Dean Letourneau ALREADY a BUST? 🤯 Bruins’ 1st Round Pick in Trouble! | Boston’s BRIGHTEST Prospects!

Dean Letourneau ALREADY a BUST? 🤯 Bruins’ 1st Round Pick in Trouble! | Boston’s BRIGHTEST Prospects!

The Bruins finally have a prospect pool to get excited about. And to go along with it, the Bruins suck. So, we can follow these prospects along and actually get some hope for the future. Now, there are these guys who are in between, right? Potra, Fraser, Mitten, Fabian, Lysel, even Georgie Mulov still who are prospects but are going to play on the team this year. And then there’s James Hagens who’s the next thing, the great hope for the Bruins. What we’re going to try and find is somewhere in between these guys who are playing amateur hockey that are not named James Hagens who actually have to prove something this year for Bruins fans to get excited. First guy on our list couldn’t go any further than this. The Bruins amateur prospect with probably the most to prove is Dean Lerno. First round pick in 2024. had a just awful season at Boston College in his first year. Played in 36 games and tallied just as many goals as I did for Boston College last year. Zero goals, three assists in 36 games. Um it was felt like a bit of a reach pick at the time, but he was graded out as a first round prospect. Um but it felt like the Bruins were really chasing the position. 67 220 lb center. Exactly what the Bruins need in every facet. Only problem was he was 18 years old. He was just coming out of Canadian prep hockey and he was jumping to Hockey East. A decision that 12 months later, Don Sweeney, the GM who drafted him, said that was a mistake. In hindsight, that was a mistake. Of course it was. That’s why he barely registered on the score sheet for the Eagles this year. I can’t believe somebody didn’t get into Dean Lerno’s ear and said, “You know what? You played a couple of games in the USL last year. You should really stay there.” Like, I know you’re 67, but you can’t just barrel through everybody in Hockey East. Okay? There are going to be kids that are older than you, that are bigger than you weightwise, and have played a lot more highlevel hockey than you have. and he got exposed big time. And the other part that puts a ton of pressure on Dean Lerno is not only is he just a first round pick, but he was the first round pick that came in the leanest trade, which is going to go down as a really bad trade for the Bruins, even though they had an incumbent starter at goal in Jeremy Swayman. They got Jonas Corposalo who’s one of the worst goalies in the entire league and he played less than 30 games last year for the Bruins. They got Mark Castelik who fans like but he is a fourthliner with zero offensive skill and they got Dean Lerno and this looks like a project. As Fran Fchillo would say in the NBA draft, he’s two years away from being two years away. You looked at the highlights at the time when he was drafted and you love it, man. He’s 67. He’s physically dominant until you realize he’s playing against Canadian high school kids. Couldn’t dominate physically in Hockey East and it showed. He’s supposed to have a great shot. We truly don’t know yet with zero goals at the NCAA level. Good skater for a guy his size. The other part of the pressure, not just coming in the Lena Soulmark trade, he also gets compared on draft night to Tage Thompson, 67 with a hard shot. Anytime you’re being compared to a guy of that ilk who could legitimately be an MVP in the next couple of seasons, there’s going to be a ton of pressure on and a year on from being drafted in the first round, a lot of Bruins fans are already writing off LNO as a bust. This is a big time year for the kid at age 19. Okay, I don’t I’m not ready to say he’s a bust just yet because of all that we just talked about, but the pressure is certainly on. If he has another bad year, which could happen, he’s still clearly trying to figure it out. Um, then that could re that snowball effect could really start going for this kid who even didn’t even really have a good development camp this year. Um, there were still some worries about his game at development camp the first couple of days. It’s not like we start we’re starting to see stuff that’s like oh he’s right on the right path here. This could take a couple of months. So number one Dean Lerno ton of pressure on the kid. Number two Bruins amateur prospect with the most to prove. Will Zellers also entering college hockey this year at the University of North Dakota. Now Zeers was kind of the the focal point of the Charlie Coyle trade. Uh you had to get Casey Middlestat in addition to that. But I really think the Bruins were focusing in on that trade to get Will Zers. He had a terrific year in the USL last year. He led the league in goals with 44, added 27 assists. So more of a goal scorer than a playmaker. Let’s just say that. And he won the USHL player of the year with the Green Bay Gamblers. The kid’s a stud. Okay. The kid has plenty of offensive skill. What he’ll need to prove this year is that it’s not going to take two or three seasons to get adjusted to that next level. He’s 19 years old. He’s not the biggest kid in the world and he’s about to play some major college hockey at the University of North Dakota. Um it’s funny reading his scouting reports. The Daily Faceoff one said at times he was too fast for his teammates in the USL. he was too fast and he would just get himself into corners and there was nowhere to go. I don’t think that’s going to be a problem in the NCAA. I I don’t