Golden second chance

Bruins come out of lottery at No. 2

April 14, 2010|On hockey, Kevin Paul Dupont, Globe Staff

The Bruins weren’t winners in last night’s bounce of the Ping-Pong balls, but they held serve, which means they’ll pick second in the NHL’s June 25 draft.

Welcome to Boston, Tyler Seguin or Taylor Hall. Can’t wait to see what you have.

“We are going to get an impactful offensive forward,’’ said an elated Peter Chiarelli, the Bruins general manager, less than an hour after the lottery was conducted at the league’s Manhattan headquarters. “We’re undecided. We’re still assessing.’’

But, said Chiarelli, the next and brightest young light in the franchise definitely will be either Seguin, a center, or Hall, a left winger, who are ranked as the two best teenagers available this year. Cam Fowler, who likely would have been the Bruins’ pick had they dipped to third, is a smooth-skating defenseman and potential franchise back liner. But it’s now up to the Florida Panthers, selecting in the 3-hole, to decide whether he’s the guy to bring South Florida hockey back to relevance.

Boston’s choice, its reward for dealing restricted free agent Phil Kessel to Toronto last September, essentially will be made by the Oilers, who in last night’s lottery retained the right to select first overall. Once the Oilers make their selection, be it Seguin or Hall, then the Bruins won’t so much make a choice as collect the spoils of last night’s hold of service.

Either way, heads or tails, Seguin or Hall, the Bruins win, based on the formidable pedigree of these two kids. Though considerably different in playing style, both are widely considered the real deal. Hall, said Chiarelli, is like Jarome Iginla, the rugged and respected winger and cap tain of the Calgary Flames. Seguin, he said, is like current center Steve Stamkos (Tampa Bay) and Hall of Famer Pat LaFontaine.

“That’s lofty company,’’ Chiarelli said, specifically noting the Seguin comps, Stamkos and LaFontaine. “But he’s a terrific offensive player.’’

With more than eight weeks to go before the draft, and the Oilers not tipping their hand as to their pick, there is plenty of time to drill down on the pluses and minuses of each of these forwards and how they will fit in with Edmonton or Boston.

Right now, however, it stands to reason (as much of it as there is in the ever-wacky NHL) that the Oilers would opt for Seguin as a prospective franchise center to tie together some of the many loose parts they have in their forward ranks. If so, the Bruins would nab Hall, which makes abundant sense, given that they have Marc Savard, Patrice Bergeron, and David Krejci more than adequately filling the center position.