Today, we will continue grading the Bruins’ 2017 Draft Class. Today, we’ll be taking a look at Boston’s fourth and sixth-round selections. It is worth noting the Bruins did not have a third or fifth-round pick.
Round 4, 111th Overall: Jeremy Swayman/Goalie
Grade: B-
Swayman is a six-foot-two goaltender from Anchorage, Alaska.
He most recently played in the USHL for the Sioux Falls Stampede where he had a .914 save percentage and a 2.90 goals against average.
Swayman will be playing for the University of Maine before officially entering the NHL.
Like most of the Bruins’ draft class, this pick felt safe. Swayman is a low risk and medium reward kind of player.
Anton Khudobin is the Bruins current backup goaltender, but the Bruins haven’t been satisfied with his performance thus far, so taking a goalie in the mid rounds makes sense. It’s also always nice to have a goal tender in development in case of injuries.
The only concern with Swayman is that he didn’t win very often in the USHL. He led Stampede to a 7-18-3 record. While judging a prospect strictly by wins wouldn’t be fair, it is a stat worth noting.
Verdict: There isn’t much concern with Swayman as a player, however the Bruins probably would have benefited more by waiting till the sixth round (where Swayman likely would have still been available) to draft a goaltender.
Round 6, 173rd Overall: Cedric Pare/Forward
Grade: B-
Pare is a forward from Lewis, Quebec.
He recently played for the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League as a member of the Saint John Sea Dogs. He recorded five goals and eleven assists in sixty four career games.
Pare has the ability to play both winger spots, but his natural position is at center.
Pare didn’t have a lot of production, but that is largely due to the fact that his minutes were limited. Additionally, he played on his teams fourth line.
The young center may not have raw scoring ability yet, but he’s big and he’s good with the puck. Pare is 200 pounds and has seen great improvement in his skating over the years.
Verdict: Pare’s scoring ability is a concern, but his size and skating ability leave a lot to be excited about.
