Prospect System Ranking – 31st (Previous Rank - 27th)
GM: Don Sweeney Hired: May 2015
COACH: Jim Montgomery Hired: July 2022
In their first season without the services of long-time leader Patrice Bergeron, the Boston Bruins faced the daunting probability of taking a step back and missing the postseason for the first time since the 2015-16 campaign. Contrary to that belief, the Bruins exceeded expectations, finishing with the fifth-highest point total in the league (109) to comfortably extend their playoff streak to eight years.
The 2023-24 season saw unexpected contributions from some of their younger players, particularly Matthew Poitras, who burst out of training camp to secure a roster spot as a 19-year-old. Despite having his season cut short due to shoulder surgery, he contributed five goals and 15 points in 33 games and fast-tracked his development as a vital piece to this club’s immediate short-term plans. Alongside him, Mason Lohrei and Jonathan Beecher took significant steps in their development, with all three playing 30-plus NHL games to help usher in a new era of Bruins hockey. All three are expected to be graduated and permanent members of the 2024-25 installment.
This influx of youth came at a critical time for Boston. With just four picks, the 2024 draft was the Bruins' lightest in four years, and they emerged with only one prospect to garner any real NHL potential for the future. Dean Letourneau, selected 25th overall, brings intriguing potential and currently ranks 138th in McKeen’s prospect ranking. Yet, with his experience limited to high school hockey, even he remains more unknown than typical first-rounders. Whether he develops into a steal or a bust at 25th overall remains a giant question mark.
Waiting in their depth, the club does have Fabian Lysell, who’s ranked 74th by McKeen’s. The 21-year-old winger is coming off a positive AHL sophomore season, where he averaged nearly a point per game to finish with 50 points (15 G, 35 A) in 56 games—sixth among U22 skaters. Additionally, Georgii Merkulov, ranked 183rd, saw his first cup of coffee in the NHL last year, suiting up in four games.
For now, Boston remains focused on their current roster, built around a core featuring Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy, and goaltender Jeremy Swayman. With their prospect pool ranking near the bottom of the league, the Bruins continue to tread water while waiting for reinforcements.
Boston Bruins Top-15 Prospects
1. Fabian Lysell
Lysell made some waves last year, for both good and bad reasons, but he is unquestionably Boston’s best prospect currently because of his significant offensive upside. On the positive end of things, he’s such a dangerous player in transition because of his speed and playmaking ability. He can create something out of nothing and he puts opposing defenders in a tough spot with his ability to attack with pace. On the negative end, his play away from the puck and his decision making with the puck were called into question this past year by scouts and even his own coach. It’s the reason why he has yet to play an NHL game despite producing at a great clip in his second AHL season. The upcoming Boston training camp will be a big one for Lysell to prove that he can make adjustments and play more of a team-oriented game.
2. Dean Letourneau
A major wild card heading into the 2024 NHL Draft, Letourneau ended up getting selected 25th overall by the Bruins. The massive forward is a major long-term project, but one with significant upside. Playing out of St. Andrew’s College (in the same AAA loop as Shattuck St. Mary’s), Letourneau was a wild card because how he would adjust to playing against better competition and he remains a mystery for that very reason. However, his combination of size and skill was just too much for Boston to pass up. His skating continues to make positive gains and he can really rifle the puck. As he fills out his frame, will his off puck play and physical engagement level become more consistent? Originally slated to play in the USHL for a season before heading to Boston College, Letourneau has accelerated his studies and will now suit up this coming year for the Eagles. His freshman year is sure to be heavily scrutinized.
3. Brandon Bussi
Barely eligible for this list based on his age (26), Bussi needs to be in the conversation as among the top young netminders outside of the NHL. His strong play with Providence is the reason why Boston felt so comfortable moving Linus Ullmark. The big, 6-foot-4 Bussi has a penchant for the highlight reel save; his play tracking ability and in crease movement are terrific. Pucks stick to him well, too, as he limits second chance opportunities. But what happens to Bussi this coming season? Joonas Korpisalo came over in the Ullmark trade and he will have the inside track (given his experience) at the backup role behind Swayman. However, Bussi will also require waivers to send to the AHL and there’s absolutely no chance he gets through given his pro performance thus far. Quite the dilemma.
4. Georgi Merkulov
Merkulov continued to produce for Providence in his sophomore season, inching close to the point per game mark. The dynamic forward is a potential scoring line forward for the Bruins in the near future. Heading into the year, the Bruins wanted Merkulov to focus on improving his off puck play and defensive zone coverage to help him stick as a center at the NHL level. By adding strength and increasing his intensity level, he was able to do that. This has made him a more consistent play driver; he’s now fully able to take advantage of his gifts as a creative playmaker. In a nutshell, he looks pro ready and should push for a permanent roster spot next season, providing Boston some depth and flexibility given the losses of DeBrusk and JVR. He should be in the mix for a top nine role during training camp.
5. John Farinacci
Poached from the Arizona Coyotes’ system after Farinacci played his senior year at Harvard in order to become a free agent, Arizona’s loss was Boston’s gain. Farinacci was as advertised with AHL Providence last year, playing a strong two-way game while chipping in offensively from time to time. He’s not the most dynamic offensive player, but he is incredibly efficient because of his off puck play and three zone awareness. He does almost everything well, but nothing elite. For that reason, he’s not likely to be a top six forward, with Farinacci’s future almost assured to be in the bottom six, but he could be a long-time fixture on the Bruins and eventually develop into a coaches’ favourite. One would expect him to earn games at the NHL level this year.
