. Be sure to like the video and subscribe to the channel if you are finally excited about kind of the long-term future of the Bruins. You can catch us live on YouTube every weekday high noon Eastern time and then wherever you get your podcast as well. Check out the other videos on the channel talking Bruins prospects, the outlook on this year and everything else going on in Boston sports. I’m your host Cam Stewart. Zack Burke keeps us on the air five days a week. Coming up, we’re going to talk about more of the short-term future for the Boston Bruins. Why some experts think they are the number one candidates to just tank for Gavin McKenna. Is that the route the Bruins should go? Let’s talk about it next on the Camp Show. We’ll be right back after these quick words from our sponsors. This is Rogue Media Network. I don’t know if Bubble wasn’t here. 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Cam Stewart, Zack Burke keeping us on the air as we do every weekday high noon Eastern time live on YouTube and then get wherever getting get and then you can get it. There you go. Wherever you get your podcast as well. We talked about the Bruins prospects in this one and uh the main kind of concern in that is that most of them are a couple of years away. Most of the ones that I think have a ton of upside are a couple of years away. And that kind of leads us to this season. What does this season look like? I’m going to go out on a limb. I’m going to say the Boston Bruins are not Stanley Cup contenders going into this season. In fact, I’d say they have a very small chance, very, very small chance. They need a lot to go right in order to just make the playoffs at all. So, in the NHL in 2025, that then begs the question, should the Bruins tank, we have a generational prospect coming in in the 2026 draft, the consensus, number one overall pick, getting the comps to uh Conor McDavid, to Sydney Crosby. Gavin McKenna is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. For one lucky team that sucks so hard in this NHL season, they will get a guy who can instantly change the future of their franchise with the Penn State hockey player Gavin McKenna. So that said, should the Bruins tank? Bleacher Report certainly thinks so. They put out a list today of the eight teams that should tank for Gavin McKenna. Number two on the list, only behind the San Jose Sharks, who are at a perpetual tank. Number two on the list, the Boston Bruins. The write up goes like this. This will be a dicey season for the Bruins. Was their last place finish in the Atlantic Division really a one-year hiccup or myriad factors or a foreoding sign of things to come for many years? We’re probably going to find out quickly. Their season has a high boomer bust potential and if it busts they’ll be heavily in the mix to land Gavin McKenna. Last season they got off to a brutal start thanks to not signing Jeremy Swayman sooner than a few days before the first game of the season. Lost Berseron to retirement the year before culminated in a 70point season. Jim Montgomery being fired who was quickly hired by the St. Louis Blues and a whole lot of swimming upstream. Next season we will see similar questions. They didn’t make any splash moves. added depth in free agency with Tanner Jano, Shan Carelli, and Michael Asimol. Resigning Morgan Geeki was necessary, but expensive. And they’ll have to hope that top defenseman Charlie Makavoy and His Lynholm return to their elite forms after dealing with injuries and being led by a firsttime NHL coach in Marco Stern. For the Bruins to make the postseason this year, a lot a lot needs to go right. They need Jeremy Swayman to go back to all-star form and then some. They need Morgan Geeki to score 30 goals again. Um, they need someone else on the team to score like 20 25 goals and that seems like a huge ask at this point. They need Elias Lindholm to be at least a 60point guy which he’s only done a few times in his career playing next to some elite talent in Calgary. And they’ll need their defenseman to come back healthy and be at their best. Ais Lindholm was not at his best in 23-24. looked better going into the beginning of this season and they’ll need him to go back to where he was in 22 23. They’ll need Charlie Makavoy to recover from a weird injury and be better than he was the last season plus. There’s a lot that needs to go right for the Bruins to make the postseason. A lot. So, should they tank should they tank for Gavin McKenna? Yes, they should. We’re in a world where if you’re not going to make any kind of noise, if you’re nowhere near contention, why even risk it? Why not say, “Let’s bring up the kids this year. Let’s see what they’ve got and let’s give us a shot at a top five pick.” That’s really what the Bruins should have done earlier last year and could have gotten even higher in the draft than they got at seven. And that’s probably what they should do this year. I know Bruins fans don’t like to hear it. I don’t want to do it either. I don’t want to go into a season where they just suck the whole year and you want them to suck. But any chance you have at getting Gavin McKenna, I think, is a much better chance than you have at competing in the Stanley Cup playoffs. I know there are people who will say, “Well, if they just get in, anything can happen.” And I know, I know. But we’re