After selecting defenseman Mason Lohrei in the second round, the Bruins went for a center in the third round, taking Boston College freshman Trevor Kuntar 89th overall.
Kuntar was originally committed to Harvard for this season, but switched to BC when the Ivy League shut down all sports until at least Jan. 1 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Eagles and the rest of Hockey East are aiming to start their season sometime in November.
Kuntar, who is listed at 6 feet and 203 pounds, was an alternate captain for the Youngstown Phantoms in the United States Hockey League last year. He took a big step forward offensively, ranking top 10 in the league in points with 28 goals and 25 assists in 44 games.
That was good enough to land the 19-year-old left shot on NHL radars after getting passed over in last year's draft, something he said served as a major motivation. He was ranked 143rd among North American skaters by Central Scouting, but TSN's Craig Button had him much higher at 87th overall. Interestingly enough, Kuntar joined Lohrei as the Bruins' second pick of the day who was also draft-eligible last year.
"It was definitely super motivating," Kuntar said of not being picked last year. "I'll never forget that day for the rest of my life. I thought about that day every day and that's one of the things that motivated me to keep pushing and keep going."
Kuntar describes himself as a "two-way power forward" who models his game after players like Dallas' Jamie Benn and Calgary's Matthew Tkachuk.
"I'm a hard-working player," he said. "I love to compete. A two-way power forward. I love to compete every night."
That is reflected in the scouting reports on Kuntar. Elite Prospects' draft guide says "Kuntar's stocky frame allows him to hang in there on puck battles and leverage himself against the opposition when digging for loose pucks." They also have high praise for his shot, saying he "wields a shot so heavy that he can beat goaltenders clean from just about anywhere in the offensive zone."
Steve Kournianos of TheDraftAnalyst.com describes Kuntar as "a dynamic talent who combines impressive strength and puck skills with hard work, physicality, and determination."
Bruins at 89 take prototypical-Bruins forward Trevor Kuntar. An overager but who cares. Love the way this kid plays. Headed to The Heights after de-committing from Harvard. pic.twitter.com/9RxpQgisvK
— Steve Kournianos (@TheDraftAnalyst) October 7, 2020
Kuntar was roommates with Bruins 2018 fourth-round pick Curtis Hall in Youngstown three years ago, making him the second Boston pick of the day who has had a roommate also picked by the Bruins. Lohrei is currently rooming with 2019 seventh-round pick Jake Schmaltz with the Green Bay Gamblers in the United States Hockey League.
