As the calendar turns to April, that can mean only one thing, it’s time for the playoffs to begin in each league, not just the NHL. Several Boston Bruins prospects will be participating in the postseason from the American Hockey League (AHL) to the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and more.
In this edition of the Bruins Prospects Report, three prospects have begun the OHL playoffs, the Providence Bruins are closing in on the AHL playoffs, a collegiate prospect signs his entry-level contract, and more.
Poitras, Harrison & Mast Begin OHL Playoff Runs
The OHL playoffs began on March 30 with Matthew Poitras, Brett Harrison, and Ryan Mast beginning their chase for the J. Ross Robertson Cup. Poitras and Mast are facing each other with the Guelph Storm playing the Sarnia Sting, while Harrison’s Windsor Spitfires are battling the Kitchener Rangers.
Mast and Sarnia got the jump on Poitras and the Storm with a 5-0 win in Game 1 on March 31. In Game 2 on April 2, Poitras picked up two assists in a 5-4 overtime loss for Guelph who returns home facing a 2-0 deficit. Poitras, the Bruins’ first selection in the 2022 Entry Draft, and 54th overall had 16 goals, and 79 assists in 63 regular-season games for Guelph. Mast, had three goals and 22 assists, for the Sting and he is a heavy physical defenseman that loves to play a sandpaper game.
Related: Bruins’ Prospect Mason Lohrei Offers Intriguing Option in 2023-24
Harrison and Windsor find themselves in a 2-0 hole after dropping the first game, 5-3, on March 30 despite a goal and an assist from the Bruins’ third-round pick, 85th overall in the 2021 Draft. Windsor was shutout, 4-0, in Game 2. Harrison, who has had a breakout season with Windsor and the Oshawa Generals, finished the regular season with 34 goals and 35 assists between his two teams. Since joining the Spitfires following the Jan. 3 trade, he had 18 goals and 18 assists in 36 games, playing mostly on the top line with Seattle Kraken prospect Shane Wright, who was selected fourth overall in the 2022 Draft.
Lysell Scores Impressive Goal for Providence
The Providence Bruins went 1-2-0 last week with their only win coming in a shootout over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on March 29. The one takeaway from the game was the goal scored by top prospect Fabian Lysell with a nice toe drag.
The 21st overall pick in the 2021 Draft, Lysell has 13 goals and 23 assists this season in the AHL in 48 games. Like Boston, Providence will be playing in their playoffs this month and will have a new player in defenseman Mason Lohrei.
Bruins Sign Trevor Kuntar to ELC
The Bruins signed Trevor Kuntar to his entry-level contract after he completed his junior season at Boston College last month. Selected in the third round, 89th overall in the 2020 Draft, he had 13 goals and 16 assists this season for the Eagles and finished his collegiate career with 28 goals and 31 assists.
Kuntar’s development took off over his sophomore and junior season at BC and the 6-foot-0, 203-pound left-shot center’s two-year contract begins next season and carries an $867,500 cap hit. Before Boston College, he had 49 goals and 44 assists in three seasons with the Youngstown Phantoms in the USHL.
The Bruins have dug into their prospect pool lately in Providence by bringing up Oskar Steen and Jakub Lauko and others could be on the way in the next week as some more Boston veterans will more than likely get some rest. April begins the second season of professional hockey and the playoffs, which is the best time of year and a lot of Bruins prospects are going to get a good taste of playoff hockey.