talking about not a bunch of questions that need to be answered for the Bruins to be contenders. We We’re talking about the Bruins need a ton of questions to be answered to even be in the playoff picture. To even have a shot, a lot needs to go right for them to even have a shot at making the postseason in this division in particular. like, okay, if all goes right, if Elias Lindholm and Hampus Lindholm and Charlie Makavoy and Jeremy Swayman and Casey Middlestat all have bounceback seasons and David Poshock is still a 100point guy and Morgan Geeki scores 30 goals again, does that even make you better than Montreal? Does that make you better than Ottawa? It certainly doesn’t make you better than Tampa or Florida or Toronto. So, how are you sneaking into this thing? Where’s the back door that the Bruins get into the postseason this year and then anything can happen? I know it sucks. I don’t like being so negative about it, but let’s let’s live in reality here. What what is a better chance of happening this year? The Bruins getting Gavin McKenna in the NHL draft or them making the postseason, winning a postseason series? Let’s be honest with ourselves. It’s Gavin McKenna. And if you’re looking at the teams in this league that have a real shot at them, yeah, the Bruins are in that handful of teams, you know, Bleacher Report says it’s a boomer bust season. And I think that’s being flattering to the Bruins. I think that flatters them to say that they’re much closer to Seattle, Pittsburgh, San Jose than they are to Toronto, Florida, Tampa, like much clo they’re definitely in more of a company of like Chicago or Buffalo than they are even a Detroit who I think is going to make the postseason this year or could I I think I think they could be better than Ottawa. They’re closer to Chicago than they are to Columbus, you know? I I just don’t like where are the goals coming from for the Bruins. They they were not a playoff team last year. Obviously, they weren’t even really close. And the number one thing they needed to do was improve their scoring. And instead, they got Tanner Jano and Sean Carelli and Michael Asimo. They were a bad bad team last year and they didn’t get better. And after the trade deadline when they cleaned house, they were bar none one of the worst teams in the NHL. They were horrible. And that’s the team that you’re rolling out this year. Like let’s be honest, man. I know you get Makavoy and Hippis Lynholm back, but they’re both coming off pretty significant injuries. And you don’t have Marshand. You don’t have Carlo. You don’t even have Coyle. You’re a bad bad hockey team. The Bruins are like on paper the Bruins are a bottom of the barrel NHL team. Should they tank for Gavin McKenna? Yeah, they should. Without question, they should be in on Gavin McKenna. If it comes to March, mid-Marchch, and they’re in the playoff picture, or they’re a point out of it, maybe that’ll change things because I do think there is a benefit to having a young roster that is at least going for it in any sport. Like, you see what it did to the mentality of the Philadelphia 76ers after tanking for so long. They h they finally did get some talent, but then those guys don’t know how to win. they don’t know how to compete because they’ve never been told to at the at the professional level. So I if that’s the case, then maybe I’ll change my tune on it and say, “Yeah, screw McKenna. Let’s try to make the playoffs this year, get a couple of games under these guys’ belt, and maybe they’ll become like Washington, who was one of the worst playoff teams I ever I’ve ever seen two years ago, and then last year they were excellent the whole season. The best team in the Eastern Conference.” So maybe I’ll change my stance on it, but right now on paper, the way this Bruins team looks, I think you’d be crazy to think that they’re more likely to be a playoff team than they are to be a in the Gavin McKenna sweep stakes. And this Gavin McKenna kid is incredible. I know I’m not the first one to tell you that, but with the comps and the highlights and the measurables, Gavin McKenna is much closer, I think, to a Sydney Crosby, Conor McDavid comp as a number one overall pick than he is someone like a Ryan Nan Hopkins, Taylor Hall comp as a number one overall pick. Okay, this kid is really, really special. He’s probably going to be the best prospect in the NHL in the last decade since Conor McDavid, baby Conor Bard in there as well, who is his cousin. I know some people don’t like hearing that. Um, I would do just about anything to have Gavin McKenna on the Boston Bruins in the long term. Anything. And if it means really, really sucking this year, I’m okay with that. I’m okay with that. The Bruins desperately need someone who is going to be the cornerstone of their franchise for the future. The way they got Sedochara in free agency in 2007, David Posternok is going to be one of the best players in the history of the Boston Bruins organization. He’s not the cornerstone for the future. Okay, he’s still in his prime now. I’m talking about young 15 years ahead of them to be the face of your franchise. Gavin McKenna is that I think it would be stupid if the Bruins continued to go one foot in, one foot out, pretend like they’re good, even though they know in their heart of hearts they’re not, and ruin their chances at Gavin