“We’re excited about Ivan… because he’s played games. He’s got experience, he’s got versatility to his game.
Here’s a player who’s worked his way from being an undrafted player to a tryout to an AHL deal to playing games on a really good team.
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So we think there’s some versatility there, a change of scenery for him will be welcome. He’ll come and compete for a job.”
In the third round, Boston chose Swedish right wing Nils Bartholdsson with the 88th overall selection.
Bartholdsson recorded 32 goals and 19 assists for the Rogle BK junior team before entering the draft.
“A really competitive kid, plays a gritty type of game, good at carrying pucks through the neutral zone, likes to get pucks on net,” said Ryan Nadeau, Bruins director of amateur scouting.
“I saw him over in Sweden and got to see him on their national team. A really big part of their offense.
Not shy about shooting, not shy about competing on pucks. Just a player type that we value and we’re happy to take that pick where we did.”
The Bruins used their first of three fourth-round picks on Russian right wing Matvei Kotkov at 104th overall.
Boston then traded the 111th pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins for the 170th pick and a 2027 fourth-round selection, before taking Swedish left wing Oscar Olsson at 119th overall.
In the fifth round, Boston drafted its first North American player, selecting 6-foot-5 defenseman Jacob Vandeven 157th overall.
With the acquired 170th pick in the sixth round, the Bruins selected Slovakian goaltender Roberto Henriquez, who went 21-9-4 with a 2.22 GAA for the Green Bay Gamblers.
“We didn’t want to go a draft without picking a BC guy,” said Nadeau. Henriquez is committed to play for Boston College this upcoming season.
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Boston concluded its draft by selecting 19-year-old American right-shot defenseman Cullen McCrate with their final pick in the seventh round.
