A way early Bruins mock draft Rounds 1-3

Yeah, yeah-- I know. It's far too early for this kind of thing.

But you know what? People love trying to play what if. And, last year I didn't do a single mock until June.

Time to go ahead and buck that trend. I won't make a habit of it, but why not play around a little bit on a lazy Sunday? (I always loved that Chris Parnell/Andy Samberg Chronicles of Narnia rap on SNL- ignore the Spanish subtitles- this is worth watching but parental advisory in effect for adult language WARNING)

OK, enough of the pop culture segue: Here's the mock draft assuming the lottery were to result in Boston ending up with the No. 4 selection.

The (I know its early 4 all the haterz) B2011 DW Boston Bruins Mock Draft v 1.0

1st Round

4. (from Toronto) Ryan Murphy, D Kitchener Rangers (OHL)-- This kid's brilliance on offense would be precisely what Boston needs, and they'd have no problem selling his upside toBoston fans, who are clamoring for skill and offense on the blue line. He's not very big, but if you watch the highlights, he's got some real skill (some have used his name in the same sentence as Bobby Orr-- I won't do that. Or did I just do that?) This blog has done plenty on Murphy already-- you can catch up on your reading and know that there will be more on him as the season goes on. In fact, by June, Murphy may have played his way into the top-two selections of the draft- should be interesting to see how high he goes.

15. (Boston pick) Dillon Simpson, D University of North Dakota (WCHA)-- The 6-1, 200-pound defenseman (those vitals may be a bit inflated, though- he looks a little smaller) is in his first NCAA season after placing Jr. A in Alberta last season with Spruce Grove (in the same junior league Joe Colborne graduated from- the AJHL). The son of former NHL scorer and HNIC analyst Craig Simpson has outstanding bloodlines and is one smart, heady player. He caused some consternation when he picked the Sioux in Grand Forks over his dad's Lansing Spartans alma mater, but the WCHA will be an excellent level for him to develop in. He's already made an immediate impact as you can see from his first career NCAA goal below.

Simpson is a few years away from competing for an NHL job, but he could evolve into a very good one. Right now, he's seen as a borderline No. 1/solid 2, but he could raise that projection if he keeps it up as a freshman this year.

2nd round

40. (from Minnesota) Austen Brassard, RW Belleville Bulls (OHL)-- It's been a disappointing season thus far for Brassard who was a preseason pick to do some big things for the Bulls after coming over from Windsor last year. But, there's no denying the size and skill package of this power winger, and he might be the right kind of upside/roll the dice pick for the Bruins 10 picks into the second round. Skating is an issue for him, but he's got nice hands and a good shot. He's a willing fighter with a mixed track record as a middleweight at the OHL level. At 6-2 and about 180 pounds, he has a lot of growing to do, but again-- it could be about the eventual payoff with this guy. He looked great with Belleville after the trade last season, racking up 17 points in 26 games for the Bulls. He only has four goals and 11 points in 21 games, off the pace. You can read more about him here.

45. (Boston pick) Myles Bell, D Regina Pats (WHL)-- This offensive defenseman has drawn comparisons to Washington All-Star and Norris Trophy finalist Mike Green as a player who has some scoring chops, but is lacking in defensive ability. Although not the skater that Green is, Bell has some real upside and one only need look at some of his highlight videos to see how naturally the attacking aspect of the game comes to him. With six goals and 16 points in just 21 games, he's three points away from passing his entire season totals (in 61 games) from last year. Bell is a real work in progress, but he's as solid an option as they come in the second round. Thee's a big potential payoff with him, even with the questionable defensive sense and play, and the scoring skills are probably why he won't last as late as pick 45. Of course, had you told me last year just before the 2010 NHL draft that Ryan Spooner would be there for the B's, I would not have believed it, either.

3rd round

81. (Phoenix pick) Peter Ceresnak, D Trencin (Slovakia)-- The Bruins go to Eastern Europe for their third-rounder, acquired from the Coyotes for Derek Morris last spring (and compensating for the loss of Boston's pick as part of the Nathan Horton trade). Improved skating stride for this big (6-2, 205), hard-nosed and physical defender has been a key to his rising draft stock. With all the defenders on the list bringing more of a finesse, offensive streak, this kid is more of the meat-and-potatoes type, but has some potential as a solid, if unspectacular puck mover.

There it is. Now, rip it apart, folks!