McKenna. I think it would be stupid. But then again, the Islanders were battling for a playoff spot all the way up till the end last season and they somehow got the number one pick in the draft. Anything can happen. But should the Bruins tank for Gavin McKenna? Let me know in the comments section below. Be sure to like the video, subscribe to the channel. You find us every weekday high noon Eastern time live on YouTube right here. Only about 5% of you watching the videos are actually subscribed. Guys, help us out. Throw a subscribe in there. you’ll get notified whenever we’re going live and whenever we’re dropping videos about the Bruins and the world of the NHL. We’re doing it every weekday. Check out the other videos on the channel to talk Bruins prospects, everything else going on around this team. I’m your host, Cam Stewart. Zack Burke keeps us on the air five days a week. Help a brother out, man. Just like and subscribe. It’s totally free. Like, it’s totally free. Coming up next on the Cam Show, we’re going to talk about who I have now anointed the most overrated Boston athlete of my lifetime. Let’s talk about it next. We’ll be right back after these quick words from our sponsors. This is Rogue Media Network. Protect your online privacy with NordVPN. Browse securely, access content from anywhere, and keep your data safe with militarygrade encryption. Whether at home or on the go, NordVPN ensures your digital freedom. Stay secure. Download NordVPN today at nordvpn.com. That’s nordvpn.com. 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With over 20 years of experience, our expert staff who’ve dived everywhere from the Galapagos to the Maldes provides personalized advice to help you find the perfect gear for any underwater journey. Shop leading brands like GoPro, Aqualong, and Scuba Pro. Whether you’re a beginner or a pro, trust scuba.com for the best in diving equipment and expert guidance. Explore now at scuba.com. That’s scuba.com. scuba.com. And now back to our show. Welcome back to our show. It’s the Cam Show on Rogue Media Sports Network. I’m your host, Cam. Cam Stewart, Zack Burke, keeping us on the air. We talked a lot of Bruins so far, top Bruins prospects, who we’re looking at, when we want them. Um, we’ve also taken a look at the fact that maybe they should tank this year. Maybe they should just tank from McKenna. Maybe that’s just the way to go. Now, let’s take a look at the Red Sox, shall we? Fox Sports put out their all-time Red Sox team on Twitter and it has confirmed a a really sad fact for me to bring up, but I have to confirm it as fact. The most overrated Boston athlete of the 21st century is officially Dustin Padroya. And this breaks my heart because when I was growing up as a Red Sox fan, in the best time ever to grow up as a Red Sox fan, I loved Dustin Pedroya. How could you not? I still do. I love him as a player. Like, he was he was the guy that everybody wanted to be, okay? He was gritty. He was good, you know? He valued singles and doubles. He wasn’t just a TTO guy. He was a good defender. He was always getting his uniform dirty, hustle, captain-like player. How could you not love Dustin Pedroya? The problem is this has gone too far. Here’s here’s the Fox Sports all-time Red Sox team. And sitting there at second base is Dustin Pedroya. Guys, I’m sorry. I hate to be that guy who is going to bring up somebody that none of us watch play live, but you’re crazy if you’re doing an alltime Red Sox team and you have Dustin Pedroya at second base over Bobby Door. Like, it’s just not there. It’s not it, folks. Bobby Door is the greatest second baseman to ever play for the Red Sox. It’s not a landslide, but it’s definitely true. Bobby Door’s in the Hall of Fame, first off, which Dustin Bedroya won’t get into, despite what some Red Sox fans think. And when we put their best season side by side, it’s it yields some very interesting results. Obviously for Dustin Pedroya, it’s going to be his 2008 MVP season. And for Bobby Door, it’s going to be the year that he came in second place in the MVP voting in 1944. Let’s take a look at that here. Uh, it’s tough to see, but when you’re doing the counting stats, it still goes to Dustin Pedroya, who got a few more games, but it’s not going there by very much. Okay, look at that. I mean, just percentage points over some of these had a little bit more power than Bobby Bobby Door did. But if you look at the the actual stat stats here, like the non-counting stats, the percentage stats, it all goes to Bobby Door, which for me makes makes for a better player. And the one that really sticks out to me is that OPS plus 123 for Dustin Voya in 2008. That’s a hell of a season, but when you’re talking about what is that 165 for Bobby Door? I can barely see it. 165. He was 65% better than the league average hitter in his best season. I hate to do this, man, but Dustin Pedroya has entered the realm of overrated. I get it. Fan favorite, World Series champion, has three rings with the team. Actually, was he on there for a fourth? No, sorry. Yeah, three. 