By: Eamonn McLean | Follow me on Twitter/X @EamonnMcLean44
The 2014 National Hockey League Entry Draft was a franchise-altering event for the Boston Bruins. While it was not known at the time, it was the final draft that former General Manager Peter Chiarelli would oversee in Boston. Boston made five picks, selecting 25th, 56th, 116th, 146th, and 206th overall. Who did they take with those five selections, and where are they now?
#25. David Pastrnak – Boston Bruins
Looking back on the first round of the 2014 Draft, it’s almost comical to see the names selected before Pastrnak. Michael Dal Colle, Jake Virtanen, Nick Ritchie, Brendan Perlini, Jakub Vrana, Robby Fabbri, and Conner Bleackley were all selected before Pastrnak, and all find themselves currently playing outside of the NHL.
Debatably the biggest steal of the draft, and perhaps the best pick of Chiarelli’s entire tenure in Boston, Pastrnak has recorded three straight 100-plus point seasons in Boston, and has turned himself into a perennial 40-goal scorer, absurd value for a late 1st-round selection.
#56. Ryan Donato – Chicago Blackhawks
With their second-round selection, the Bruins took Donato out of Dexter Southfield after dominating the prep school scene with 78 points in 30 games. The Scituate, Massachusetts, native enjoyed a productive collegiate career playing under his father at Harvard before turning pro in 2018.
Donato showed flashes of his potential in Boston, but never quite figured it out, eventually being traded to the Minnesota Wild as part of the Charlie Coyle trade. He bounced around for a bit, spending a year in San Jose with the Sharks, before making another stop on the West Coast with the Seattle Kraken. At 29, it appears he’s finally becoming the player the Bruins believed he could be in Chicago, recording a career high 31 goals with the Blackhawks this season, being rewarded with a four year extension.
#116. Danton Heinen – Pittsburgh Penguins
After sitting out the third round, the Bruins found value again, picking Heinen, who had captained the British Columbia Hockey League’s Surrey Eagles in his draft year. Heinen had a productive two-year career at Denver University before signing with the B’s in 2016.
Heinen’s first stint in Boston was solid, putting up 47 points in 2017-18, but his production decreased after that. He was traded to the Anaheim Ducks in a one-for-one swap for Nick Ritchie at the 2020 Trade Deadline. The Langley, British Columbia, native didn’t last very long in California, spending two seasons with the Penguins before returning to Boston in 2023. His second stint with the B’s was again, a success. He signed last summer with his hometown Vancouver Canucks, but was traded mid-season to the Penguins where he is today.
#146. Anders Bjork – Free Agent
With their next selection, the Bruins took Anders Bjork out of the United States National Team Development Program. Like Donato and Heinen, Bjork went the NCAA route, spending three seasons at the University of Notre Dame, signing with the Bruins in 2017.
The Mequon, Wisconsin, native struggled with injuries throughout his time in Boston, eventually being shipped to the Buffalo Sabres as part of a package for Taylor Hall and Curtis Lazar. After a brief stint with the Blackhawks, Bjork has been out of the NHL since 2023 and spent last season in the American Hockey League with the Milwaukee Admirals. He is currently a Free Agent.
#206. Emil Johansson – Dresdner Eislowen
The only player in this class not to play an NHL game, Johansson was selected in the seventh round by Boston out of the HV71 organization in Sweden. The defenseman played three seasons in Sweden before eventually signing his Entry-Level Contract with the Bruins in 2017.
After two and a half years with Providence in the AHL, Johansson returned to Sweden in 2019 to rejoin HV71. Since then, the Vaxjo, Sweden, native has bounced around Europe, spending two years in Finland with Sport, and parts of three seasons in Germany with EHC Munchen. He will play a fourth season in the DEL this year, joining Dresdner Eislowen.
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