Bruins prospects who could compete for Opening Night roster spot initially appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Bruins did a great job integrating a number of rookies to their NHL roster final season, together with heart Matt Poitras, heart Johnny Beecher and defenseman Mason Lohrei.
May the B’s do one thing comparable with a number of prospects forward of the 2024-25 marketing campaign?
The Bruins should not have an elite prospect pool. In reality, most specialists rank the group near the bottom of the league. However that does not imply the system is with none actual NHL-caliber expertise.
Bruins rookie camp begins Wednesday, and it is an enormous alternative for a few of these prospects to showcase their expertise and make the case they belong in Boston sooner quite than later.
Which prospects may compete for a roster spot in coaching camp and the preseason? Let’s break down 4 choices.
Fabian Lysell
Place: Proper wing
2023-24 Workforce: Windfall Bruins (AHL)
2023-24 Stats: 15G, 35A in 56 GP
It is time for Lysell to indicate he can take the following step and never solely play effectively sufficient to earn an NHL roster spot, but additionally be a contributor offensively.
He is essentially the most gifted offensive participant in Boston’s prospect pool. The 2021 first-round choose has an important shot, he performs with large pace and his playmaking talent is spectacular. He is the kind of participant who can put defensemen on their heels as he flies by way of the impartial zone towards the opponent’s web. His talent set would even be useful on the ability play. The offseason departures of Jake DeBrusk and James van Riemsdyk may end in some new faces on the second power-play unit.
Lysell has handled some accidents throughout his AHL profession. When wholesome, he has the potential to be a dynamic offensive participant, and that’s one thing the Bruins are very a lot missing. It additionally helps that Lysell’s pure place is correct wing, which is a place of weak spot for Boston.
Probably the most splendid situation for the Bruins is Lysell taking part in nice in camp and the preseason and exhibiting he deserves to begin the season because the second-line proper wing. However he has to earn it first. He isn’t going to be thrown into that function simply because he is a first-round choose.
Everyone knows Lysell can contribute offensively, however is he in a position to deal with the defensive tasks requested of NHL gamers? The Bruins pleasure themselves on taking part in a wise, accountable two-way recreation. Lysell wants to indicate he is made progress defensively throughout camp and the preseason. That mentioned, the Bruins ought to give him a little bit of leeway right here. There are going to be errors. He is solely 21 years outdated.
Lysell has performed 110 video games over two seasons in Windfall. In some unspecified time in the future, the B’s have to present this child an opportunity to show himself on the subsequent stage.
Georgii Merkulov
Place: Heart
2023-24 Workforce: Windfall Bruins (AHL)
2023-24 Stats: 30G, 35A in 67 GP
Merkulov has proven the flexibility to be an excellent offensive participant on the AHL stage. He led the P-Bruins in scoring every of the final two seasons, tallying 55 factors (24 targets, 31 assists) in 2022-23 and 65 factors (30 targets, 35 assists) in 2023-24. There’s probably not a ton left for Merkulov to show in Windfall.
The query is, the place does he slot in on the NHL stage? He hasn’t performed a lot proper wing within the AHL, so it would not make a ton of sense to throw him into that place in camp. He is a pure heart, the place his objective scoring and playmaking talent has been essential to Windfall’s current success.
The issue is the Bruins have so many facilities within the combine. Elias Lindholm and Charlie Coyle are the top-six facilities. Different gamers on the roster who can play heart embrace Pavel Zacha, Trent Frederic, Morgan Geekie, Mark Kastelic and Matt Poitras. Prospects resembling Riley Duran and Marc McLaughlin can play down the center, too.
Possibly, as a left shot, Merkulov may compete for a bottom-six left wing spot. Both means, the Bruins could be good to present him an opportunity. The four-game callup he obtained final season wasn’t sufficient of a pattern dimension to find out whether or not he might be an efficient NHL participant.
Riley Duran
Place: Heart/proper wing
2023-24 Workforce: Windfall School (NCAA)
2023-24 Stats 9G, 7A in 35 GP
There’s at all times an opportunity one prospect surprises and forces the Bruins’ entrance workplace and training employees to make robust choices. Final 12 months, Matt Poitras performed so effectively that sending him again to the OHL simply did not make sense. And Poitras rewarded the Bruins’ religion in him with a robust rookie season that was sadly reduce quick early as a consequence of harm.
May Duran make an identical ascent over the following month? The previous Windfall School standout performs with pace and has a great two-way talent set. His offensive skill is a bit of underrated, too, as evidenced throughout this objective with the P-Bruins again in April.
What’s higher than his first skilled objective, although, is that this clear toe-drag, forehand-backhand help by Riley Duran on the within. Duran, No. 11 in black, cuts inside and forces himself on a break in shut earlier than Steen bangs within the rebound. Three-point evening. #NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/oOZD618nv1
— Bruins Community (@BruinsNetwork) April 13, 2024
Duran might be finest suited to begin the season in Windfall, but it surely would not be shocking if he is one of many higher rookies in camp.
🎥 Riley Duran on his strategy to #NHLBruins Rookie Camp: “Simply mature as a participant…going from a 30-game school season to 70-80 video games, it is a troublesome transition. However I believe I can face it head on…should you work laborious sufficient, they’re going to make room for you.” pic.twitter.com/1rBVRlOS7i
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) September 11, 2024
Brandon Bussi
Place: Goaltender
2023-24 Workforce: Windfall Bruins (AHL)
2023-24 Stats: 23-10-5, .913 SV%, 2.67 GAA
Jeremy Swayman is the undisputed No. 1 goalie in Boston proper now — assuming he indicators a brand new contract in some unspecified time in the future. The actual debate is which netminder can be his backup?
The Bruins acquired Joonas Korpisalo within the Linus Ullmark trade with the Ottawa Senators again in July. Korpisalo is coming off an terrible 2023-24 marketing campaign throughout which he posted a 21-26-4 document with a .890 save proportion and a 3.27 GAA. If there’s anybody who can repair Korpisalo, it is legendary Bruins goalie coach Bob Essensa, however what if the Finnish goaltender does not have an important camp and/or preseason?
Brandon Bussi can have an opportunity to show himself over the approaching weeks. He has performed very effectively in Windfall during the last two seasons, tallying a .917 save proportion because the starter. There is no cause to hurry Bussi to the NHL, however he is a younger participant able to making a case to be on the Opening Evening roster if he has a great camp and preseason efficiency.
