Cole Chandler was selected by the Boston Bruins in the most recent NHL draft thanks to his impressive second half and two-way play.
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Due in large part to the way the Bedford center improved his play in the last stretch and throughout the playoffs for the Shawinigan Cataractes of the QMJHL, the Bruins called his name in the fifth round.
“Al Bissonette, our Quebec scout…we follow the kids all year long, we’re not just waiting on the first part of the season,” Bruins general manager Don Sweeney said in a post-draft media session. “In his case, he was coming off injury and had been sick the summer before, getting his feet back under him, feeling better, probably trying to put on some weight, feeling more comfortable as the season went along, feeling more comfortable in the league, with his own team – and that was noted.
“Guys now going back in, as our area (scouts) do, draw the crossover guys back in to identify a player playing better as the season goes along. It’s usually an indicator that his competitive level is going up as the games get more important.”
Chandler, who was ranked 172nd among North American skaters by the NHL Central Scouting Service prior to the draft, was pleased to be selected at 133rd overall. Despite being Shawinigan’s first-round pick (16th overall) in 2023, the six-foot-two, 176-pound pivot played in just 25 games during his rookie season. In 64 games during the 2024–25 regular season, he scored 32 points and pulled down rebounds.
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In a press conference held a few days ago at the Bruins’ development camp, Chandler stated, “Obviously, it was tough in my 16-year-old (season) getting injured.”
“I kind of lost a lot of confidence in myself while I was away from my family. I had no idea what to anticipate from this season when I returned. Although I had somewhat high hopes, I wasn’t in the right frame of mind at the beginning of the season.
I experienced a great deal of success after returning after Christmas, regaining my confidence, and simply feeling at ease on the rink. as well as our group. It goes without saying that we had an incredible playoff run. Thus, simply becoming at ease, self-assured, and aware of my capabilities was incredibly beneficial.
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Chandler’s postseason performance was the decisive factor for the Bruins. With 12 points in 16 postseason games, he tied for third place on the Cataractes.
“He plays a little bit more of a traditional two-way game,” Ryan Nadeau, the Bruins’ amateur scouting director, told nhl.com’s Eric Russo. “The offensive element has existed. This season, he didn’t have particularly impressive stats; he wasn’t exactly scoring fifty goals. However, he is a young player who can be relied upon at crucial moments and has had an impact on 200 feet of the ice. We truly enjoy that aspect of the player’s game.”
On the plus side, Chandler explained that he was able to avoid feeling overpowered during his initial workouts in Boston by overcoming the challenging transition into the Q as a rookie. He clarified that he learned a valuable lesson about maintaining mental toughness and not being scared of new challenges from the process of getting back up after getting lost early in Shawinigan.
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He remarked, “It’s just restoring my confidence and realizing that you won’t feel at ease in every circumstance.” “It’s simply discovering who you are as a person and what kind of player you are.”
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