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The 32-in-32 Series is an annual event here at DobberProspects and has been condensed from two articles to one. The article will bring you: The highlighted team’s draft; insights into its off-season moves; looking at prospect risers, fallers and likely prospects to play NHL games; and of course, the writers’ top-20 prospects. Articles may be brought back when an important team update occurs, so check back because we plan to fill your hockey withdrawal needs all off-season!

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Make sure to check out the Boston Bruins team page here: https://dobberprospects.com/team/boston-bruins/

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The Boston Bruins have turned the page on an era that saw them appear in three Stanley Cup Finals and take home the grand prize once. Just two seasons removed from setting the record as the best regular season of all-time, the organization’s decline continued into 2024-25, and this time it was enough to push them down and out of the playoff picture. Finishing with a 33-39-10 record, their place in the standings marked the worst finish for the team in over 20 seasons. Not all of this can be attributed to just poor performances. Injuries to Charlie McAvoy and a contract dispute with Jeremy Swayman set the tone for the season, and it quickly became one to forget. 

The biggest change the Bruins made in the off-season was hiring Marco Sturm to be their new head coach. With their core pieces mostly locked up, the Bruins decided to run it back and try to re-load with a new look group around them to rejuvenate the pieces they do have instead of doing a major overhaul of the roster. This should help the Bruins become a faster, more offence oriented team once again, with an emphasis on good team defence. 

For a team that looked set to take a step back for the next few seasons, they solidified the bottom of their lineup and restocked the cupboards at this year’s draft with a surprise pick at seventh overall and traded some secondary pieces for futures that could contribute down the line. An addition of a bruising bottom-six winger in Tanner Jeannot brings back memories of the “Big Bad Bruins” that it looks like Don Sweeney and Co. are looking to reinvent in a modern context. 

Tanner Jeannot headlined the free agency class for the team while returnee Sean Kuraly will look to have an impact on the fourth line once again. Viktor Arvidsson could possibly change the fabric of the second line. It is an interesting new blend of skaters in Beantown. 

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NHL Draft Recap

Round 1, 7th Overall: James Hagens, C

One of, if not the biggest steals of the draft, Hagens fell right into the laps of Don Sweeney & Co. after six teams passed on him, and this could very well alter the near future for the organization for the better. With potential to hear his name uttered with Bruins legends like Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci, Hagens provides the Bruins with a blue chip centre piece down the middle they have lacked since the departure of those aforementioned lifetime Bruins. The organization looked set for a long rebuilding period when those two left the organization, but the selection of Hagens adds a core piece that you normally only have the opportunity to take in the top-five picks. 

Hagens checks off all the boxes for the organization: 

1. He plays a position of great importance, and one they have not had in abundance for the last few seasons;
2. Possesses the game breaking, big game talent the organization values greatly; and
3. Of course he plays for a Boston based NCAA team.

Hagens posted 37 points in 37 appearances for Boston College last season, just a year removed from vaulting into third all-time in USNTDP scoring. Hagens processes the game at a high speed. His ability to transition with game-breaking speed bodes well considering he could line up with players like David Pastrnak in the near future. All of this is to mention his incredible puck control, great footwork and vision bode well for his future. The organization he landed with is just gravy, despite being a Long Island kid. 

Round 2, 51st Overall – William Moore, Centre

William Moore is a good swing for the Bruins. Another prospect highly regarded heading into his draft year who fell down the rankings as the year went on. He had a late surge at the end of the season, but it was not enough to get him back into the first round. The Bruins are getting a player with great shooting and distributing instincts, and one with size down the middle. Moore is part of the case of larger players who sometimes take a while to fill into their frame. That case is no different for him. He has the toolkit of a strong offensive middle-six forward with potential to be a great bottom-six NHLer when all is said and done. 

Round 2, 61st Overall – Liam Pettersson, Defence

Pettersson is a toolsy “sum of his parts” type of player. His large 6-2 frame has allowed him to burgeon his way against younger competition. He showed this level of tenacity and skill to translate to the men’s game as he showed in his brief stint in the SHL. His willingness to transport pucks on his own and have the sense to utilize his teammates when necessary is a good sign for younger defencemen who could defer to the former if that’s what they are more comfortable with. He has a solid shot he likes to use through traffic. Pettersson, although a solid defenceman, can have his lapses. He gives up a lot of space when defending the transition, but his quickness to this point has allowed him to cover up those shortcomings. At his ceiling, Pettersson is likely a second pair number four defenceman with some powerplay upside to go with it, but not a whole lot more. An NHL player nonetheless. 

