Jakub Lauko played 23 games for the Boston Bruins during the 2022-23 season, collected four goals and three assists, and showed a gritty, grinding game that seems best suited for a bottom-six forward role for the upcoming season. The former third-round pick in the 2018 NHL Draft is the only player selected by Boston since that draft to play in an NHL game. Lauko will be around for at least two more seasons after signing a two-year deal with an annual salary cap hit of $787,500 on Wednesday. The 6-foot, 200-pound forward will have every opportunity to take on a full-time role with the Bruins with the departures of Nick Foligno and Garnet Hathaway. The left-shot versatile center/wing could be a good low-cost option for a team that is up against the salary cap entering the season.
Lauko has played parts of four seasons with the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League, totaling 134 games with 23 goals and 38 assists, and scored a career-high 10 goals last season. The Prague native injected some speed and finishing ability into Boston’s checking unit and quickly developed a knack for drawing penalties. The Czech forward drew 11 penalties in his 23 games, with his 3.24 penalties drawn per 60 minutes ranking second in the NHL among the 792 skaters with at least 100 minutes of ice time this past season.
Lauko could battle with veteran Patrick Brown and fellow youngsters like Marc McLaughlin, Oskar Steen, and John Beecher for reps on the fourth line this upcoming season. One of Lauko’s best attributes could be his defensive awareness and ability to disrupt zone exits and puck carriers.
Brown is a 31-year-old veteran who was signed for insurance, and McLaughlin is a restricted free agent who has yet to sign a new deal. Steen is a firmer sixth-rounder in 2016 who has 26 career NHL games under his belt but has yet to hang onto a roster spot. Beecher has the size and speed to be an NHL pro but has yet to show consistency.
Lauko has a chance to win a job out of training camp and maintain it through the season. That would be an ideal situation for the 23-year-old and the team. And the fact that Lauko is no longer waiver exempt, it could not or never as a Boston Bruin.
