By: Eamonn McLean | Follow me on Twitter/X @EamonnMcLean44
It’s no secret that the Boston Bruins need a right-shot defenseman. After all, the team has not selected one in the first three rounds of the NHL Draft since 2018. With the team moving on from Brandon Carlo, and Andrew Peeke likely to depart the organization this summer as well, the team’s depth on the right side of the defense is the weakest it’s been in quite some time.
Adam Goljer could be the first defender selected by the Bruins in the top 50 of an NHL Draft since Urho Vaakanainen in 2017. He could also be the first Slovakian-born player drafted by the B’s since Peter Cehlarik in 2013.
Background
Position: Right-Shot Defenseman
Birthdate: June 7th, 2008
Hometown: Trencin, Slovakia
Height and Weight: 6’2″, 194lbs
2025-2026 Team: HK Dukla Trencin (Slovakia)
2025-2026 Stats: 43 games played, four goals, seven assists, 40 penalty minutes, -17 rating.
Where is He Ranked?
EliteProspects.com: 95th
Craig Button/TSN: 50th
NHL Central Scouting (International Skaters): 14th
DailyFaceoff: 34th
Sportsnet/Cosentino: Not in Top 32
Sportsnet/Bukala: 41st
Profile and Highlights
It’s hard to truly judge how high Goljer’s offensive ceiling is. Similarly to Juho Piiparinen, his points total doesn’t jump off the page, but he’s also playing against grown men as a teenager. When he got the chance to play against his age group with Slovakia, he had 2-3-5 in seven games at the U18’s, and three assists in four games at the Hlinka Gretzky. He was held pointless at the U20 World Juniors.
Goljer was given some power-play responsibilities with HK Dukla Trencin, and he does show the ability to jump into the rush. Another part of why it’s hard to truly judge Goljer’s workload is the quality of the Slovakian league relative to that of the other top leagues in Europe. The Slovakian league does not have as many draft picks or NHL alumni as leagues in Sweden or Finland.
That being said, perhaps what was most impressive about Goljer’s draft year was what he did for Slovakia at the U18’s. Slovakia hosted the tournament and earned a Silver Medal, where Goljer served as team captain. The Slovaks upset Canada 2-1 in their opening game, finishing first in their group, and made it all the way to the Gold Medal game, after beating Denmark and Latvia in the playoffs, where they narrowly lost to Sweden in the tournament finale.
Why Goljer Makes Sense for the Bruins
The Bruins need a right-shot defenseman, and depending on how the board plays out on draft night, Goljer might be the best one available when it’s Boston’s turn at the podium. His size and experience quarterbacking the power play could make him a decent second pairing defender in the NHL one day.
Why the Bruins Might Go Elsewhere
The rankings seem to vary a lot on Goljer. Some have him as a 3rd-4th round selection, while others have him in the late 1st-early 2nd rounds. There might be more intriguing options, such as Nikita Klepov or Elton Hermansson, available in other positions of need.
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