Round 3, 79th Overall – Cooper Simpson, Left Wing

Simpson is slated to go to the University of North Dakota in the fall after his brief stint in the USHL following the conclusion of his high school season. He is so good at many offensive niches in the game, but none more than the hardest of all: Putting the puck in the net. Simpson, heading into the season seemed a much more dynamic player than he ended it. Creating a lot of space with his ability to split the defence and keep them on their heels with the threat of a pass or to take the puck himself. Towards the end, he became a premier trigger-man, finishing the high-school season with 49 goals. He moved onto the USHL where he did not progress as much as some had hoped, although he did look a lot more comfortable. Heading into the NCAA this fall, Simpson has a unique opportunity to try to re-establish some of that dynamism. Worst case scenario for Simpson is he is used primarily as a trigger-man. Not a bad “worst case.”

Round 4, 100th Overall – Vashek Blanar, Defence

Blanar stands in at a hulking 6-4 and 183lbs and put up decent offensive numbers in the J18 league in Sweden. Posting 21 points in 38 games, Blanar is a bit of a curious player. While he doesn’t have the mobility smaller skaters have, he can still hold his own, keeping up with the pace of play well and often times does not find himself out of position. He has an average shot with other various offensive tools. The Bruins hope they can reign him in and mold him to become a bottom pair defender who can match up with opponents bottom-six lines and possibly bear the brunt of some tough match ups. But it will be a while before that becomes a reality. 

Round 5, 133rd Overall – Cole Chandler, C

Chandler is an absolute worker bee of a player who loves to pursue the puck and get into the dirty areas of the ice. Coming off an injury in his rookie season, Chandler did not have the runway in training camp that would have benefited him in his draft year. Still, he posted 32 points in 64 games with the Shawinigan Cataractes. The hope is a full off-season and proper training heading into the season will help Chandler regain the form he had in U18. With his offensive potency at each level he’s played, that is a fine bet to make for an organization trying to mine talent later in the draft. 

Round 6, 165th Overall – Kirill Yemelyanov, C

Yemelyanov was the 31st ranked skater on NHL Central Scouting’s list who fell to the Bruins in round six. Possibly due to the “Russia factor,” the Bruins did not overlook his 200-foot game and offensive ability. Constantly involved in the play and a driver for his line, Yemelyanov attacks oncoming attackers in the neutral zone to kill momentum in transition. He plays a responsible and aware game that allows him to scan the play and flip it on a dime. 

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Off-Season Moves

The Bruins did not make a whole lot of changes at the top of the lineup, but certainly overhauled their system and the depth they have available to them. With just two players walking in free agency and holding onto all of their pieces, the Bruins opted to make themselves deeper organizationally, which will pay off down the line. 

Incoming

D Victor Soderstrom (Acquired via Trade from Chicago Blackhawks)

RW Viktor Arvidsson (Acquired via Trade from Edmonton Oilers)

LW Tanner Jeannot (Signed 5×3.4m)

C Sean Kuraly (Signed 2×1.85m)

C Michael Eyssimont (Signed 2×1.45m)

C Alex Steeves (1×850,000)

D Jordan Harris (1×825,000)

RW Matej Blumel (1×875,000)

LW Riley Tufte (1×775,000)

D Jonathan Aspirot (1×775,000)

G Luke Cavallin (1×790,000)

Outgoing

LW Jakub Lauko (Free-Agent)

D Parker Wotherspoon (SIgned with Pittsburgh Penguins)

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In The System

Risers

Georgii Merkulov, C

Merkulov has had a few years of building on success in AHL Providence. He has hovered around the point-per-game mark in each of his three full seasons and topped 30 goals once. Having gotten into ten games of NHL action thus far, Merkulov appears poised to make the jump this fall. Of course, the logjam at the bottom of the lineup will pose a challenge for him to get in, but once injuries occur and if the team needs an offensive punch, Merkulov is their guy. While he does not have the utility a few of their prospects have, he does have good offensive instinct that will allow him to be plugged into the top-six for a stretch if necessary. 

