When the Boston Bruins brass met for the final time with the media last May following their stunning first-round loss against the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, general manager (GM) Don Sweeney spoke about wanting to inject some youth into the 2023-24 lineup. It was a good thought at the time, but after bringing in veterans in free agency, it’s going to be difficult for coach Jim Montgomery to get a lot of youth into his lineup.
Regardless of who he’s able to get into the lineup, the Bruins are going to need some of their prospects to take the next step in their development this season, whether it’s in the NHL or with the Providence Bruins in the American Hockey League (AHL). Here are three prospects that the Black and Gold need to see take the next step in 2023-24.
John Beecher
Looking at the center position and all the questions that surround it not only for this season but beyond, it’s imperative that John Beecher take the next step, maybe even a giant step, in his development in 2023-24. It has been Sweeney’s history to sign veteran bottom-six centers to block the addition of young centers to the NHL roster, but now with Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci, it’s extremely important for Beecher to be ready this season or next at the latest.
Sweeney signed Morgan Geekie and Patrick Brown this offseason, but Beecher is someone who should be ready to be called up at some point should injuries happen. Last season, Joona Koppanen got the call a couple of times when Tomas Nosek went down, but he’s gone after signing in free agency with the Pittsburgh Penguins, leaving Beecher as the most likely next player from Providence to get called up. Of course, he could earn a roster spot out of training camp, but if he’s sent to the AHL, this season is going to be his biggest in terms of development for the future.
Fabian Lysell
Since being drafted 21st overall in the 2021 Entry Draft, Fabian Lysell has transitioned from the Western Hockey League (WHL) and the AHL with ease and now the Bruins need him to make the transition to the NHL sooner rather than later. Like Beecher, he could earn a roster spot out of training camp in the bottom-six and that’s something he’s working towards leading into mid-September.
“I think the focus for me is just that I’m going to be a little more comfortable there now,” Lysell said. “I know more people and I know the city a little bit better now. So for me, it’s just going to be to feel comfortable and have the confidence to go in there and prove that I’ve been developing since last year, take it day-by-day, and my [goal] at the end is to make the team.”
Last season in Providence, he had 14 goals and 23 assists in 54 games played, but he battled injuries, including a concussion in the playoffs that also cost him some time at the Development Camp in July. Those numbers were down from the 22 goals and 40 assists he had for the Vancouver Giants in the WHL in 2021-22, but more importantly than stats last season, he did make strides in his overall game, including skating and his play in all three zones. Projected to be a middle-six NHL forward, Lysell’s impact in the NHL needs to be sooner rather than later.
Mason Lohrei
If anyone makes big strides this season other than Beecher and Lysell, defenseman Mason Lohrei is the one blueliner that the Bruins need to be ready for either this season or next. Two left-shot defensemen are playing in the final year of their current contracts, Matt Grzelcyk and Derek Forbort, and at least one is unlikely to return in 2023-24, which would open the door for the former Ohio State defenseman.
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Lohrei returned to the Buckeyes for his sophomore season in 2022-23 and led them to the NCAA Tournament, then he signed his entry-level contract to finish out the season with the P-Bruins. The 6-foot-4, 195-pounder has a tremendous upside and plays strong in all three zones. He’s a strong puck-moving defenseman who is not afraid to join the rush and he sees the ice very well. He plays in all situations and multiple times logged over 30 minutes a night for Ohio State. Jakuz Zboril is likely going to be the seventh defenseman this season in Boston, but a full season in the AHL might just be what he needs to be ready for 2023-24.
It’s no secret that the Bruins prospect pool is not good, especially with players 23 years old and younger (from ‘NHL Pipeline Rankings 2023: From the Ducks to the Bruins, the best prospects and under-23 players,’ The Athletic, Aug. 22, 2023). It really is not surprising to see them ranked that low as trading away multiple first-round picks at the trade deadlines is tough to recover from when you’re not consistently picking early. Regardless, these three prospects taking a big step in their development is going to be very important to the future of the Black and Gold.
