The Bruins picked Dean Letourneau in the first-round of the 2024 NHL Draft but he didn’t pan out exactly how they wanted in his first year.

Before Boston picked Letourneau, he played in prep school at St. Andrew’s College in Ontario. He tore up prep school, totaling 127 points on 61 goals and 66 assists through 56 games in his last season.

The 6-foot-7, 210-pound forward played just two games in the United States Hockey League with the Sioux Fall Stampede.

After Letourneau was drafted to the Bruins, he opted to go to Boston College instead of staying another year in the USHL. Typically, the USHL is used as a way to develop players before they make the switch to either college or professional hockey.

With the 19-year-old’s choice, he struggled in his first season with the Eagles. He skated in 36 games, tallying three assists and a plus-6 rating. His production ranked at the bottom of BC’s freshman class. Meanwhile, current 2025 draft prospect James Hagens popped off the stat sheet.

Boston general manager Don Sweeney admitted on Wednesday that Letourneau could have used an extra year in the USHL.

“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,” Sweeney told reporters on Wednesday.

Sweeney does believe that physically, Letourneau’s game did translate well to the college level. The Bruins prospect will be headed back to the Eagles in the fall, meaning he can prove himself more in his sophomore season.

“He’s been tested mentally and physically,” Sweeney said. “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.”

NORTHFIELD, Minn. – Head coach Tracy Johnson announced the hiring of Ashley Holmes as an assistant coach for the St. Olaf College women’s hockey program on Thursday.

Holmes joins Johnson’s staff after spending two seasons as the director of operations for the University of Minnesota women’s hockey program. Prior to that, she served as an assistant coach at fellow Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) member Augsburg University for nine seasons.

“Ashley is the perfect fit for our program,” Johnson said. “She brings incredible energy, passion for developing student-athletes, and a commitment to the values of Ole Athletics. She also brings a proven track record of success in recruiting and in building programs that compete at the national level. I have no doubt that her experience, work ethic, and ability to connect with players will help take our program to the next level. We are thrilled to have her join the St. Olaf family and can’t wait to see the positive influence she will have on our student-athletes.”

At the University of Minnesota, Holmes managed and organized all aspects of team travel, oversaw all administrative functions of the women’s hockey office, coordinated scheduling of facilities for team practices/functions, and was responsible for video operations, among other responsibilities. The Golden Gophers posted a 56-22-3 (.710) record during Holmes’ two seasons and qualified for the NCAA Tournament in both seasons, including a run to the Frozen Four in 2024-25, while finishing both seasons ranked in the top five nationally.

During her nine seasons at Augsburg, Holmes helped the Auggies to a record of 123-73-24 (.614) and eight consecutive MIAC Playoff appearances from 2016-23. She was primarily responsible for the team’s defense and coached one two-time All-American, eight All-MIAC selections, seven Honorable Mention All-MIAC honorees, and one MIAC Rookie of the Year. Holmes recruited 52 traditional first-year and 11 transfer student-athletes over nine recruiting classes at Augsburg.

Holmes played collegiate hockey at the University of North Dakota, skating in 138 games while earning All-Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) Academic Team honors in 2011-12 and WCHA Scholar-Athlete Award honors in 2009-10. She graduated from North Dakota with a bachelor’s degree in biology/pre-medicine and a minor in psychology in 2013 before earning a master of arts in leadership from Augsburg in 2018. Holmes got her start in coaching as an assistant coach at Alexandria Area High School in 2013-14, helping the program to a Section 6A title and a fifth-place finish in the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) Class A State Tournament.

 

Holmes joined head coach Tracy John’s staff after spending two seasons as the director of operations for the University of Minnesota women’s hockey program. Prior to that, she served as an assistant coach at fellow Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) member Augsburg University for nine seasons.

At the University of Minnesota, Holmes managed and organized all aspects of team travel, oversaw all administrative functions of the women’s hockey office, coordinated scheduling of facilities for team practices/functions, and was responsible for video operations, among other responsibilities. The Golden Gophers posted a 56-22-3 (.710) record during Holmes’ two seasons and qualified for the NCAA Tournament in both seasons, including a run to the Frozen Four in 2024-25, while finishing both seasons ranked in the top five nationally.

During her nine seasons at Augsburg, Holmes helped the Auggies to a record of 123-73-24 (.614) and eight consecutive MIAC Playoff appearances from 2016-23. She was primarily responsible for the team’s defense and coached one two-time All-American, eight All-MIAC selections, seven Honorable Mention All-MIAC honorees, and one MIAC Rookie of the Year. Holmes recruited 52 traditional first-year and 11 transfer student-athletes over nine recruiting classes at Augsburg.

