Dean Letourneau, the Bruins’ first-round pick, faced significant challenges during his inaugural NCAA season at Boston College. Transitioning from prep school hockey in Canada, he stepped into a fourth-line center position due to an open roster spot. Despite completing the season with no goals and three assists, there is a consensus that the experience was valuable for his development. Player development director Adam McQuaid emphasized the steep learning curve and the necessity of battling for ice time. GM Don Sweeney noted that a full USHL season might have been more beneficial, but Letourneau aims to grow from this experience.
"It's a massive jump. And going to a program where he went to, where they were top-ranked in the nation and they're always having talent coming and going from there. It was a step. But I think it was a good opportunity for him to be around those guys and practice and have that level of battle that's there, fighting for your ice time. It was a year of growth, for sure."
"He honestly handled it really well. There were days of disappointment where he felt like he could and wanted to impact more."
Collection
[
|
...
]