The Boston Bruins signed Boston College men’s hockey’s Marc McLaughlin to a two-year, entry-level deal on Tuesday. Linemate Drew Helleson, originally drafted by the Colorado Avalanche in 2019, signed an entry-level deal with the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday as well, following a trade.
The Ducks received Helleson, as well as a 2023 second-round pick, in exchange for Josh Manson from the Colorado Avalanche.
McLaughlin went undrafted in 2018 and served as two-year captain for the Eagles. Hailing from Billerica, Mass., McLaughlin signed his entry-level contract with his hometown team.
Helleson’s call to the NHL comes after just three seasons in a BC uniform. The junior defenseman was drafted 47th overall by the Colorado Avalanche in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft and signed a three-year contract with the Ducks on Tuesday.
Helleson is a Minnesota native and played for the U.S. National Team Development Program before his time with the Eagles.
McLaughlin and Helleson played their last games in a BC uniform Saturday night, as Northeastern beat the Eagles 3–2 in the quarterfinals of the Hockey East Tournament. McLaughlin recorded one assist, and Helleson scored one goal in the loss.
McLaughlin, a two-year captain, played in all 39 games in his rookie campaign on the Heights, recording eight points his freshman year. This season, he recorded 21 goals and 11 assists as a senior, though he missed time to play for Team USA at the Beijing Olympics.
McLaughlin was runner up for the Hockey East best defensive forward award his sophomore year and won the award his junior year, during which he was also selected as a Hockey East Third Team All-Star. He was a Hockey East honorable mention this season.
McLaughlin posted a 54.2 faceoff win percentage during the 2021–22 season on 239 wins in only 33 games played. That percentage is up from 52 percent the year prior.
Helleson, a more traditionally defensive defenseman, scored just four goals during the 2021–22 campaign. He was named Hockey East’s best defensive defenseman after his sophomore season in 2020–21.
Like McLaughlin, he missed time this season to play for Team USA where he tallied one point on one assist.
Helleson scored most of his points at BC on assists, as he earned 21 during the 2021–22 season. He also tallied 31 blocks this year.
During his sophomore season in 2020–21, Helleson was recognized as a Second Team All-American and a Hockey East First Team All-Star.
Featured Image by Ikram Ali / Heights Senior Staff
