MCKEEN’S 2026 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #20 Boston Bruins – Organization Overview – Top 15 Prospects

 

Prospect System Ranking – 20th (Last Year - 21st)
GM: Don Sweeney Hired: May 2015
COACH: Marco Sturm Hired: June 2025

When it comes to the Boston Bruins’ prospect pipeline, the theme seems to have been quality over quantity. For two consecutive drafts, the organization has added a player who projects as a potential difference-maker with their first-round selections.

The first was Dean Letourneau (96th) in 2024, who has emerged as a standout for Boston College following a somewhat challenging freshman campaign. Now producing at over a point-per-game pace, the 6-foot-7, 229-pound forward brings a rare combination of size and skill that makes him somewhat of an intriguing unicorn. Boston followed that up in 2025 by selecting Letourneau’s Boston College teammate, James Hagens (17th). The dynamic forward has continued to impress, producing well above a point-per-game pace across his first two NCAA seasons. Given his rapid development, there is a realistic scenario in which he could make his NHL debut in Boston as early as this spring. Over in North Dakota, William Zellers (155th) — acquired via trade from the Colorado Avalanche — is quietly building a strong résumé and continues to trend upward within the Bruins’ system. At the professional level, Fabian Lysell has continued to post solid offensive numbers with the AHL’s Providence Bruins, though the talented winger has yet to receive an extended opportunity to establish himself at the NHL level.

Looking ahead, Boston is well-positioned to further strengthen its pipeline. The Bruins currently hold four first-round selections over the next two drafts, which should provide opportunities to add high-end talent to the system.

1. James Hagens, C, Boston College (NCAA) (Currently with Providence Bruins, AHL)

   This season, Hagens has really unlocked another level. His goal-scoring prowess has come alive, recording 23 goals on the year. He has been the main driver of BC's offence this season, creating chances for himself and his linemates and elevating the play of many around him. Hagens is now in the NHL, showing excellent speed in all three zones that has helped him dominate the Hockey East since coming back from the World Juniors, tallying 29 points in the 18 games he's played in the second half. Hagens gave Bruins fans a taste of what he can achieve at TD Garden during the Beanpot, taking home MVP with five points and two goals in two games. Boston College’s recent surge in the NCAA rankings is due to many factors, but the biggest factor has been the play of its first line center. Hagens is really setting himself up to slot into the Bruins’ top six next season, one that notably needs help at center. Really the only thing holding him back is the need to continue to add strength to withstand the rigors of the pro game at his size.

2. Dean Letourneau, C, Boston College (NCAA)

   Sometimes players just take longer to develop. Letourneau was drafted as a long-term project, so perhaps it should have come as no surprise that he struggled as a freshman at BC. However, Dean Letourneau has proved the entire hockey world wrong with his play this season. He has become the other focal point of the BC offence, scoring 23 goals this season and chugging away at above a point-per-game. The biggest changes in his game this year have been the utilization of his size, his skating, and his IQ around the net. Letourneau is shaping up to be a very dangerous middle six center, which Boston has a habit of getting the most out of at the NHL level. Though he has made excellent strides, he may need an extra year in Chestnut Hill before he is truly ready to slot into the Bruins' lineup. The Bruins would be wise to be very patient with his development, allowing him to continue to build confidence at the NCAA level.

3. William Zellers, LW, University of North Dakota (NCAA)

   Zellers has done nothing but shine everywhere he’s gone since being drafted in the third round in 2024. His incredible season with Green Bay last year was impressive, but his immediate impact in the lineup for North Dakota this year has been even more exciting. Though he has cooled off from his pace in the first half of this year, Zellers has shown excellent goal-scoring prowess at the NCAA level in just his freshman year. The World Juniors was a perfect example of how useful he can be in a lineup as a spark plug. Acquired from the Colorado Avalanche in the Charlie Coyle deal, Zellers’ motor makes him so annoying to defend against in the neutral and offensive zones. He finds open space so well and creates so many dangerous chances with that space. He will feature prominently in the middle six for Boston in the future and should definitely be on watch to explode in points during the playoffs. One would guess that Boston allows him to return to North Dakota for his sophomore season in hopes that he can develop into one of the more prolific scorers in the NCAA.

