OK. We are impressed.
A lot of times people hype up prospects when there's not much to be said about the guy. Sometimes, it's just someone being decent in the minor leagues and not much else to it. Oftentimes, guys end up being busts and then no one takes accountability for their incorrect assessment. This one, however, feels different.
John Beecher, the Boston Bruins first round draft pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, seems like the kind of guy who could develop into something special. In hockey it's not so hard to say that. The success rate of first round draft picks not named Malcolm Subban is usually pretty high.
But here's what makes Beecher different: he is playing for Team USA at the moment in the World Junior Summer Showcase. That's right: he is representing the United States of America on the international stage. Sure, Team USA isn't as talented as Team Canada in hockey (in a war, however, it's a different story),
Beecher put up the team's first goal in a bout against Sweden. So yeah, the forward is doing well on the international stage, so I'd say that's a pretty good sign for a young lad.
USA leads Sweden 1-0 after 1 with a goal from John Beecher (BOS). 10 saves for Spencer Knight (FLA) who always makes it look easy back there. As has been the case throughout, 2020 eligibles Lucas Raymond and Alexander Holtz are the most noticeable forwards shift-by-shift for SWE.
— Chris Peters (@chrismpeters) July 31, 2019
In case that's not enough for you and you need a professional's opinion, keep reading.
According to NHL.com’s Mike Morreale, Beecher is the, “most impressive player at camp hands down.”
And by camp, he is referring to the training prior to this tournament with Team USA. That's high praise from someone who makes the big bucks to write about hockey. Granted, I get paid to do it as well (but a different style of writing), but he was there, so we will take his word for it.
So yeah, if you want to look forward to the future of the Bruins, you should be amped up for Beecher.