0713 2018. Three World Series rings with the team. a huge part of two of them. Like absolutely a fan favorite, but I’ve got Red Sox fans telling me he should be in the Hall of Fame. He should have his number retired. He should be on the all-time team. That’s just not true. It’s just not true. And part of it is really unfortunate. Dustin Bedroya is probably not a Hall of Fame candidate because he had so many injuries and it really shortened his career and it took a lot of games out of his prime. like that’s probably what did it. But when we’re talking about Hall of Fame or all-time teams, we do need to take that into account that he didn’t play enough, that he had too much of his prime taken away. Bobby Door uh did have some of his prime taken away because he was serving in the war. Like it’s different, but like it is it’s really not that much of a comparison. Bobby Door had 100 RBI in a season six different times as a leadoff hitter. He was a career leadoff hitter and hit the 100 RBI mark six times. That’s nuts. Dustin Padroya’s best RBI years of his career was because he had David Ortiz batting right behind him. I’m not going to take that away from Dustin Pedroya and say, “Oh, he sucked because of that.” But it is something that you need to take into account. And it’s for me the retired number like that is the ultimate honor you can have with a team that should be reserved for the very best players who have played for your franchise. And the Red Sox are 125 years old. You look at their retired numbers, there’s there are none that are out of place. The only one that wasn’t a legit hall of fame player was uh Johnny Pesky who was part of the Red Sox organization for like six years, man. I think that’s okay. Everyone else is in the Hall of Fame. Dustin Pedroya is not amongst that elite crew. He’s just not, man. That’s reserved for Ted Williams and Carly Stressky and David Ortiz and Pedro Martinez. It’s not reserved for Dustin Pedroya. I’m sorry. and the similarity scores that he has throughout his whole career. Howie Kendrick, Daniel Murphy, Starland Castro, DJ Lamew, Xander Bogarts, none of those guys are Hall of Famers. None of them. Not a single one. No one will come even close from that group. The closest is maybe even Bogarts. of his 10 of his 10 similarity score guys on baseball reference, one of them is in the baseball hall of fame and it’s kind of a controversial one at Joe Mau. His similarity scores by age when you look at his prime years, the similarity scores are Jose Vidro and Michael Young. Good players, no doubt, but not Hall of Famers. And no one would argue that they are. When you look at Bobby Doors, they’re Tony Lazeri, Hall of Famer. Joe Tory, Hall of Famer as a manager, but also a pretty decent player, probably on the par of someone like Dustin Pedroya, you know, um Travis Jackson and Bill Mazeroski in his prime years, Ryan Sandberg in his last few years. Those are his similarity scores. Those guys are hall of famers, you know, and you know, you didn’t have a gold glove back then because Dustin Padroya won what, three or four gold gloves, but Bobby Door is known as one of the best defensive infielders of his generation. He led the league in put outs five times. He led the league in assists um three times, assists as an infielder, I should say, three times. He turned the most double plays in the league six times. like he was uh his range factor which we now know about and his fielding percentage as a second baseman. He led the league in fielding percentage four times. He was the best in range factor four times as a second baseman. Range factor per nine innings as a second baseman if you want that. Four times he led the league. So those would have led to gold gloves like without a doubt. And he was an all-star in his career. He was an all-star nine times. Nine times in 14 seasons he was an all-star. And he actually got in the Hall of Fame as as a veterans committee vote, which was a huge oversight. A career OPS plus of 115 even for a guy whose last couple of years were just kind of getting by. Career OPS plus for Dustin Pedroya, 113. Close. Absolutely. I’ll give you that. But Dustin Pedroya is not the all-time second baseman for the Boston Red Sox. And I will not move off of that. And he is because of that right there with Paul Pierce as the most overrated Boston athletes of the last 25 years. Sorry. Another big mistake on this list that I I would be remiss if I didn’t point out. Um, Sai Young should not be on there, which I know some people will think is crazy. Some people will still think Sai Young is the best pitcher of all time. He’s got the pitcher of the year award named after him. He’s got the most career wins. He’s also got the most career losses. The best starting pitcher in Boston Red Sox history is Pedro Martinez because again, as I’ve talked about on this show several times, he has the best peak of any starting pitcher ever. Full stop. And the second best starting pitcher in Red Sox history is Roger Clemens. It’s not Sai Young. It’s just not. The rest I think is pretty on board. I’m okay with actually having Mookie Bets over Dwight Evans. I’m okay with that. Even though Dwey was a really good player for a long, long time. Um Jim Rice could also put up a a case against Mookie Bets, but I think Muki is a better player. First base. I’m glad they got this. This is why this is why I’m so bent out of shape on them not having Bobby Door because they did go 90 years in the past to get the best first baseman in Red Sox history and that is Jimmy Fox. Maybe the most underrated player in Red Sox history because the teams he played for really