Boston Bruins
Children like Michael DiPietro and Frederic Brunet may carve out common roles on subsequent 12 months’s roster.
The Boston Bruins nonetheless have a methods to go on the subject of transforming their roster right into a sustainable contender.
However, one of many positives drawn out of a stunning 100-point exhibiting in 2025-26 was the primary indicators of a promising youth motion, with a number of rookie skaters and unproven skills chopping their enamel within the NHL ranks and carving out key roles in Boston’s lineup.
Boston will want a number of of these youthful skaters — together with Fraser Minten, James Hagens, Jonathan Aspirot, and Marat Khusnutdinov — to proceed to take one other collective step ahead if Marco Sturm’s membership desires to construct off this previous season’s temporary playoff look.
And, the Bruins may see one more inflow of younger expertise this fall as Don Sweeney and his workers attempt to add extra talent and velocity to their lineup.
Whereas blue-chip prospects like Dean Letourneau and Will Zellers may make the soar to the NHL subsequent spring, don’t be stunned if a number of children at present on Windfall’s roster make a push for Boston’s roster throughout coaching camp.
Listed below are a number of youthful skaters to maintain tabs on within the coming months:
G Michael DiPietro
Joonas Korpisalo did a stable job as Boston’s backup netminder behind Jeremy Swayman in 2025-26.
However, by way of pure asset administration, the Bruins can ill-afford to let a proficient younger goalie like Michael DiPietro get scooped up off waivers this fall — particularly given the physique of labor he’s put forth down in Windfall over the previous couple of seasons.
If Boston can discover a approach to transfer Korpisalo’s contract ($3 million annual cap hit for the following two years), selling a youthful and cheaper ($812,500 cap hit) possibility in DiPietro makes loads of sense.
The 26-year-old DiPietro — acquired by Boston in a commerce with Vancouver involving Jack Studnicka in October 2022 — has discovered his stride over the previous couple of seasons within the AHL.
He has received the Aldege “Baz” Bastien Memorial Award because the AHL’s prime goalie in every of the previous two seasons, with DiPietro additionally incomes league MVP honors this previous season after posting a 34-8-1 file with a .930 save share over 45 video games with the P-Bruins.
If Boston as soon as once more tries to sneak DiPietro by way of waivers by sending him again all the way down to Windfall this fall, it appears like a on condition that one goalie-deficient NHL membership will probably be poised to take him off of Boston’s arms.
D Frederic Brunet
The Bruins’ most urgent want on the blue line this offseason is rooted within the seek for a minutes-eating stalwart who can log heavy minutes in a top-four function. After all, buying stated expertise is simpler stated than carried out — be it by shelling out large bucks in free company or packaging a number of property for a longtime expertise.
However, after getting hemmed in by Buffalo’s forecheck all through their six-game playoff collection, the Bruins may stand so as to add one other fleet-footed puck mover someplace on their D corps.
Internally, a participant like Frederic Brunet might be an interesting possibility — be it in additional of a third-pairing function or probably as a associate subsequent to Charlie McAvoy.
A 2022 fifth-round choose by Boston, Brunet has made some main strides in the previous couple of years with Windfall as an offensive-minded blueliner who has rounded out his general sport — incomes heavy minutes in all conditions for Ryan Mougenel and his workers.
He’s not going to be a bruiser on the subsequent degree, however Brunet can face up to punishment a bit higher than undersized D-men together with his 6-foot-3, 200-pound body.
Brunet, who scored 12 objectives and 36 factors over 65 video games with Windfall this previous 12 months, might not challenge as a future power-play QB.
However, he may serve the same function as Matt Grzelcyk with a sturdier body — making sensible performs in transition and doing a number of the soiled work to get McAvoy going.
F Matt Poitras
It’s been a roller-coaster trip for Matt Poitras on the subject of his numerous journeys as much as the NHL.
As soon as envisioned as a possible top-six fixture for Boston within the fast aftermath of the Bergeron/Krejci period, Poitras exceeded loads of expectations coming into the 2023-24 season — incomes a spot on Boston’s roster at simply 19 years outdated after a powerful preseason and nine-game trial run.
A poised playmaker, Poitras in the end scored 5 objectives and 15 factors over 33 video games earlier than his rookie 12 months got here to an early finish because of damage. Since then, Poitras’ profession has been marred by on-ice setbacks and extended rising pains within the AHL — showing in simply 36 video games and scoring two objectives over the previous two seasons with Boston.
He solely appeared in three video games with Boston in 2025-26, however did rating a highlight-reel purpose in Boston’s Stadium Sequence sport towards the Lightning in February.
After scoring 85 factors in his final 109 video games with Windfall, the 22-year-old Poitras has seemingly reached his ceiling towards AHL competitors. A top-nine spot down the center seemingly received’t be within the playing cards for Poitras coming into 2025-26.
But when Boston is adamant about including some velocity and scoring upside into the lineup, may Poitras make a push to middle a fourth line alongside Tanner Jeanot and Mark Kastelic?
That may require Boston to regulate its fourth-line expectations from a straight-line, pugnacious grouping into extra of a hybrid function. However even when Jeannot and Kastelic ought to as soon as once more be as marketed subsequent season by way of doling out punishment, a participant like Poitras may increase the offensive ceiling of that phase of the lineup.
F Dans Locmelis
Given how a lot Sturm values versatile forwards who play with loads of tempo, a 22-year-old Swiss Military Knife like Dans Locmelis may finally emerge as a trusty bottom-six common if accidents come up or he takes one other main leap within the AHL.
The 2022 fourth-round choose and former UMass standout has seen his inventory soar lately — be it posting 12 factors in six video games with Windfall in 2024-25 or several standout international tournaments while representing Team Latvia.
After scoring two objectives in 4 video games throughout the 2026 Winter Olympics, Locmelis suffered a season-ending shoulder damage that required surgical procedure.
A wise, two-way participant who tends to generate possibilities and scoring alternatives by way of hustle and heads-up play, Locmelis may make a push for his first NHL reps in some unspecified time in the future this season.
F Riley Duran
The Woburn native isn’t precisely flashy. However the 6-foot-2 ahead may earn a glance on Boston’s checking unit if the damage bug does sting a crop of skaters that takes its fair proportion of punishment over 82 video games.
The 24-year-old Duran Riley hasn’t stuffed the stat sheet over his final two years within the AHL after turning professional following a promising collegiate profession at Windfall School.
Nonetheless, Duran has a excessive motor, creates chaos on the forecheck, and had a promising two-game stint with Boston in 2024-25. In these two video games, Boston held a 25-8 edge in shot makes an attempt during Duran’s 24:13 of 5-on-5 reps.
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