Back in 2016, Don Sweeney and the Bruins drew some questions from fans and media alike when they opted to take a physical center in Trent Frederic with the 29th overall pick in the first round.
Three years later, the B’s — still in search of bolstering their depth at the pivot with both Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci not getting any younger — charted a similar course when it came to their first-round selection.
While a few prospects with higher offensive ceilings might have remained on the board as Sweeney and his staff strode up to the podium with the 30th overall pick, Boston opted for another big-bodied — but skilled — center with its first selection in John Beecher.
It’s easy to draw the parallels between Frederic (6-foot-2, 203 pounds) and Beecher (6-foot-3, 209 pounds), although the latter might possess a much higher ceiling.
His stat sheet might not jump off the page when compared to some of his teammates on a loaded Team USA National Team Development Program (NTDP) U-18 squad, but Beecher is an intriguing blend of speed and snarl. Already advanced when it comes to using his large frame to win battles, establish a heavy forecheck and protect the puck against opposing skaters, Beecher is far from a big, lumbering presence when he’s deployed out on the ice.
Just about every scouting report centered on Beecher leads with the 18-year-old’s skating ability, with the center routinely catching defensemen flat-footed when gliding into the offensive zone. A few more years of development will be crucial for Beecher, who is set to play at Michigan this fall.
Even if his offensive numbers are a bit more pedestrian than say,
Jack Hughes
or
Trevor Zegras
, Beecher’s totals (15 goals, 28 assists over 63 games) were also the byproduct of serving in a bottom-six role on his NTDP team — with both Hughes and Zegras handling top-six duties.
Given his wheels, size and playmaking ability, Beecher could really turn the corner when it comes to his offensive potential during his time with the Wolverines, and it could very well translate up to the pro hockey ranks in due time if he earns top-six minutes.
When projecting Beecher’s impact up at the NHL level, I see him as more of a third-line center than say a
Jack Studnicka
, who almost seems destined to take the reins from Krejci in the coming years as a top-six presence.
While his scoring capabilities could grow as he continues to develop, Beecher doesn’t exactly project to be a top scoring threat in the NHL, but if he progresses as expected, he could be a key cog on as a top-nine skater, especially when it comes to killing penalties and establishing puck possession during even-strength play.
One player that Beecher reminds me of a bit is
Sean Kuraly
— albeit with a bit more pugnacity to his game and a higher ceiling if he continues to take big steps forward. Perhaps comparing your first-round pick to your fourth-line center could cause some B’s fans to stew, but anyone who watched Boston this season knows how key a player like Kuraly is to this club.
Having a player like Kuraly/Beecher that can skate at an elite level, match up against a top-six option on the other team and kill penalties is a valuable asset for any team, and Beecher could very well add much more of a scoring punch than Kuraly. While some other options at No. 30 such as Bobby Brink or Arthur Kaliyev could be offensive dynamos if they live up to expectations, Beecher's unique skillset does set him apart from most other skaters in the first-round prospect pool.
He may not be winning any scoring titles down the road, but if Beecher develops into the type of player
and keep the puck away from the other team at 5v5 play, then he’ll be an effective weapon on some great Bruins teams of the future.
While Boston has another four picks in the 2019 NHL Draft to address other areas of need (winger, right-shot defenseman), the B’s at least have some solid options down the pipeline at the pivot position in Studnicka, Beecher and Frederic.
Beecher may not be able to help the Bruins in the next year or two, but if he helps fill some of the void left by both Bergeron and Krejci when they eventually hang up their skates, Friday’s pick will have more than paid off.
“If we can move into the top part, yeah, I would probably look to draft a centerman as a replacement down the road,” Sweeney said Monday when asked if the center position would be a priority for the draft. “I think that Studnicka is a player who has offensive attributes. We’re going to see him be a pro this year and develop. He won’t be rushed along. He’s got areas of his game he needs to continue to evolve and get stronger.
“Again, Frederic is another centerman, so we have depth within the organization, but it’s hard to replace (Bergeron & Krejci). Those guys are elite, elite hockey players and have been such for a long period of time. Generally, you have to select them, draft them, develop them and put them in there and let them grow.”
