MCKEEN’S 2023 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #24 Boston Bruins

Prospect System Ranking – 24^th (27^th last year)

A record-breaking season with 135 points and the President’s Trophy, ended in heartbreak with a first round lost to last season’s President’s Trophy winner, the Florida Panthers. With Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci possibly in their final season, the Hollywood script was written. GM Don Sweeney (since 2015) made some widely praised trade deadline deals moving out his 2023 and 2024 first round picks, plus a 2023 third, a 2025 second and fourth for Tyler Bertuzzi (from Detroit) and Garnet Hathaway and Dmitry Orlov (from Washington). All players well suited to the style of play in the playoffs and solid fit with the Bruin system and culture. Having acquired Hampus Lindholm in the previous season for three picks (one first, two seconds), plus two prospects, the well is not surprisingly dry for prospects on the cusp. They are one of two teams with no graduated prospects from the last five drafts.

It is a testament to the scouting and development team that they find themselves with four prospects (Lysell #33, Lohrei #93, Poitras #155, Bussi #166 – 10^th among goalies) in the top 200 and the 33^rd ranked Fabian Lysell. After a successful rookie season in the AHL, and as Lysell’s confidence grows, he may find himself in a top six role before too long. The Bruins have only five regular forwards from their line-up that are not UFA’s, so an opportunity awaits. The defense is more set going forward. Despite that they have cap issues. GM Sweeney has many questions to answer with his veterans, and how to approach the coming season. No doubt some of those will be tied to the decisions that Bergeron and Krejci make on retirement. Not much left on the shelf to sell, it will be an interesting offseason.

1. Fabian Lysell

Fabian Lysell wasted no time after the Bruins selected him 21st overall in 2021. After hearing his name called, he decided to come to North America, where he’s been extremely impressive so far. He spent the first season in the WHL with the Vancouver Giants, leading the team in points (62). This season, he’s been just as impressive in the AHL. Lysell’s ability to generate offense has been on full display since coming overseas, highlighted by his ability to stickhandle like the puck is on a string and his high-end passing skill. He’s so elusive and creative but needs to pick his opportunities better. There are also some consistency concerns in his game as he seems to lose confidence in himself. If Lysell can put the pieces together, and he has been doing that very well so far in AHL rookie season, he could very well be a top-six playmaker in the near future.

2. Mason Lohrei

After going undrafted in 2019, Mason Lohrei has been making the Bruins look good. They surprisingly called his name 58th overall in the 2020 NHL Draft, and he responded very well, earning USHL Defenseman of the Year honours in 2020-21, leading all defenders in goals (19), assists (40), and points (59). But he wasn’t done there. He joined Ohio State University the following season and was named to the Big Ten All-Rookie Team. His current season doesn’t have the same lustre around it, but he’s playing on a weaker team. Lohrei’s two-way potential is there. He contributes at both ends, carrying the puck well in transition, showing promising mobility, playing physically, and being on the ice in all situations. He’s still a bit of a project prospect and there’s a need for some refinement in his game if he’s going to succeed in the NHL, but he could be a reliable bottom-pairing defender.

3. Matthew Poitras

Looking at the type of player that the Bruins value, Matthew Poitras is the perfect fit. He’s a coach’s dream, never taking his foot off the gas, being dependable in all scenarios, and being patient in his play. He’s not a player that’s going to be overly dynamic at the next level, but he’s capable of having flashes. He’s a recent draftee, being selected 54th overall in the recent 2022 NHL Draft from the OHL’s Guelph Storm. He has taken a big offensive step forward this season, projected to nearly double his offensive output from his rookie season and is among the league leader in assists. This largely comes from his hardworking style of play, as the puck usually ends up on his stick, which won’t happen as much as he moves up. Tenacious players tend to make it against all odds, so you can bet on Poitras reaching the NHL in due time.

4. Brandon Bussi

In terms of trending prospects, it’s nearly impossible to ignore Brandon Bussi at this point. An undrafted goaltender, Bussi had been biding his time, waiting for an NHL team to bet on him. In his third NCAA season with Western Michigan University, the Bruins did just that, signing him to a one-year contract in college free agency. With a .910 save percentage over his NCAA career, expectations weren’t overly high, taking more of a “let’s see” approach. He jumped to the AHL this season and has been remarkable in net. He took over the crease as the number-one netminder and has run with it, sitting near the top of the league in all categories. He was even named to the AHL All-Star Classic. It remains to be seen how high Bussi can climb, but he’s still young at 24 and his size, positioning, and mobility all look like he’s well on his way to the next level.