Holmes played collegiate hockey at the University of North Dakota, skating in 138 games while earning All-Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCFA) Academic Team honors in 2011-12 and WCHA Scholar-Athlete Award honors in 2009-10. She graduated from North Dakota with a bachelor’s degree in biology/pre-medicine and a minor in psychology in 2013 before earning a master of arts in leadership from Augsburg in 2018. Holmes got her start in coaching as an assistant coach at Alexandria Area High School in 2013-14, helping the program to a Section 6A title and a fifth-place finish in the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) Class A State Tournament.

 

The 2025 NHL Entry Draft is upon us! The Boston College men’s hockey program has several players and recruits who are likely to be picked by professional teams this year, including a possible top-5 player in James Hagens and another potential top-5 pick they’ve been recruiting. Here’s everything you need to know as a BC hockey fan to follow this year’s draft.

When:

Round 1 of the draft begins at 7PM ET on Friday June 27th. Rounds 2-7 of the draft begin at 12PM ET on Saturday June 28th.

How to Watch:

NHL Draft coverage of the first round will be broadcast live on ESPN and ESPN+. Rounds 2-7 will be broadcast live on NHL Network and ESPN+.

First Round Watchlist:

Boston College center James Hagens is expected to be the first Eagle taken off the board. Most mock drafts have him going to either the Nashville Predators at #5 or the Philadelphia Flyers at #6, but I’ve seen him even as low as #10 to the Anaheim Ducks. Regardless of what happens, Hagens is going to be a coveted player in this year’s class and may sign with his professional team after he gets drafted. Read our profile here.

Caleb Desnoyers, an all-around center out of the QMJHL, is a top prospect in this year’s draft. Many analysts have him going in the top-10, with some even going as far as to put him as the #3 overall selection by the Chicago Blackhawks. The only problem for BC fans is that he has yet to make any sort of NCAA commitment. Reports from the recruiting trail have indicated that Greg Brown and his staff are heavily pursuing Desnoyers as an addition to the Boston College recruiting class, but we have yet to hear anything about an official commitment. It’s still worth keeping your eyes out for this potential future Eagle.

Another QMJHL winger, Justin Carbonneau, isn’t a Boston College Eagle yet, but he’s been rumored to be interested in BC as his next playing destination. He’s a super strong 6’1” forward who has a powerful shot and a great scoring ability from anywhere in the offensive zone. Though he hasn’t committed anywhere in the NCAA, BC fans may want to keep an eye on him. Most mock drafts have him being selected somewhere in the first round to teams like the Buffalo Sabres at #9, the Detroit Red Wings at #13, the Columbus Blue Jackets at #14, and the Montreal Canadiens at #16.

Incoming freshman center William Moore is another Eagle that could be taken in the first round of this year’s draft. Moore is going to be an important part of BC’s incoming class as they look to him to fill in some of the scoring gap left by Ryan Leonard, Gabe Perreault, and perhaps James Hagens. Moore isn’t a shoo-in to be a first round selection, but he’s been floated in a bunch of mock drafts somewhere in the #28-32 range or in the second round. Read our profile here.

Who to Watch in Rounds 2 to 7:

Luka Radivojevic is a smaller defenseman at 5’10”, but scouts have noted that he plays tough and fights for positioning against larger players very well. He’s likely an incoming freshman for BC this fall and will add to their already stellar defense. In this year’s draft, we expect him to be taken somewhere in the third or fourth rounds. Read our profile here.

Teddy Mutryn is the son of former Boston College quarterback Scott Mutryn and is likely slated to arrive on the Heights in 2026. He’s a solid two-way center and has the potential to be a BC mainstay for multiple seasons in their middle 6. On draft day, we’ll likely see him get selected somewhere in rounds 3 to 5. Read out profile here.

Ryan Cameron could be the future of the goaltender position at Boston College. He’ll have very large shoes to fill after Jacob Fowler left in the offseason to go pro, and certainly will have competition with Jan Korec for the starting slot this season. We expect him to go late in this year’s draft, potentially in rounds 6 or 7. Read our profile here.

Graham Jones is another recruit that BC is expecting to arrive soon, either this fall or in 2026 depending on how the roster shakes out. Jones is a small 5’8” but makes up for it with speed, skill, and hockey IQ. Regardless, his size is a limiting factor to his pro potential and he will likely be selected in the 7th round, if at all, in this year’s draft. Read our profile here.

Gavin Cornforth is a BC man through and through. He’s rooted for the Eagles ever since he was a little kid and committed to them as soon as he was able to do so. The 5’10” winger has a long way to go before he’s ready to contribute at the professional level, but he could be selected late in the draft in the 7th round. Read our profile here.