"It was a dream come true when I saw my name pop up and a moment that I'll never forget," said Harrison of being drafted by the Bruins, his favorite NHL team. "I've always been a Bruins fan, [it] just ran through the family as my grandpa was best friends with Gary Doak.
"I've always watched the Bruins growing up. So many great players have been going through [there]. Just watching Patrice Bergeron, he's just such a reliable player, someone that I really look up to, and someone that I would love to play like."
A player well-known for his strong presence in front of the net, Harrison is an aggressive forechecker with a strong shot and an ability to find open ice and finish plays near the top of the opposing team's crease.
"I'm a player that can play in all areas of the ice and all positions," said Harrison. "I'm a centerman, but I can also play both sides of the wing as well. I have a very high hockey IQ and a really great scoring touch. I find the soft areas in front of the net and in the slot. I love going to the dirty areas and producing on my chances in front."
The 16th overall pick in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection, Harrison traveled overseas and spent the 2020-21 season in Finland skating with KOOVEE's U20 club of the U20 SM-Sarja following the suspension of the OHL season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 6-foot-2 forward had an impressive stint with KOOVEE, recording nine points (four goals, five assists) in seven games.
Following his time in Finland, Harrison returned to Canada to quarantine ahead of the IIHF Under-18 Men's World Championship in Frisco, Texas. The London, Ontario native scored two goals in seven games for Team Canada, who went on to defeat Team Russia, 5-3, for the country's first U18 gold medal since 2013.
Following the selection, Harrison becomes the third player currently in the Bruins organization to skate with the Oshawa Generals, joining forward Jack Studnicka and goaltender Kyle Keyser. In his first year with the Generals, Harrison skated in 58 games as a 16-year-old and finished sixth on the team and seventh amongst all OHL rookies in scoring, recording 37 points (21 goals, 16 assists) and scoring seven power-play goals, which was good for second amongst OHL rookies.
With no OHL season in 2021, Harrison stayed optimistic and felt fortunate to find an opportunity to skate in Finland and continue his development ahead of his draft year.
"It's been a tough year for everyone, but I try to make the best out of any situation," said Harrison. "I got to further my development when I went over and played in Finland and also at the U18 tournament. I found a couple opportunities to continue developing and showcasing myself. During the downtime of the offseason, I've been here in London, Ontario working out, just being on the ice four times a week working on my skills and my skating."