4. Fabian Lysell, RW, Providence Bruins (AHL)

   Lysell is coming up on his fourth full season with Providence in the AHL. In that time, the 2021 first-round pick has only been called up to play NHL games once, a 12-game stint at the end of last season. He’s had some up and down seasons from a point scoring perspective, with this season being an up year on the back of a near 20% shooting percentage. He’s still the player who loves carrying the puck with speed through the neutral zone and going at defenders. He has the hands to match and if defenders don’t close their gap quickly, he has a powerful shot that can beat netminders from a distance. Defensively, he is passable, and for a speedy offensive sniper, that’s all you can really ask for. With the Bruins occupying the last playoff spot in the East, Lysell might not get the games he did at the end of last season. He’s a pending RFA and could look to go elsewhere if presented with the opportunity. Whether in Boston or somewhere else, Lysell projects as a middle six winger.

5. William Moore, C, Boston College (NCAA)

   In a lot of ways, one could draw parallels between Moore's and the aformentioned Letourneau's freshman seasons. Moore has shown some promise in a development year at Boston College, but he has not received significant minutes and has not particularly shone with the 13-17 minutes a night he’s been getting. The usage of his size has definitely been better in his freshman year, as he has shown more determination along the boards than last season with the NTDP. One of the biggest issues this year has been a lack of pace and urgency in his game. Moore has not been involved in driving play in the neutral and offensive zones, though he showed flashes when some of his teammates were at the World Juniors. He has shown some solid offensive moments in the offensive zones, but they have not been plentiful in his first year. Moore will most likely stay at BC for at least the next two seasons. There is still a long development path ahead of him before he makes the jump to the NHL with Boston.

6. Dans Locmelis, C, Providence Bruins (AHL)

   In his rookie season, Dans Locmelis has done a little bit of everything for Providence. He’s played on the wing, down the middle, on the power play, and on the penalty kill. He’s been thrown out in every situation and done very well. He is Providence’s Latvian Swiss army knife. Locmelis has 28 points through 43 games with 15 goals and 13 assists. He’s definitely a more shot-heavy player, but he can dish it as well. Locmelis’ game is very projectable to the NHL level. He has no problem using his size to throw his weight around or being aggressive on the forecheck. Although Locmelis has been thrown onto the wing to help Matthew Poitras get going at times, his more natural fit is down the middle. With a responsible two-way game, he pretty safely projects as a bottom six forward for Boston. There isn’t a lot of talent in the Bruins’ pipeline blocking his way, but the organization seems more likely to keep him in Providence for a little while longer.

7. Elliott Groenewold, D, Quinnipiac University (NCAA)

   Groenewold has been making strides with Quinnipiac in his sophomore season, showing just how diverse his skillset is. His skating chops, compared with his 6-foot-4 frame, give him a reach and mobility that have made him quite adept at defending the rush. However, Groenewold tends to be a bit of a “wild man” in every zone. Great aggression, however, he will often bite at the worst times, showing that he still has much rounding out to do in his game. Offensively, he has shown steady improvement from last season. Nearly eclipsing 20 points this season, he has become somewhat of a driver in the neutral zone, showing solid transition potential. His shot is not all-powerful yet, and he hasn’t been the most accurate passer in the offensive zone, but the flashes are all there. Groenewold will be an impact two-way defenceman in the transfer portal this offseason, should he decide to leave Quinnipiac. As for his NHL upside, he shows some shut-down potential on a third pairing, but he will need to keep improving at this current pace to get to where he needs to be.

