Future Looks Bright For Bruins Prospect O’Gara

When it comes to the future of the Boston Bruins defense, the team has some very interesting prospects that will be ready to transition their game to the pro level within the next year or two, and one player that has has been working very hard to impress the Bruins brass, is Yale University defenseman Rob O’Gara.

The 6’-4” 205 pound native of Nesconset, New York was selected by the Bruins in the fifth round (151st overall) of the 2011 National Hockey League Entry Draft from St.Paul Minnesota, and even tho he was a late round pick, his progression through the amateur leagues, into United States collegiate hockey has been nothing short of impressive. As a younger player, O’Gara played in 50 games (2 Seasons) in the Atlantic Youth Hockey League posting 9-21-30 totals with the Long Island Royals, before transferring to Milton Academy in Massachusetts, where he played his high school Junior and Senior seasons contributing 7-27-34 totals in 53 games.

The last three seasons he has appeared in 103 games for the Yale Bulldogs, and has 10-29-39 totals, and proves that he is just getting better as an all-around player in every league he has played in as he moves forward to a pro career. As a freshman in the 2012-13 season, he was a key player for Yale, as they won the NCAA National Championship, beating the runner-up Quinnipiac Bobcats by the score of 4-0 at the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

O’Gara has good technical skills, and reads the ice very well. He plays a good two-way style game, while using his big frame to move opposing players from the crease area. He has a big shot from the point, but is more of a set-up defenseman. Very effective along the boards, and had been know to deliver the occasional bone crushing hit. Not too many flaws in his game, but one thing that is a work in progress, is his skating with the puck out of the defensive zone.

The 21 year-old will return to Yale for his senior season, but was heavily rumored to leave school to sign an entry-level deal with the Bruins. He is a player that may not make an immediate impact with the NHL Bruins after his college career is over, but will be a very serviceable prospect for the organization with the teams top minor-pro American Hockey League Providence Bruins team