Matthew Poitras, C

Poitras got his first taste of NHL action at the young age of 19 years old. He managed to log 15 points in 33 games at nearly a half point-per-game pace. His season was cut short by injury, but he found a similar rhythm once again in 2024-25. After Poitras was demoted to Providence, he posted 17 goals and 41 points and made a big impact in his eight Calder Cup Playoff games. Poitras is a highly competitive player with a relentless motor that pushes him to battle along the wall and in the greasy parts of the ice. Couple this with his upside of around 70 points, and you have a player who fits the mantra of the organization. The only thing that might stand in his way is injury woes, but if he can buck that early career trend, Poitras stands to become a mainstay in the lineup sooner rather than later. 

Fraser Minten, C

Acquired from Toronto at the trade deadline in the deal that sent Brandon Carlo the other way, Minten was in a bit of a pickle before. With not a lot of room for a role on a contending team, Minten often found himself on the outside looking in. Despite spending to fill out the depth on their roster, centre was one position they weren’t able to address as effectively. On their depth chart, one could argue he slots in nicely as their third line centre. If the organization is patient and able to withstand the growing pains that comes with playing a 21 year old centre, the benefit could be great. While his upside isn’t the most exciting, Minten could certainly vault his way into relevance as soon as 2025-26 and lead the way for a new wave of prospects coming through the pipeline. His role is there for the taking.

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Fallers

Fabian Lysell, LW

Lysell got his first taste of NHL action in 2024-25 with 12 games where he logged three points. His points-per-game also declined in the AHL with Providence, where he netted just 34 points in his 52 appearances following a near point-per-game campaign in 2023-24. With 12 forwards currently signed to one-way NHL deals, the path gets a little murky for Lysell. Plus, with the aforementioned acquisitions of players such as Minten and Khusnutdinov, the uphill battle for Lysell became a lot steeper to get to the promised land. Still, Lysell has plenty of skill to go around. If he is not able to crack the Bruins roster, perhaps he will find an opportunity elsewhere if and when the team affords him that opportunity. 

Dean Letourneau, C

Taken with a late first round pick in 2024, Letourneau’s pick was a bit of a head scratcher. On the surface, Letourneau had a great draft year with more than two points-per-game at St. Andrew’s College U18AAA. But once he got to the next level in the NCAA, he failed to register a goal and just three assists. Of course, offence is not everything, but it was a staggering step back for the 6-7 prospect. He is a true project for the organization who needs work in every facet of the game, most notably his skating as a whole. Players with similar stature can take longer to catch up to that speed, so it might be a while before Letourneau sees NHL ice. 

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Likely to See NHL Action

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Top 20 Prospects

This section is intended to paint a picture of the Boston prospects whose current trajectory projects them to make the most positive fantasy impact at the time that they reach the NHL. Arrival date and NHL certainty have been taken into consideration; however, potential upside is the most important factor in determining this list.

1. James Hagens
2. Fabian Lysell
3. Matthew Poitras
4. Fraser MInten
5. William Moore
6. Marat Khusnutdinov
7. Georgii Merkulov
8. Cooper Simpson
9. William Zellers
10. Matej Blumel
11. Alex Steeves
12. Brett Harrison
13. Liam Pettersson
14. John Farinacci
15. Cole Spicer
16. Victor Soderstrom
17. Frederic Brunet
18. Jonathan Morello
19. Roman Bychkov
20. Loke Johansson

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Make sure to check out the Boston Bruins team page here: https://dobberprospects.com/team/boston-bruins/

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Final Thoughts

The Bruins are coming off their worst season in a long time. The decline has been in motion for a few seasons now. But after trading away the last piece of the old regime in Brad Marchand, the team is ready to turn the page. While they still have superstars David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy and an emerging stud between the pipes in Swayman, the Bruins are well positioned to rise over the next few seasons. Still, without adding top talent in free agency and nibbling around the fringes of the roster, there may be a year or two yet where they have to endure growing pains from their newfound prospect depth. 

With veteran additions down the lineup, the team will certainly be competitive in 2025-26. But with rising tides in the Atlantic Division, it will be an uphill battle, and it is yet to be seen if what Sweeney did this offseason was enough to get them back to the post-season. Only time will tell. 

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Thanks for reading! 

Sean Crocker