In this edition of the Boston Bruins News & Rumors, we have a look at some updates from a trio of Bruins prospects. Cole Spicer is stepping away from the game for the foreseeable future, Marc McLaughlin signed an extension, and Dean Letourneau talks about his experience at development camp and his expectations moving forward.
Cole Spicer Leaving NCAA
Spicer was selected in the fourth round of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft and had shown promise as a prospect in the Bruins’ organization. During the 2023-24 season, Splicer became academically ineligible to finish the season in the second semester with the University of Minnesota-Duluth. Spicer confirmed to the Matt Wellens Duluth News Tribune that he was stepping away from hockey for the foreseeable future to focus on his personal and mental well-being. (from Duluth News Tribue, “Cole Spicer won’t return to Bulldogs in 2024-25”, July 12, 2024)
Spicer was filling in as the top center on the team, and started to pick up his production rates and finished the season with nine points in 17 games. Wellens continues by stating that some of the options Spicer has, excluding a return to Minnesota-Duluth, include entering the transfer portal and joining another NCAA team and regaining academic eligibility, playing in the United States Hockey League (USHL), where his rights belong to the Youngstown Phantoms, or sign with the Bruins and play in their affiliate system, either with the Providence Bruins in the American Hockey League (AHL), or the Maine Mariners of the ECHL.
It sounds like the plan is for Spicer to step away completely, but there are options available for him. He did attend the Bruins’ development camp in the first two weeks of July, and some talk about his future could have happened there.
McLaughlin Signs 1-Year Deal
The Bruins announced that they have signed winger Marc McLaughlin to a one-year, two-way contract. McLaughlin was signed as a free agent out of the NCAA a few years ago, and since joining the Bruins organization, he has earned 14 NHL games and scored four goals in that span.
In the AHL last season, his production had dropped from the year before, going from 30 points to just 14. It is expected that McLaughlin will be a top-six winger in Providence, and could be in a good position to play big minutes in the AHL and get his production rates back up. He will continue to be a call-up option, as he has been in each of the last three seasons.
At 24 years old, there may not be a good chance at a full-time NHL future given his scoring so far, but if he can become a top-of-the-lineup AHL player who is at the top of the list for call-ups, or even a 13th forward on the roster, that would be a successful place to be in.
Letourneau Ready for Boston College
In an interview with the Drop The Mitts Hockey podcast, Letourneau talked about his preparation for his first season in the NCAA with Boston College.
Letourneau says that he spoke with Andre Gasseau and Oskar Jellvik, two Bruins prospects drafted in 2021 who are both attending Boston College. He said that those two were very helpful in answering any of the questions he had about the program and that he has only been to the campus a few times to get a look around, but hasn’t practiced with the team.
Related: Bruins Have Something Special With Prospect Dean Letourneau
“They [Boston College fans] can expect a guy coming in that wants to win. I am going to do everything I can to win” is what Letourneau opened with when talking about what he is going to bring to the team. That mentality fits the Bruins’ organizational mantra to perfection.
When prompted to talk about what improvements he is looking to make over the summer, Letourneau talked about his skating and strength. Those are two things that all players look to train, but with a player type like he is, those two skills could benefit his game immensely given his offensive talents and his size.
A big and tall skilled center like Tage Thompson is who Letourneau tries to model his game after, and with a look at his pre-draft season, that kind of goal makes sense and is certainly attainable.
With prospect updates in full swing, there is a lot to be excited about in the Bruins’ system. That isn’t something they have had a ton of over the past few years, but with Letourneau leading the way and talking with the media, he is getting fans ready to follow his game.
