Bruins
The Bruins’ prospect pool has change into deeper over the previous few seasons.
The Boston Bruins’ once-dormant prospect pipeline is beginning to present indicators of life.
With Boston promoting off a number of NHL property on the commerce deadline in March for future returns — coupled with a promising draft haul in 2025 — the Bruins’ pool of younger expertise is the deepest it’s been in fairly a while.
Now that 2025 Growth Camp has wrapped, right here’s our annual rating of the highest 20 prospects within the Bruins’ system.
To slim down on a few of the candidates on this rating, we’re excluding prospects who’ve already logged at the very least 15 video games with the Bruins — like Matthew Poitras and Michael Callahan.
We’re additionally excluding free-agent signings this offseason who may very well be poised for a higher function in 2025-26, like AHL standouts Matej Blumel and Alex Steeves.
Right here’s our have a look at prospects 20-11, with the highest 10 gamers set to be unveiled on Thursday:
20. Riley Duran, F
The Woburn native performs a wise, bodily sport that might put him within the combine for an NHL function as a hard-nosed fourth liner.
After a productive profession at Windfall Faculty below the tutelage of Nate Leaman, Duran made the soar to the professional sport in 2024.
It didn’t take lengthy for Duran to seek out his function as a straight-line skater who can do harm on the forecheck, whereas the anticipated regression in his offensive manufacturing (20 factors in 71 AHL video games) wasn’t a lot of a shock.
Duran will not be a 15-20-goal scorer within the execs, however there’s no knocking his work ethic, excessive motor, and his willingness to skate into high-danger ice.
If Boston’s bottom-six grouping wasn’t already so crowded, he may very well be a darkish horse to make a push for a roster spot out of camp.
19. Dalton Bancroft, F
The Bruins outbid a number of groups for the prospect to sign an undrafted college free agent in Bancroft in April.
Given how a lot Boston places an emphasis on snarl, it ought to come as little shock that they coveted a participant like Bancroft.
The 24-year-old already elevated his inventory over three seasons at Cornell, scoring 36 objectives and 79 factors in his collegiate profession.
However, Bancroft’s worth within the NHL ranks lies in his pugnacious strategy and willingness to dole out punishment through a tough test or proper hook.
Talking after Growth Camp, the 6-foot-3 Bancroft mentioned that he’s going to work with former scrapper Aaron Downey this summer time to choose up some preventing suggestions.
Count on to see loads of highlights this season of Bancroft throwing haymakers down in Windfall because the pesky winger tries to seek out his id within the professional ranks.
18. Ryan Walsh, F
Walsh has supplied sturdy worth for Boston for the reason that Bruins chosen the ahead within the sixth spherical of the 2023 NHL Draft.
The 6-foot-1 ahead has been an efficient top-six ahead within the ECAC since becoming a member of Cornell in 2023, scoring 29 objectives and 53 factors over his first two seasons with the Large Pink.
Walsh was held off the ice throughout 2025 Growth Camp whereas recovering from offseason shoulder surgical procedure, however the New York native has all of the makings of a wise and regular ahead who may bolster both Boston or Windfall’s depth chart within the coming years.
17. Vashek Blanar, D
Blanar has the prospect to both be a top-10 prospect on this rating subsequent yr … or drop into extra of the “honorable point out” class.
The 2025 fourth-round choose puzzled Bruins followers (and admittedly, a variety of media members) when Boston chosen him, provided that he wasn’t initially listed on Elite Prospects under his current name, nor was he ranked in a variety of scouting lists going into the draft.
However, after watching him at Growth Camp, it’s simple to see why a Bruins workforce quick on ability can be enamored with a prospect like Blanar.
Already an enormous physique at 6-foot-4, Blanar is an offensive dynamo with the puck on his stick, routinely activating off the blue line and peppering the web.
It’s an thrilling model of hockey, however one which invitations loads of dangers — and rising pains for a really uncooked prospect.
Endurance will should be prescribed with a participant like Blanar, who will play one other season within the Swedish junior league earlier than deciding his subsequent step.
However, he’s the kind of boom-or-bust prospect {that a} workforce in want of game-breakers like Boston must take a swing on.
16. Andre Gasseau, F
A 2021 seventh-round choose, Gasseau was focused by the Bruins resulting from his intriguing measurement (6-foot-4, 218 kilos) and slick arms.
However, the California native has exceeded expectations since arriving at Boston Faculty, scoring 37 objectives and 88 factors over three years at Chestnut Hill.
He might want to enhance his skating to stay on the subsequent degree, however Gasseau has the dimensions to be a strong bottom-six participant if a few of that scoring contact carries over to the professional sport.
15. Loke Johansson, D
Johansson is already trying like a pleasant discover within the sixth spherical of the 2024 NHL Draft.
The 6-foot-3 defenseman has accelerated his timeline to the professional ranks, signing an entry-level take care of the Bruins just some months after getting drafted.