think Will Zers is going to be too fast for the guys in college hockey, especially playing at a program like North Dakota with the real national championship ambitions that they have. Why there’s a ton of pressure on him is that offensive skill. There’s a ton of pressure on this kid. He’s got so much to prove because he’s a gifted goalcorer. And inevitably, when the Bruins have another year this next year like they had in 2425 when they suck and they can’t put the puck in the net, you’re going to be looking at any prospect who can put the puck in the net. Will Zellers can do that better than anybody in the US could last year. Okay? They are going to their their mouth is going to water these Bruins fans when they see that they’ve got a kid who hopefully is starting to light it up in college hockey can be a transformative offensive player. His skill is really high. Um the everyone says the hands are can translate to the NHL. He’s got to build up a bunch of physicality which he will obviously learn at the college hockey level. So that’s why it could take a little bit. Um he’s going to be playing with Cole Resnney, a first round pick of the Flames, um alongside him at UND, but there’s still going to be a ton of pressure on him. The Bruins fans know they need young, controlled offensive talent. They don’t have it right now. Um it’s still a couple of years off in terms of their pipeline. Maybe James Hagens uh at the end of next year. Maybe Matthew Potra turns into something more than what he’s been. six goals in 66 NHL games so far. But Will Zellers is going to be the guy that they’re looking at. But if you’re looking at what he’s done so far, can’t beat it, right? He won the USHL player of the year. He led the league in goals and he decided to play in the USHL unlike Dean Latero. So, probably a bit more of a natural progression uh into the Boston Bruins pipeline rather than jumping ahead to the NCAA uh when he shouldn’t have been doing that. My favorite is from the athletic scouting report that says he’s a quote thorny pain in the ass. The Bruins could use some of that. A thorny pain in the ass who could put the puck in the net. Boy, that’s tough to play against. Not what the Bruins GM thinks is tough to play against. actually tough to play against. Will Zellers at number two with the most approved for Bruins prospects. Number three, second round pick, William Moore. Now, he’s another guy that’s going to BC this year. And honestly, I think that’s the biggest reason why he’s got to prove something this year. That’s not even necessarily his fault. But if the Bruins are going to keep drafting guys and sending them to BC, we need to see some results. James Higgins is going to be a good player. You picked him in the top 10. But there’s a bunch of Bruins prospects that are playing at Boston College. Guys who have looked like Bus so far in Dean Lerno. Guys you thought would have taken the next step by now like Andre Gasso. And then there’s somewhere in the middle is William Moore. Okay. After getting the slam dunk top 10 pick in James Hagens that pretty much everybody but Mike Feler agreed was the right pick and a great pick. They then reached again, which is so patented, Don Sweeney and Cam Neely. They then reached again in round two to get this kid William Moore. Uh he played for the US national development team last year and to be quite frank offensively for a kid who’s supposed to be a playmaking center. He had just 21 points in 25 games for the national team last year. did go on to to be their leading scorer at the U8 World Championships. So, something to take from that. But 21 points in 25 games for the development team, not great. Looking at the same year age-wise that James Hagens played for that team at his age 1617 season, he scored 102 points in 58 games. So that’s the kind of drop off you’re talking about from the Bruins first round pick to the second round pick when it comes to their production for the US national development team program. Um but again did lead the UA team championships in points for team USA. So, um, this scouting report that I, the most popular scouting report I saw on him says he really does the little things well and is a good playmaker in tight areas, specifically down low in that low slot, which is surprising because he’s not the most physically imposing guy, at least not yet. Um, it’s also surprising because he only had 21 points in 25 games. The other thing that I think puts some pressure on William Moore is the fact that I think he’s really close to exactly what this Bruins front office wants. For better or for worse, you know, well, I don’t like the way they’ve evaluated talent. I don’t like the way they’ve gone for things in the Don Sweeney era, but William Moore is very close to having all the great things that Bruins fans and Bruins management wants. He’s 6’2, but he’s only 174 pounds. He’s got to fill out that frame. If the playmaking is what they say it is and he can have a large frame on him, then absolutely William Moore will be a piece for the Bruins in the next three seasons or so. Um, don’t want to make him a power forward by any means, but he’s got to have the physicality to play not just at the NHL level, but let’s start at the Hockey East level. You know, everyone said James Hagens was too small. He’s three inches shorter than William Moore and he’s 15 pounds heavier. Again, the same age. Hagen’s going to turn 19 in December. Okay, William Moore sitting there at 174 pounds. That ain’t going to cut it. Ain’t going to cut it in