Bruins trade Jakub Lauko to Wild, move up in fourth round of draft

Groenewold may not be flashy, but he has a high floor as a no-frills, hard-nosed defender who can snuff out scoring chances and push opposing skaters outside of Grade-A ice. 

Groenewold, who hails from Bellows Falls, Vermont, is set to attend Quinnipiac University next season, where he will play alongside Bruins 2023 third-round selection Chris Pelosi. 

In order to move up to select Groenewold, the Bruins moved on from Lauko, who played in 60 games last season in a fourth-line role. The 2018 third-round pick served as on-ice spark plug for Boston, scoring two goals and 10 points while averaging 9:49 of ice time per contest. 

Lauko’s speed and physicality were welcomed on Boston’s checking unit, with the 24-year-old winger drawing 12 penalties and racking up 32 penalty minutes.

Boston did add another fourth-line stalwart last week when it acquired pugnacious forward Mark Kastelic as part of the Linus Ullmark trade — with the 25-year-old forward likely slotting into Lauko’s spot. 

Kastelic’s ability to play down the middle could also shift Johnny Beecher to the wing, with Justin Brazeau rounding out a younger fourth line with some upside. 

This will mark Lettieri’s second go-around with the Bruins, with the 29-year-old veteran playing most of the 2022-23 season with the Providence Bruins. The former University of Minnesota standout was a top-six fixture with the P-Bruins, scoring 23 goals and posting 49 points over 48 games while logging plenty of shifts alongside Fabian Lysell.