Bruins GM Don Sweeney admits regret over handling of first-round pick

The Boston Bruins’ top pick in 2024 didn’t meet expectations in his first college season, and the team now admits they may have rushed his transition.

Boston wanted results fast, but Letourneau’s freshman year proved they might’ve moved too soon

Dean Letourneau looked like a can’t-miss prospect coming out of prep school.

Big frame, soft hands, dominant numbers.

Everything you’d want on paper. But once he left St. Andrew’s and stepped into real competition, things changed fast.

Boston grabbed him 25th overall last summer after he lit up the prep scene in Ontario. He was scoring at will—61 goals, 66 assists, 127 points.

You don’t ignore that kind of production, even if it comes outside the top leagues. The issue? That was the last time things came easy.

Letourneau skipped USHL time, and it showed

Instead of taking the more traditional route through the USHL, Letourneau decided to head straight to Boston College. On paper, maybe it made sense. In practice, it didn’t work.

He suited up for 36 games with the Eagles and finished with just three assists. Not a single goal. For a player picked in the first round, that kind of stat line sticks out. And not in a good way.

This week, Bruins GM Don Sweeney admitted the organization might have misjudged how fast to move him.

We talked a little bit about what would be the best place in terms of Dean and in hindsight, I think we all agreed that maybe another year in USHL, a full year of USHL would have been the best path.

There’s still belief, but no shortcuts from here

The Bruins aren’t backing off Letourneau. Sweeney still sees value in the pick. But he also made it clear: now it’s on the kid to dig in and do the work.

He’s been tested mentally and physically, He’s putting in work now that he has an understanding of how much work it requires to play and that level and be successful.

Sweeney said.

Letourneau’s going back to BC this fall. What happens next will be on him. If he puts the pieces together, Boston will feel validated. If not, this will go down as a lesson in patience they didn’t show soon enough.