The Boston Bruins will be one of eight playoff teams in the Eastern Conference with more than 100 points when the regular season comes to an end on Friday.
That the B’s have made the playoffs 13 of the last 15 seasons, with three trips to the Stanley Cup final, means that the team has not had many years with early draft pick positions. General manager Don Sweeney has also not been averse to trading draft choices to bring in veteran NHLers for a more immediate upgrade. Whether dealing first- and second-round picks for Rick Nash (2018), Charlie Coyle (2019), Ondrej Kase (2020) or Hampus Lindholm (2022), the Boston scouting staff has often had the challenge of having to find undervalued players later in the drafts or unearth diamonds in the rough via the college free agent market.
The B's have not gotten a single NHL game out of any player drafted after 2018, which has not impacted the big club's fortunes yet. Help could be coming in the form of promising prospects like 2019 first-rounder John Beecher or 2020 top pick (second round) Mason Lohrei, but there are several players who have elevated themselves within the Bruins organization recently. We will look at them, plus a few other B’s prospects at other positions who might not be household names but could surprise with their progress.
Fabian Lysell
Vancouver Giants, RW; 1/19/03, right shot, 5-10/172
Boston’s top choice in 2021 led the WHL’s Vancouver Giants in scoring with 22 goals and 62 points in 53 games after the Bruins purchased his contract in Sweden and brought him over to North America. His high-end speed and hands make him exciting to watch, and he’s a very good NHL prospect who represents solid value at 21st overall. However, he has a lot of growth and development ahead. The Gothenburg native opened the WHL playoffs with a bang, posting a five-assist effort in his team’s win over the Everett Silvertips. After splitting the first two contests, he has six helpers. After needing time to make the adjustment to North America and get comfortable in the most rugged of the three Canadian major-junior leagues, he’s coming on at the right time. If his Giants team is eliminated by higher-seeded Everett, watch for Lysell to make the flight to Providence and finish out the season with Boston’s AHL club. He will be ready for full-time AHL duty next season, and as impressive a prospect as he is, he’ll need it. Fans should suppress the urge to want their shiny new toy in the NHL, as he needs the time to grow his body and all-around game.
Georgii Merkulov
Providence Bruins, C; 10/10/00, left shot, 5-10/163
The former Ohio State Buckeye made his presence felt in the very first pro game of his career, making two nifty passes for goals, and then scoring in the shootout to beat Lehigh Valley. He continued that with a primary helper on Justin Brazeau’s power play goal, zipping the puck to him at the far post for an easy tap-in during Providence’s Friday home loss to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. The Russian center is being moved around in the AHL lineup a bit to help get the most out of him, but he’s so far living up to the expectations after being a 20-goal scorer as a freshman in the Big Ten. Like Lysell, he has a high skill level and the instincts to be a productive player, but does not need to be rushed to the NHL, as the Bruins can afford to be patient with him. His 1-3—4 stats line in his first five AHL games is an indicator of his potential
Oskar Jellvik
Djurgardens J20, LW; 2/8/03, left shot, 5-10/181
NCAA commit: Boston College
After racking up 55 points in 41 games, Boston’s fifth-round selection in 2021 will be playing in town next season in Chestnut Hill. He had a superb playoff run with the Djugardens junior (under-20) squad, helping lead them to the championship contest and scoring a goal in a 5-2 defeat at the hands of Linkopings. He’s a slick, crafty winger who will instantly infuse some real skill and offensive creativity into the Eagles lineup next season.
Ty Gallagher
Boston University, D; 3/6/03, right shot, 6-0/180
The B’s final selection (217th) in 2021 had an impact freshman season for the Terriers, showing off his offensive tools but also seeing some positive growth in his defensive play. A former Notre Dame recruit and Michigan product who spent two years at the U.S. National Team Development Program, he can skate and move pucks quickly. He has a big point shot that he gets off quickly and generates good power on. With five tallies and 16 points in 34 games, Gallagher is primed to put up bigger production as he’ll no doubt be a bigger factor on the BU power play. He’s far from a finished product, but he’s looking like a nice find at the bottom of the draft.
Ryan Mast
Sarnia Sting, D; 1/14/03, right shot, 6-5/213
Another Michigan native and late-round selection in 2021, Mast passed up college hockey in favor of playing major-junior in the OHL, and it is paying off for him. He’s a tall, rangy skater who plays in the mold of Brandon Carlo, and nearly tripled his second-year production in that league (after COVID canceled the entire 2020-21 OHL season). Offense isn’t what is going to get him to the upper levels in professional hockey, but what will is his ability to defend and neutralize opposition rushes while moving pucks efficiently in transition and chipping in with offense. He’s one of the more undervalued prospects in Boston’s system, and was tested against the Windsor Spitfires in the OHL playoffs first round.
Brandon Bussi
Providence Bruins, G; 6/25/98, catches right, 6-4/215
The Western Michigan University junior signed a one-year contract with the Bruins after bowing out of the NCAA regional playoff round in Worcester, and followed it up by being named AHL player of the week. He went 2-0 with a 0.96 goals against average and .964 save percentage including his first pro shutout against the Hershey Bears in the week ending April 17. He takes up a lot of the net and is a work in progress, though his agility and willingness to battle gives him a chance to develop into a NHL option. His final start was a loss against the visiting Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, but the ice was titled in Providence’s end for much of the game and the Bruins were outshot by a wide margin, yet Bussi kept them in the game.
A pleasant surprise
John Beecher
Providence Bruins, C; 4/5/01, left shot, 6-3/210
The offensive production in the NCAA at Michigan didn’t come along as hoped, but it didn’t take long for the Elmira, N.Y., and Salisbury School product to provide evidence that he might be a more successful pro than collegiate player. Beecher notched a pair of goals including an overtime-winning strike at home against Lehigh Valley last week, and has four points in his first six AHL games with the Bruins. As a first-round pick, Beecher was expected to be an impact AHL player and projects to the NHL in a supporting role. But to have him adjust so quickly is an unexpected bonus.
