The Boston Bruins were fortunate enough to draft a potential franchise player in James Hagens with the seventh-overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. But they could get an even better player with the top pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
That player is Gavin McKenna. His numbers being compared to those of Auston Matthews and Connor McDavid. His overall skills set is on par with Patrick Kane‘s. And, he’s the reason why the Bruins could embrace a tank during the 2025-26 season. A tank could mean an opportunity to land next generational talent.
But let’s start with Hagens. Hagens had been projected as the top pick in the draft for some time. However, Matthew Schaefer overtook Hagens as the consensus top pick. That situation led Hagens to fall all the way to #7.
That was the Bruins’ gain. They got a player who could be a top-line center in the NHL. He could be a franchise cornerstone for years to come.
Now, imagine having two such players. It would be like the Blackhawks, who once draft Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. Two franchise players that can transform a middling team into a Stanley Cup contender.
The Bruins are close enough to getting a similar opportunity this upcoming season. The team is close enough to the bottom of the standings to where another season in the Eastern Conference cellar could put the Bruins in a solid position to win the NHL Draft Lottery next spring.
Does Bruins Tank Mean Losing on Purpose?
A common misconception about tanking is that teams lose on purpose to get a high draft pick. It’s not that teams lose on purpose when tanking. It’s that team management doesn’t do everything it can to get players who can help the team win.
In a tank, management sells off the best players on the team for prospects and draft picks. Then, the club essentially ices a team full of subpar veteran players or inexperienced younger ones. That sort of lineup leads to losing more often than winning.
If a team finishes near or at the bottom of the NHL standings, that team gets the best chance to land the top overall pick.
As it stands, the Bruins have already failed to make significant additions this summer to signal they’re looking to compete for a playoff spot. The team is not terrible, but it could use upgrades.
But those upgrades have not happened, at least not yet.
Tanking Is Double-Edged Sword
Tanking isn’t anything new. In 2015, the Buffalo Sabres blew the season for a shot at Connor McDavid. They finished dead last and one the second-overall selection. The Edmonton Oilers got McDavid while the Sabres got Jack Eichel.
The next season, the Toronto Maple Leafs hacked the team apart for a shot at Auston Matthews. The Leafs had their worst season in four decades and landed the top overall pick. The club landed its future captain.
Those two examples serve as cautionary tales. While a Bruins tank could lead to Gavin McKenna, it could leave the team painfully short. There’s nothing to assume the Bruins are tanking this upcoming season.
But if there’s a realistic chance the Bruins could land Gavin McKenna, the club would be remiss to pass on the opportunity.
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