2023 NHL training camps began this week and it won’t be long until the preseason games are in full swing. The Boston Bruins marked the opening of training camp by naming their next captain, Brad Marchand. This decision, of course, does not come as a surprise to anyone around Boston.
While known around the league mainly for his antics, Marchand is a great example of how with a little patience from the team and hard work on the player’s part, a player can truly develop into an elite talent. He was a third-round draft pick in the 2006 NHL Entry Level Draft, selected by the Bruins at pick number 71. He worked his way up through the American League, spent time in the bottom-six, and then played himself into a top-line position. He’s scored over 100 points in a season and has become one of the elite wingers in the game.
This season, there are a number of prospects with a chance to make the Bruins roster, even if it doesn’t come right out of training camp. Many of the team’s prospects are similar to Marchand, selections who came outside of the first round without a lot of fanfare around them. But hopefully, several of them will be able to follow the example of their new captain and work their way up the ranks over the next few seasons.
Related: Boston Bruins’ 2023 Offseason Overview
There are a number of young guys in the Bruins’ system who could potentially make their NHL debut in the 2023-24 season, taking the first step to hopefully becoming consistent players at the NHL level.
Brett Harrison
While he is expected to start the season playing with the Providence Bruins in the American Hockey League, don’t be surprised if 20-year-old Brett Harrison makes an appearance in the NHL this season. Last season, he played a total of 57 games in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) playing for the Oshawa Generals and then the Windsor Spitfires after being traded. In 57 games, he had a total of 69 points and 34 goals.
The 2021 third-round draft pick has certainly garnered some interest this past week as he impressed in the 2023 Prospects Challenge. Since the start of last season, he has definitely taken steps forward and is looking closer and closer to being ready to play in the NHL.
With the questions at center and a relative lack of depth at the position, if there are any injuries, they will be calling up young guys like Harrison. He made his professional debut in the AHL last season, registering one assist in his one game. There is excitement building around Harrison, and it could translate into an NHL debut this season.
Georgii Merkulov
Georgii Merkulov was signed by the Bruins in April 2022 as an undrafted free agent after a terrific NCAA tenure with Ohio State University. In his first season in the AHL, he led the Providence Bruins with 55 points in 67 games, including 24 goals.
He’s considered by many as a dark horse candidate to make the Bruins’ roster out of training camp, and if he doesn’t make the roster, he should be at the top of the list to get an NHL look this season. He really came on in the second half of last season, so if he starts well in the AHL, it will only be a matter of time before he gets a shot and makes his NHL debut.
While the Bruins have struggled to draft talent, they have certainly made some interesting NCAA free agent signings in recent years. In addition to Merkulov, there is also Marc McLaughlin, John Farinacci, and Michael Callahan, all of whom are participating in Bruins’ training camp. The team needs to find young, cheap talent somewhere. There is some promise in the more recent draft classes, but they’re going to need to find other young talent in the meantime and these undrafted free agent signings may be a good solution for the next season or two.
Merkulov is a name Bruins fans should start getting familiar with. He’s one of the most exciting prospects they have in the pipeline at the moment, right up there with Fabian Lysell and Mason Lohrei, the next two names on this list.
Fabian Lysell
Lysell is largely considered one of the Bruins’ top two or three prospects and has been one of the most exciting names in the pipeline since he was drafted in 2021. He is the most recent first-round selection the team has had since both their 2022 and 2023 first-round picks have been used in trades. He did well at last year’s training camp and then dealt with some injuries that limited him to only 54 games for Providence last season. Still, he managed 14 goals and 37 points.
It feels a bit inevitable that he makes his NHL debut at some point this season. There’s a chance he makes the roster out of training camp, but if not, I’m sure the coaching staff will give him a callup during the season, particularly in the case of the inevitable injuries that pop up throughout an 82-game season.
Mason Lohrei
Another one of the Bruins’ top prospects. The 2020, second-round draft pick had 32 points in 40 games for Ohio State last season before transitioning to the AHL where he appeared in five regular season games and three playoff games for the Providence Bruins. While other guys may have the edge on him in terms of professional experience, the front office is excited to see what Lohrei can do.
At 6-foot-4, he certainly fits in size-wise with the likes of Charlie McAvoy and Brandon Carlo on the blue line. He’s demonstrated great puck-moving ability and playmaking skills. As a left shot defenseman, he will have a tough time making a convincing case to be slotted in above Hampus Lindholm, Matt Grzelcyk, and Derek Forbort on the depth chart to make the opening night roster out of training camp.
Still, like the other guys on the list, if Lohrei doesn’t make the opening night roster, he should be one of the first guys to get a look during the inevitable call-ups during the season. If he continues to grow and demonstrate his top-notch skills at a professional level, he will earn himself an NHL debut in 2023-24.
Bruins Need to Get Younger
The Bruins just had two of their long-standing players and leaders in Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci retire this summer. For the past few seasons, Don Sweeney and the front office have talked about wanting to get younger and giving some of their prospects a real look at the NHL. That was part of the reason they brought in a coach like Jim Montgomery who had experience coaching at the NCAA level.
Related: Boston Bruins: Grading Don Sweeney’s 2023 Offseason
This has to be the season they really do commit to getting more youth involved. They have quietly amassed a decently talented group in their pipeline. They may not have as many flashy, top-tier names, but guys like Harrison and Merkulov have quietly developed into real talented players on the verge of making the big step to the NHL. Now they just need a chance to play.
All four of these guys have not only shown that they deserve a look at the NHL this season, but it is in fact really necessary for the team to start giving these guys a chance. With the team’s cap issues, they need cheap, young talent to fill in the holes on the roster. Sweeney can’t really afford to make a big, flashy trade. They need to give the young guys a legitimate chance to step into NHL roles this season.