Since then, Johansson has solely continued to impress, serving as a key cog on a Moncton Wildcats workforce that gained the QMJHL Championship this season.
Past logging heavy minutes on Moncton’s blue line, Johansson scored 4 objectives and 22 factors over 62 video games within the Q.
Bruins participant growth coordinator Adam McQuaid famous at Growth Camp that Johansson is probably going prepared for the AHL in 2025-26.
He’s not flashy, however Johansson blends his pro-ready body with a easy mix of hockey that results in clear breakouts and little danger within the offensive zone.
There’s worth within the execs for a participant with that low-maintenance profile.
14. Cooper Simpson, F
One other high-skilled prospect that Boston plucked out of this 2025 draft class, Simpson has some work to do relating to rounding out his general sport.
However, the 18-year-old winger is aware of learn how to put the puck behind the web.
And provided that Boston’s most urgent want is so as to add scoring punch to their lineup, there’s lots to love about what a participant like Simpson can supply in due time.
The 2025 third-round choose was a menace this previous season at Shakopee Excessive Faculty, main all Minnesota excessive schoolers with 49 objectives in simply 31 video games, whereas additionally including 34 assists.
In fact, it’s a stretch to imagine that lofty high-school stats will coincide with elite manufacturing at increased ranges of hockey.
However, Simpson additionally impressed in 9 video games with the Tri-Metropolis Storm of the USHL this previous season, scoring seven objectives and eight whole factors over 9 video games.
If Simpson can proceed this degree of goal-scoring output subsequent yr at Tri-Metropolis (earlier than becoming a member of the College of North Dakota in 2026-27), he may shortly set up himself as a top-10 prospect on this system.
13. Elliott Groenewold, D
Groenewold might not have the identical offensive aptitude to his sport as Blanar.
However, the Vermont native and 2024 fourth-round choose additionally has a a lot increased flooring as a gradual blueliner who can each transport the puck and separate opposing gamers from the biscuit.
The left-shot D additionally has a robust body at 6-foot-2 and 201 kilos. However, he was removed from a stay-at-home blueliner as a freshman at Quinnipiac, scoring 4 objectives and 12 factors over 38 video games whereas recording heavy minutes.
He gained’t be an offensive dynamo on the subsequent degree, however Groenewold may develop right into a strong second or third-pairing common who can throw his weight round and transport the puck with out limitations.
12. Oskar Jellvik, F
The 2025-26 season is shaping as much as be a pivotal yr for Jellvik relating to charting out his professional ceiling.
A fifth-round choose within the 2021 NHL Draft, Jellvik has been a key cog on some sturdy Boston Faculty groups below Greg Brown, headlined by a sophomore marketing campaign the place he scored 42 factors (13 objectives, 29 assists) in 41 video games.
Granted, Jellvik additionally skated in one of many strongest top-six items in current collegiate historical past with the 2023-24 Eagles, normally enjoying on a line with Cutter Gauthier.
The 2024-25 marketing campaign was extra of a battle for Jellvik, who scored 13 factors (4 objectives, 9 assists) over 23 video games earlier than struggling a season-ending shoulder harm in February.
Jellvik wasn’t a play driver this previous season with the Eagles, however BC’s offense additionally dried up after he went down, scoring below three objectives in 5 of their remaining 12 video games.
A shifty, cerebral participant who places himself in spots to generate Grade-A probabilities, Jellvik may very well be poised for a bounce-back season or a reloaded BC squad.
11. Michael DiPietro, G
At 26 years outdated, a participant like DiPietro could be stretching the label of “prospect.”
However, given Boston’s have to id one other goalie of their system — coupled with DiPietro’s personal stellar play in 2024-25 — the netminder deserves a spot right here.
Acquired from Boston in a take care of Vancouver that concerned Jack Studnicka in October 2022, DiPietro has bounced throughout all three ranges of professional hockey over the previous few seasons with the Bruins and Canucks.
After serving in additional of a backup function to Brandon Bussi in 2023-24, DiPeitro dominated as Windfall’s prime possibility between the pipes in 2024-25.
The previous 2017 third-round choose took house the Baz Bastien Award because the AHL’s Goaltender of the 12 months after posting a 26-8-7 report to associate with a .927 save proportion and 4 shutouts.
“You’re at all times rooting for a man like Michael,” Providence Bruins head coach Ryan Mougenel said in May. “He’s a improbable child and professional. After which his means, he simply bought extra of a chance to point out it right here and we’re actually pleased with his development and the way far he’s come and all of the accolades that include it. However for me, I’m not stunned by it.”
The Bruins backup goaltender function is at present accounted for — courtesy of Joonas Korpisalo.
But when Boston was capable of find a suitor for Korpisalo via trade (clearing cap area in consequence) rolling with a youthful (and cheaper) backup in DiPietro may very well be an interesting possibility for Boston.
Join the Immediately publication
Get every little thing it is advisable to know to begin your day, delivered proper to your inbox each morning.