5. Georgii Merkulov

After going undrafted and relatively unnoticed in his first year of draft eligibility back in 2019, playing with the MHL’s Kapitan Stupino, Georgii Merulov made a change. He decided to head overseas, joining the USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms where he spent two seasons - still going undrafted. He then moved on to the NCAA and Ohio State University, where he spent just one year before the Bruins swooped in and signed him as a free agent. That’s been looking like a great move so far, as Merkulov is a top player on the Providence Bruins this season. He has an excellent shot, has a knack for creating separation, and is a strong playmaker as well. He’s struggled in the face-off dot this season and his defensive awareness and effort aren’t always there, but he’s well on his way to being a secondary scoring option at the NHL level.

6. John Beecher

When the Bruins drafted John Beecher back in 2019, 30th overall, he was coming off a fine season with the USNTDP and heading to the NCAA’s University of Michigan. He spent three seasons with Michigan, where it seemed like his development stalled, never really taking the next step in his game throughout his time there. Now in the AHL, he has shown some improvement with his physicality and ability to get off the wall, even chipping in offensively fairly well, but there is still concern with his lack of consistency and failure to take over games or drive a line. He tends to sit back too often, letting the play come to him. Whether or not he makes the NHL as a consistent contributor is a real question, and it’s hard to see his ceiling as more than a bottom-six role player.

7. Riley Duran

A lesser-known but promising piece of the Bruins’ pool is Riley Duran. Selected in 2020 way down at 182nd overall out of high school, the forward made the shift to the USHL in the following season but didn’t take off. In 2021-22 he jumped to the NCAA where he took off with Providence College. So much so that he was named to Team USA at the 2022 World Juniors. He has strong positioning, plays with high energy, and isn’t afraid to jump into puck battles. His skill level isn’t overly exciting - he’s more of a reliable depth player. As the Bruins like, he has good size at 6-foot-2 and will continue to build strength before he reaches the next level. His ceiling isn’t overly high, but he does seem like a player that would plug into a third- or fourth-line role but be able to play up if needed.

8. Brett Harrison

Drafted 85th overall in 2021, Brett Harrison already had one OHL season under his belt and was expected to take a big step forward in 2020-21. Instead, the OHL season was cancelled and the centreman headed overseas to the U20 SM-sarja for seven games. Combined with an Under-18s gold medal with Team Canada, that was enough for the Bruins to bet on him. He’s been a productive forward in the OHL since then, but his development has noticeably slowed, if not stalled. His shot is a bright spot, getting a great deal of weight behind a full arsenal of shots. He does well getting to the front of the net as well. His skating stride, his shot selection, and overall consistency are red flags in his game though. It’s hard to see him as more than a depth piece but could cut out a bottom-six role for himself if everything goes to plan.

9. Marc McLaughlin

Yet another player in the Bruins’ system that came up through the NCAA, Marc McLaughlin is another prospect that doesn’t garner a ton of attention. But he does seem to be the mould of a Bruins player. He came up through the USHL, serving as the captain in his final year with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders. Jumping to Boston College, he eventually earned the “C” again and was a point-per-game player in his final two seasons. The Bruins signed him as a free agent, in a big year for him as he also dressed for Team USA at the Olympics. He’s a strong skater, who plays a very intelligent, defensive-leaning game. He’s not going to be the most offensive player, but this season in the AHL has shown that he’ll be a contributor. A bottom-six role, with a role on a first penalty kill unit, seems very realistic and not too far off.

10. Jakub Lauko

Jakub Lauko looks to be graduating from this list soon, after a long path since being drafted 77th overall back in 2018. Drafted out of Czechia, he then joined the QMJHL’s Rouyn-Noranda Huskies where he had a strong season, including a QMJHL and CHL Memorial Cup Championship. He then jumped to the AHL, but in the shortened season. In 2020-21, he headed back to Czechia until the AHL season kicked off and he’s been with the P-Bruins since. This season, he’s seen time in the NHL, but if he sticks is a real question. He’s mainly a call-up as needed but has some work to do if he’s going to be a regular. Despite his intelligence and awareness, he tends to be more of a passenger when he’s on the ice. At this point, he’s never going to be an overly offensive threat and he may be close to his ceiling.