Boston Bruins
“I think it was partly just the confidence in my ability. I knew what I could do.”
Dean Letourneau scored 22 goals in his sophomore year at BC. Boston College Athletics
As disheartening as it was for Dean Letourneau to glance at his stat line in 2024-25, the Bruins’ 2024 first-round pick wasn’t losing hope after an arduous first year in the collegiate ranks.
The Bruins certainly took on some risk when they plucked a 6-foot-7, raw talent in Letourneau with the 25th pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.
As tantalizing as Letourneau’s blend of size and scoring punch was, there were questions about just how a potential boom-or-bust talent like Letourneau would fare with making the leap from prep competition (127 points in 56 games at St. Andrew’s College) to the gauntlet that is Hockey East.
Those questions were answered harshly for Letourneau and the Bruins during that freshman year at Boston College, with Letourneau scoring zero goals and just three assists over 36 games.
Faced with the first sizable setback of his young hockey career, Letourneau did not ponder a fresh start elsewhere after a disastrous first year at Boston College.
Instead, the Bruins prospect counted down the days to his return to Chestnut Hill — hopeful for a chance at putting those struggles in the rear view mirror.
“I think it was partly just the confidence in my ability,” Letourneau told reporters at Warrior Ice Arena on Monday about fighting through his early struggles at BC. “I knew what I could do. … I think that was an uncommon year for me; that wasn’t something that I was expecting. So I was trusting my abilities to bounce back and have the year that I did, so I think that was the biggest part of it.”
What a difference a year can make.
A year after being labeled as a potential draft bust, Letourneau has shifted the narrative around his pro potential — boasting arguably the highest ceiling of any player in Boston’s burgeoning prospect pipeline.
”Coming off the first year, I think confidence was probably the biggest issue,” Letourneau acknowledged at Bruins Development Camp. “So just going into the last year with full confidence in my abilities, and I knew what I could do.”
Letourneau’s sophomore season was night and day from his freshman-year struggles with the Eagles.
Any college player who can pot 22 goals and collect 39 points in 36 games against Hockey East competition deserves plenty of attention.
Especially when a player with Letoruneau’s offensive upside also boasts a 6-foot-7 frame and already weighs in at 235 pounds.
While Letorueanu’s slick hands and blistering shot allowed him to stuff the stat sheet against fellow prep players, it’ll be his physical tools that will allow him to potentially dominate in the pro games.
But, as evident as that sentiment might be upon watching Letourneau tower over the ice, both he and Bruins director of player development Adam McQuaid acknowledged that leaning into those physical traits stood as one of the top hurdles for the young forward to clear before his breakout year.
“It was a big jump the previous year,” McQuaid said Monday. “I give him a ton of credit, because he stayed confident and believed in himself and stuck with the process, and I think he learned a lot last year that he carried through into this year.
“He came in with high expectations for himself, and he had a great year. The big things are he’s using his size a little bit more, he’s embracing that, processing the game faster, and then just on top of taking steps physically, he’s getting stronger and quicker.”
Letourneau’s game isn’t necessarily rooted in a bruising approach out on the ice.
But, similar to Tage Thompson — a 6-foot-6 forward who represents Letourneau’s ceiling in the pro ranks — Letourneau can complement his high-end offensive skillset by outmuscling opponents in Grade A ice, using his reach to fish out skittering picks, and make life miserable for even the sturdiest defenders in the pro game.
Letourneau isn’t ready to make the jump to the next level quite yet.
But, another year spent at BC — where he should hold court as the Eagles’ top forward after fellow Bruins youngster James Hagens turned pro — should have Letourneau ready to make a push next spring as part of Boston’s next wave of promising talent.
“Definitely feels a little closer,” Letourneau said. “Definitely feel a little more ready for the next step. “The goal is to go back to BC and have a more dominant year, and then see what happens from there.”
Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.
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