8. Chris Pelosi, C, Quinnipiac University (NCAA)

   Killer instinct is the name of the game for Pelosi. He has been a presence in front of the net ever since his days in the USHL. In his sophomore season at Quinnipiac, he has been one of three forwards to score at a point-per-game pace. Pelosi is an incredibly annoying forward, heavy on the forecheck, physical in the defensive zone, always competing hard in puck battles. Where he is lacking in skate speed in both offensive and defensive zones, he makes up for it in IQ and positioning. Pelosi will often find himself in the right spot at the right time to bury a chance or block a shot. Given his strong performance and development this season, there's certainly a chance that the Bruins opt to sign him, hoping his aggressiveness makes him ready for a spot in the AHL, and potentially as a bottom six energy guy for their long-term future. The key for Pelosi is to continue to improve his skating so that the adjustment to the pace of the pro level is not too overwhelming.

9. Frederic Brunet, D, Providence Bruins (AHL)

   Every year, Frederic Brunet has gotten better and better, and in his third AHL season, his work has culminated in a selection to the AHL All-Star team. In 65 games this season with Providence, Brunet racked up 36 points. What have been flashes of offence in the past have shown up consistently this year. He’s getting more pucks through traffic and on net. He’s constantly breaking the puck out either with long stretch passes or ridiculous solo efforts going blue line to blue line. Not just for a guy his size, but for anybody, Brunet is fast and doesn’t take long to get going. There aren’t many puck races he doesn’t win. He’s extremely solid defensively. Brunet positions himself well, and his decision-making doesn’t crack under pressure. He is doing so many things and all of those things at a very high level. With his talent in every zone, Brunet will surprise a lot of people once he sees some consistent time in the NHL. Boston isn’t short defensively, especially for lefties, but Brunet has legit top four potential.

10. Vashek Blanár, D, HV71 (SHL)

    Blanár has gone from way-off-the-board draft pick that nobody knew to top 10 prospect in the Bruins system. The raw, toolsy LHD made the move to HV71’s U20 Nationell team and has been playing tons of minutes in all situations. He was even selected to Czechia’s WJC squad, although he didn’t play a single game. The upside is palpable with Blanár. He’s got a huge frame and moves very well for his size. His puck skills and playmaking have been on full display at the offensive blueline, where he routinely activates and makes cuts towards the net. Blanár’s quite offensively inclined, but he can take a few too many positional liberties and allow odd man rushes the other way. He’s fearless and energetic in his own zone, but his rush defence needs work. He lets puck carriers take the zone too easily and struggles to manage his gaps effectively. The developmental trajectory has been good so far, but the next step for Blanár is to continue to learn and grow at the pro level. It will take a few years, and a lot has to go right, but Blanár has an outside chance to become a bottom four, two-way defenceman who can kill penalties and even chip in on the power play in a pinch

11. Cooper Simpson, LW, Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)

    A highly skilled winger, Simpson elected to play a full year in the USHL rather than head to college and that decision looks like a good one. He’s been dominant offensively at that level and oozes offensive upside moving forward.

12. Simon Zajicek, G, Providence Bruins (AHL)

    Zajicek was a free agent signing out of Czechia this past offseason and he’s been terrific for Providence, splitting time with Michael Dipietro. Could be a diamond in the rough for the Bruins.

13. Philip Svedeback, G, Providence College (NCAA)

    In the midst of another strong year for Providence, Svedeback suffered a leg injury that is threatening to cut his senior season short. Look for the Bruins to sign him when Providence’s season is complete.

14. Jonathan Morello, C, Boston University (NCAA)

    A strong skater and two-way player, the Bruins aren’t quite sure what they have in Morello yet. His freshman season with Boston University has seen him settle into a depth role. A longer-term project still.

15. Ryan Walsh, C, Cornell University (NCAA)

    An offensive leader for the Big Red since he entered the NCAA a few years ago, Walsh is a hardworking, intelligent winger. He profiles as a potential bottom six piece for the Bruins in the future.