BRIGHTON, Mass. — The Boston Bruins are hosting their annual development camp. It’s a crucial summer session that joins the Bruins’ staff with some of the organization’s recent draft picks and top prospects.
It’s hard to miss one of the B’s best prospects, 6-foot-7-inch Boston College forward Dean Letourneau.
Boston drafted him with the 25th overall pick in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft. That winter in his freshman season at Boston College, Letourneau struggled, only posting three points. Then, he bounced back for a hugely successful sophomore season that featured 22 goals and 39 points.
“Yeah, I think it was a mix of confidence and just the work I put in in the summer,” Letourneau said. “I didn’t really think about making it, it wasn’t necessary to think, ‘Oh I have to go from the bottom all the way to this.’ It was just, I have to go a little bit each day, and so, basically it was just getting better every day.”
Elliott Groenewold is another prospect with regional ties. He is a defenseman at Quinnipiac and grew up in Springfield, Vermont. Boston 25 sports reporter Lauren Walsh asked him what it means to wear the Bruins “B” on his chest.
“It’s really special,” Groenewold said. “Every year I come back here and get to throw the sweater on, it’s really special. I’ve been a Bruins fan my whole life and now being a part of it and being in this facility is really a dream come true. Got to keep putting in the work, and hopefully I’ll be here someday.”
Groenewold had high praise for Letourneau after skating with his fellow draft classmate.
“I think Letourneau, he was great today,” Groenewold said. “He had a really great year last year. Even though he had a tough freshman year, he really bounced back.”
The Bruins are off until rookie camp, which starts September 11, with main training camp opening September 16.
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