For the third time in five drafts, the Bruins enter Day 1 without a first-round pick.
Boston utilized its 2022 first-round pick at the NHL trade deadline in March to acquire defenseman Hampus Lindholm from the Ducks. It was one of three picks sent to Anaheim in the deal, along with young defenseman Urho Vaakainenen and veteran John Moore.
Now, barring any trades, the Bruins won't be busy on Thursday, the first day of the draft, and will have to wait until Friday to make their first selection.
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Had Lindholm been simply a rental, it would have been a massive overpay as the Bruins failed to even get out of the first round of the playoffs. But the club made the deal worth it by locking in Lindholm to a long-term extension after the trade.
Here's more on why the Bruins don't have a first-round pick and who is using that pick now:
Why don't the Bruins have a first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft?
At the trade deadline this year, the Bruins sent their 2022 first-round pick to the Ducks in a package for defenseman Hampus Lindholm.
The Bruins wanted to add to their defensive core and acquiring Lindholm gave them a top-line left-handed defenseman to pair with star Charlie McAvoy.
Here's the 2022 trade in total:
- Bruins get: D Hampus Lindholm, D Korie Curran
- Ducks get: D John Moore, D Urho Vaakanainen, 2022 first-round pick, 2023 second-round pick, 2024 second-round pick
It continued a trend of Bruins trading away their first-round picks. Without a first round pick in 2022, Boston will have not had a selection on Day 1 of the draft in three out of the past five drafts.
While the Bruins were bounced out of the first round in the 2022 playoffs, Boston made giving up the pick worth it by signing Lindholm to an eight-year, $52 million contract after acquiring him.
Who is picking in the Bruins' position?
The No. 22 overall pick will be Anaheim's to use on draft day. It is the second of the two first-round picks the Ducks have, in addition to owning their own pick at No. 10.
Bruins draft picks in 2022
As it stands, the Bruins are working with six total selections in the 2022 NHL Draft.
In addition to owning their own picks in Rounds 2, 4, 6 and 7, they have the Flames' pick in the third round thanks to the Dan Vladar trade last offseason and the Senators' seventh-round pick that they acquired in the trade for Josh Brown at the deadline.
| Round | Pick (Overall) |
|---|---|
| 2 | 54 |
| 3 | 91 (from Flames) |
| 4 | 119 |
| 6 | 183 |
| 7 | 200 (from Senators) |
| 7 | 215 |