sucked and it was 90 years ago. But this dude was averaging like 120 RBI a year. He was a machine. He was one of the best power hitters in all of baseball uh in a time that still had Lou Garri and Babe Ruth. like he was literally kind of the next guy. It was like I mean this is Garri’s prime year so it’s like Garrick Fox Melt like he’s right up there with some of the best power hitters ever. So I’m glad they got that but Dustin Pedroya no way no how I’m sorry man it pains me. I I don’t I don’t want to be the guy that says Dustin Padroya is overrated but I got to speak the truth here. He’s a very good player who had his career cut short both like in his prime and towards the end of his career. Um it should have been more than it was, but that’s not his fault. Okay, it is a bit of a sympathetic story. I think if he did have a healthy career, he would make a real legit Hall of Fame case, but he didn’t. And he doesn’t. And I think it’s okay for Red Sox fans to admit that because again, we’re in this fan culture where if you’re not the greatest, then you’re trash. It’s like social media construct. Like, oh, this dude’s garbage because he hasn’t won five championships or he’s not the best player in his position in the league. Like, Dustin Bedroya was one of the best second baseman in baseball throughout his prime years, if not the best. But he’s not a Hall of Famer. He’s not a guy who should have his number retired with the Red Sox and he shouldn’t be the second baseman on their all-time team. Let me know what you think in the comments section below. This could get controversial. Have at it, man. Tear it apart. If you don’t agree, let me know in the comments section below. Be sure to like and subscribe. If you agree with some of the other parts of the Red Sox all all century alltime team, let me know in the comments section below. Like and subscribe. Only about 5% of you are actually subscribed to the channel. We’re putting out Boston sports videos every single weekday. So, hop on, subscribe. It’s completely free. Check out the other videos on the channel talking Red Sox, talking Bruins, and everything else going on in the world of Boston sports. I’m your host, Cam Stewart. Zack Burke keeps us on the air every weekday. Thank you so much for making it a part of your daily routine, and we will see you tomorrow on a little diddy that we like to call the Cam Show. [Music] Transform your workspace with Hanomi Ergonomics. From adjustable chairs to standing desk, we provide solutions for comfort and productivity, whether at home or in the office. Improve your posture, reduce strain, and work smarter. Visit us at hanomi.co today. That’s homi.co today. [Music] Experience the future of secure private cloud storage with Internx. Protect your files with end toend encryption, ensuring your data stays private and accessible only to you. Enjoy seamless, fast storage without compromising security. Visit internx.com today and take control of your digital life. That’s in trenxt.com today. [Music] Protect your online privacy with NordVPN. Browse securely. Access content from anywhere and keep your data safe with militarygrade encryption. Whether at home or on the go, NordVPN ensures your digital freedom. Stay secure. Download NordVPN today at nordvpn.com. That’s nordvpn.com. [Music] At Tusanaines, we understand that maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be challenging, especially in today’s fast-paced world. That’s why our mission is to make fitness accessible to everyone, anywhere. Committed to excellence, we adopt a user- centric approach guided by ergonomics and medical science. With a team of seasoned professionals in R&D, design, and manufacturing, we prioritize quality across our entire product line. Visit tusaines.com today and start your journey to better health. That’s t os i ns.com. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Applause] [Music]
The Boston Bruins’ prospect pool, once considered among the league’s weakest, is finally on the rise! After strategic drafting and development, the future is looking significantly brighter for Black and Gold. This isn’t your old Bruins system – new talent is bubbling up, and some key names are on the cusp of making a real impact in the NHL.
In this video, host Cam Stuart dives deep into the exciting potential of the Bruins’ revitalized prospect pipeline. We’ll highlight top prospects like James Hagens, the dynamic center taken 7th overall in the 2025 NHL Draft, who brings elite skill and playmaking. While he’s likely headed back to Boston College for 2025-26, his future impact is immense. We’ll also look at Fraser Minten, acquired in the Brandon Carlo trade, a strong two-way center with NHL experience who could push for a roster spot as early as this season.
Don’t forget about Fabian Lysell, the highly skilled winger who has had flashes of brilliance and is looking to finally secure a full-time role. Plus, keep an eye on rapidly ascending prospects like Dans Locmelis, who dominated the AHL in a short stint and impressed at the World Championships. With a mix of high-end draft picks and rapidly developing AHLers, the Bruins’ future is more promising than it’s been in years. Find out who else is poised to make the jump and what impact they could have on the NHL roster soon!
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