6. Oskar Jellvik
Lost in the hype machine at Boston College last year, Jellvik quietly had a tremendous sophomore season playing alongside Cutter Gauthier on BC’s other scoring line (outside of the NTDP trio). A playmaking winger, Jellvik oozes skill and creativity as he darts in and out of traffic to create time and space for himself and linemates. He consistently extends plays and has shown the previous season that he has the potential to be a scoring line forward at the NHL level if he can continue to develop at the collegiate level. With some graduations at BC, he could be in for a breakout year at the NCAA level this coming season. Boston fans should be excited about his upside and the growth shown in his game since being drafted.
7. Justin Brazeau
One of the best stories in the NHL last year. The road to the NHL has been a long one for Brazeau. The former OHL goal scoring leader didn’t even earn an NHL ELC despite being a dominant goalscorer with size because teams were concerned about his skating ability. He’s worked his way up from the ECHL, to the AHL, and now only recently earned an NHL contract from the Bruins. He was very effective to end last year for the Bruins and was pretty hard for Boston to take out of the lineup down the stretch because of his strong net front play and consistent effort away from the puck. Brazeau is still not the best skater…and he never will be. But there’s still a place in the league for power forwards like Brazeau who can find their way to the net and play a sound two-way game.
8. Riley Duran
Similar to John Farinacci, no one is expecting Riley Duran to become a future 30 goal scorer in the NHL. If he succeeds in making the Bruins roster full time, it will be in a bottom six role. However, his speed, strong work ethic, and physicality in puck pursuit make him an ideal role player in today’s NHL. He should be able to develop into a quality penalty killer at the pro level and will provide versatility to his coaches. Duran recently signed out of Providence College and will be turning pro full time this season, following his brief debut after signing at the end of last season. His offensive production as an AHL rookie should provide feedback as to how far away he is from an NHL role. It seems likely that Boston will be patient with Duran to allow him to build up confidence on the puck before pushing him into a depth role at the NHL level.
9. Michael DiPietro
Speaking of great stories, insert former top goaltending prospect Michael DiPietro. The former OHL goaltender of the year and Memorial Cup champion was cast aside by the Vancouver Canucks after a few frustrating seasons in their system. He passed through waivers and likely wasn’t even considered as a possible pick up by other NHL teams. However, the fresh start in Boston has revived DiPietro’s upside as an NHL netminder. He was consistently one of the best goaltenders in the AHL last season, splitting time with Bussi. Some players, especially goaltenders, just figure it out later in their careers and DiPietro is looking like one of those players. A fierce competitor, DiPietro’s best assets are his quickness in combination with his mental makeup. He has learned to harness his athleticism to become more composed and controlled in the crease. Will the Bruins be able to sneak DiPietro through waivers again next year after such a strong year?
10. Alec Regula
Rarely do players who have passed through waivers remain ranked inside an NHL team’s top ten prospects, but Regula had a very strong season in Providence to help keep him in Boston’s plans moving forward. They gave him a qualifying offer for that reason. Even with the signing of Nikita Zadorov, it is possible that Regula could earn a bottom pairing role or serve as a primary injury fill-in with the Bruins this year. The Taylor Hall/Nick Foligno deal with Chicago still has a chance to bear some fruit for the Bruins. 6-foot-4, 200+ pound defenders who can provide physicality while being mobile don’t grow on trees and that’s Regula’s MO. Just as stated with DiPietro, would someone bite on him this year if Boston tries to get him through waivers again?
11. Andre Gasseau
The third prospect the Bruins will have at Boston College, Gasseau is entering his junior season with the Eagles. The former NTDP player has proven to be a solid depth piece for BC in his first two years, playing a variety of roles. The big pivot is a solid two-way player and his future role in the NHL would almost assuredly be in the bottom six, that said, Boston will be looking for him to take on more offensive responsibility at the NCAA level first.
12. Trevor Kuntar
A physical, strong shooting, power center, Kuntar is coming off his first pro season with Providence. He was able to play a bottom six role for them and showed flashes of becoming a quality option for the Bruins down the line. The focus will be on continuing to improve his skating as he enters his sophomore pro year.
13. Dans Locmelis
The Bruins had high expectations for the Latvian pivot as he started his NCAA run with UMass last season, however his production failed to meet those expectations. This offseason, the focus has been on getting stronger and quicker. Recently, at Bruins development camp, management had great things to say about Locmelis and they are operating under the assumption that he has a breakout season as a sophomore.
14. Brett Harrison
There were definitely some concerns that Harrison’s transition to the pro level would be difficult, given his need to improve his skating and pace. That proved to be correct, as Harrison was limited to a depth role with Providence as a rookie. The former OHL standout will definitely be a long-term project for Boston.
15. Jonathan Morello
A fifth round selection by the Bruins in 2024, Morello is a very intriguing project due to his size and speed combination. He is lightning quick, plays with some jam, and shows upside as a goal scorer. After playing in the OJHL previously, Morello will suit up for Dubuque of the USHL next year before making a larger jump to Clarkson the following season