the NHL, the AHL, and definitely not in the NCAA. He’s got to get bigger. He’s got to prove that he can be that creative playmaker that everybody says he is in the scouting reports, but didn’t necessarily show for the US national development team program uh in 2024 2025. Like Dean Lerno, like probably Will Zellers as well. This is going to take some time. When when you’re watching BC in November, William Moore is not going to be one of the standout guys. Trust me. Okay. You’re hoping by the time you get to the bean pot and they’re not playing BU that he does become one of the standout guys, but he’s got to fill out that frame and he’s got to get that scoring touch back. Bottom line, number four on the list, we’re going to take a look at the Heights once again. Number four, Boston Bruins prospect with the most approved this year, Oscar Yelvic. This is a very interesting situation. He’s one of the litany of Boston College Eagles that is part of this Boston Bruins pipeline. And notice I didn’t mention him as the guys like, you know, Dean Lerno who looks like a bust, Andre Gasso, who we’re still waiting on. Um James Hagens, who’s the next great hope, somewhere in the middle there is Oscar Yelvic because he was on a heck of a trajectory when we were looking at it at this time last year. But now all of a sudden, he’s getting old pretty fast. Okay, he’s going to turn 23 during the middle of the college hockey season in February and he’s still going to play out that final season for BC. Now, here’s why it’s interesting. He got hurt at the Bean Pot last year and missed the remainder of the season. Now, he wasn’t having a terrific season anyway. He only had 13 points in 23 games, but he was awesome the year before. in his second year at BC, he had 42 points in 41 games and was electrifying on the wing. Um kind of made that transition from center to wing where he’s going to mostly play now. And I think that’s actually something that’s really welcome for the Bruins if they can get a winger that can score. That’s kind of the next thing that they need. He played really well at Bruins development camp in 2023. that kind of carried over into that 23 24 season and then he kind of lost the touch last year and then got hurt. So this needs to be a real big bounceback year for Oscar Yelvic who’s going to have to sign his entrylevel contract at the end of this season. Time is running out all of a sudden for Oscar Yelvic. But when he was having that good solid year in 23 24 he was really doing it all. He was scoring. He was setting up. He was playmaking. Played both on the power play and the penalty kill for one of the best teams in all of college hockey. That’s a really versatile winger that the Bruins could really use. Maybe he just ends up being a shutdown kind of forward penalty killer. Um, you know, bottom six guy in the NHL. Maybe at best he’s Pavle Zaka. But I’d take that. Pavlov Zak is a nearly 60 point guy a couple of these years on a really good contract. Voscar Yelvic can be that. That would be a heck of a success story. Um he can play center but mostly playing on the wing. So good news for Bruins fans if you’re going to watch this year. Don’t be surprised to see him on the same line as James Hagens or William Moore or Dean Laterno or Andre Gasso. all centers, all property of the Boston Bruins, all playing for the Boston College Eagles this year. So, don’t be surprised if his center that’s setting him up or he’s setting up is also a Boston Bruins farm hand. Oscar Yelvic, the time is now. I believe in Yelvic, but the time is now. Those are the four Bruins amateur prospects that need to prove the most in this 2025 2026 season. Who is the biggest prospect for you outside of James Hagens? Let me know in the comments section below. Be sure to like the video, subscribe to the channel. We’re bringing you nothing but Boston Sports every weekday live at high noon Eastern time and then available wherever you get your podcasts as well. I’m your host, Cam Stewart. Zack Burke keeps us on the air five days a week. Check out the other videos on the channel. Talking a lot of Bruins, a lot of Red Sox, all Boston.

The future of the Boston Bruins rests on the shoulders of their young prospects, and for four players in particular, the 2025-26 season is a high-stakes proving ground. This video dives into the make-or-break year for four of the Bruins’ most intriguing prospects: Dean Letourneau, Will Zellers, William Moore, and Oskar Jellvik.

We start with Dean Letourneau, the 2024 first-round pick who finished his freshman season with a stunning zero goals. The “bust” talk is already heating up, and we break down why his upcoming season at Boston College is a crucial test of his mental toughness and offensive potential.

Next, we look at Will Zellers, a new name in the system and an elite goalscorer in the USHL. Can his offensive firepower translate to the collegiate game at North Dakota, or will he be a one-year wonder? We then turn to William Moore, a draft-day steal with a high hockey IQ who must now commit to a physical, center-ice game to reach his ceiling. Finally, we discuss Oskar Jellvik, a veteran college forward with a lot to prove, who must show he can consistently take the next step to earn a pro contract.

This is more than just development—it’s a battle for their careers, and the future of the Boston Bruins is on the line.

#BostonBruins #BruinsProspects #DeanLetourneau #WillZellers #WilliamMoore #OskarJellvik #NHL #HockeyProspects

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