By: Eamonn McLean | Follow me on Twitter/X @EamonnMcLean44
It’s no secret that the Boston Bruins have been searching for an offensive defenseman since the departure of Torey Krug in 2020. The team’s power play has lacked a true quarterback since the Royal Oak, Michigan, native joined the St. Louis Blues.
This draft class has a variety of high-end defense prospects, but one that fits the description of what the Bruins are looking for is Tommy Bleyl. Bleyl moved to the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League this season after spending his D-1 year at Cushing Academy and playing a few games in the United States Hockey League with the Dubuque Fighting Saints.
Background
Position: Right-Shot Defenseman
Birthdate: December 1st, 2007
Hometown: Schenectady, New York
Height and Weight: 6’0″, 170lbs
2025-2026 Team: Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)
2025-2026 Stats: 63 games played, 13 goals, 68 assists, 81 points, 33 penalty minutes, +58 rating.
NCAA Commitment: Michigan State University (Big Ten). Expected enrollment for 2027-2028 per EliteProspects.
Where is He Ranked?
EliteProspects.com: 48th
Craig Button/TSN: 27th
NHL Central Scouting (North American Skaters): 17th
DailyFaceoff: 27th
Sportsnet/Cosentino: Not in Top 32
Sportsnet/Bukala: 32nd
Profile and Highlights
When watching Bleyl play, it’s hard not to notice how comfortable and patient he is with the puck on his stick. If he’s quarterbacking the Wildcats power play on a five-on-three opportunity, he doesn’t just walk in and try to shoot for the sake of doing so. He waits and makes a short pass to a teammate to try and draw the opponent out of position, and once they make a mistake, he pounces.
Bleyl is also good at getting his shot through from the point. A fair amount of his points were from getting shots through traffic for his teammates to tip in, or shots that just beat the goaltender cleanly. His ability to navigate the offensive blue line is another strength. He might not be the fastest straight-ahead skater in the draft, but his edge work and balance are up there. The Bruins do not have someone in the pipe line currently with the abilities that Bleyl posesses.
Why Bleyl Makes Sense for the Bruins
As previously mentioned, Bleyl fits the profile of an offensive defenseman/power play quarterback, something the Bruins have long been searching for, most recently highlighted by their pursuit of Rasmus Andersson prior to the NHL Trade Deadline. Much like when Torey Krug was developing in Boston, the Bruins might be a good fit for Bleyl, as he won’t have to be a first-pairing defenseman in Boston. When Krug first entered the league, he was able to develop behind Zdeno Chara, who could handle penalty kill and difficult defensive matchups, allowing Krug to showcase his offensive ability. If the Bruins were to draft Bleyl, he would be able to develop behind Charlie McAvoy, who is probably more geared towards even strength and penalty kill situations than he is quarterbacking a top power play unit.
Why the Bruins Might Go Elsewhere
Bleyl has tremendous offensive upside; however, he is on the smaller side at 6’0″. The Bruins have historically drafted larger defensemen under Don Sweeney, and the last time they drafted a defender 6’0″ or smaller was in 2021, when they selected Ty Gallagher 217th overall. Perhaps this year’s playoffs where smaller players like Logan Stankoven and Lane Hutson have stolen the show would be enough to change that trend, but recent history suggests otherwise.
Leave a Reply