The Boston Bruins announced the roster that will be taking part in the 2023 Development Camp at Warrior Arena beginning July 3 and ending July 7. The camp will once again be open to the general public.
The roster includes the five players selected at the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. They are: 92nd overall pick Chris Pelosi; 124th overall pick Beckett Hendrickson; 188th overall pick Ryan Walsh; 214th overall pick Casper Nassen and 220th overall pick Kristian Kostadinski.
Of course, a few prospects with the Providence Bruins will be taking part as will previously drafted prospects. If you follow Dom – Hockey, you know all about them.
What I will discuss today is the players that will be taking part as camp invites. But first, here is the complete list:
Invites are a way of getting a look at players who have gone undrafted in previous drafts who might be eligible to re-enter the draft or sign as a free agent. For NCAA players, it’s a chance to get them in early, have a long look at them and potentially sign them once their season is over. For CHL (QMJHL, OHL, WHL) players, it’s a bit confusing. If they are eligible to re-enter the draft, you can sign them as undrafted free agents any time before their respective junior seasons begin, otherwise they re-enter the draft.
Ryan Kirwan – Pennsylvania State University – Center/Left Wing – 6’2” – 205 pounds – Feb 27, 2002
Kirwan spent two seasons in the USHL where he put up decent numbers. He put up very good numbers as a freshman with Penn State with 13 goals and 13 assists in 36 games. Much like his time in the USHL, production dropped in his second season.
The first thing Kirwan has that you can’t teach is size. He has an NHL frame. However, I would like to see him use that size to his advantage more often. The second thing he has that you can’t teach is his shot. Whether it’s a wrist shot, slap shot or one-timer they are NHL caliber and have been since he first stepped on the ice in the USHL with Madison.
Kirwan has just okay speed but I am left wondering how much more power he could get out of his legs if he adjusted his technique. He’s made some improvement over the last couple of seasons but I believe there is more there. Kirwan can play both center and wing and plays in all situations.
Kirwan played one season with the Green Bay Gamblers of the USHL as a teammate of Mason Lohrei so they have some familiarity with him.
Ethan Ritchie – Sarnia Sting (OHL) – Left Defence – 6’0” – 196 pounds – June 4, 2002
The Bruins know Ritchie well since he’s been a teammate of Ryan Mast with the Sarnia Sting of the Ontario Hockey League for the last two seasons. From OHL scouts Bob Wetick, Matt Ryan and Jeff Barratt to Director of Player Personnel Jamie Langenbrunner and Player Development Coordinator Adam McQuaid, they’ve all had glimpses of Ritchie over the past couple of seasons.
Ritchie has now aged out of draft eligibility and is a pure unrestricted free agent. Ritchie may be a late bloomer, it’s really hard to tell because of the lost 2020-2021 season because of the pandemic. That would have been his draft plus one season. After an early season trade to the Sting the following season, Ritchie broke out offensively with 36 points in 53 games and followed that up last season with 44 points in 65 games. Ritchie is a good skating, puck rushing defenceman who is very adept at retrieving pucks and starting the transition. He sees the ice very well and gets pucks through lanes to his teammates. I’ll be honest, I’m not sure his game translates to the NHL level but could turn into a very solid AHL player.
Blake Smith – Flint Firebirds (OHL) – Left Defence – 6’4” – 205 pounds – October 5, 2004
Because of his late birthdate, the 2023 NHL Entry Draft was Smith’s first crack at the draft and he went undrafted. Like I mentioned earlier, he can sign an NHL deal as an undrafted free agent up until the start of the 2023-2024 OHL season or he will re-enter the draft for next summer. Like Ritchie, the Bruins have seen Smith as he played with prospect Brett Harrison in Oshawa during the 2021-2022 season and part of last season until both were traded.
Smith is a big bodied blueliner that doesn’t need much filling out to do. He’s a throwback type, physical, stay-at-home defenceman who won’t wow you with skill but you will appreciate his work ethic and physicality. A coach can trust him not to hurt you on the ice as he goes out every shift looking to be physical, finish his checks and take care of business in front of his goaltender. He is very good on the penalty kill where he uses his long reach to keep opponents at bay and takes away shooting lanes. He’s also an excellent shot blocker. He’s a rare breed that actually enjoys the defensive game. Unlike Ritchie however, I can see Smith’s game translating to the NHL in a shutdown role.
Derek Mullahy – Harvard University (ECAC) – Goaltender – 6’0” – 181 pounds – March 20, 2001
After spending two seasons in the USHL with Cedar Rapids and Des Moines, Mullahy has spent the last two years with Harvard University where he only played 13 games over those two seasons. Earlier in his career he spent a couple of years with Shattuck St Mary’s (I love players who spent time in that program) and then a couple of seasons of Prep School hockey. He put up fantastic numbers in those four years.
A native of Scituate MA, the New England Hockey Journal named him the “Best Goalie in New England” when he was playing Prep School with Dexter Southfield. He lacks the size NHL teams covet with their goaltenders nowadays. However, I like his athleticism, his technique, his ability to track pucks even through traffic and his never give up on a puck mentality. He possesses everything you want in a goaltender but size. Is it enough?
Hlib Artsatbanov – HC Sparta Praha (Czechia U-20) – Goaltender – 6’2” – 172 pounds – March 2, 2004
Artsatbanov has gone undrafted twice now after not being selected in this week’s draft. I wish I could give you my thoughts on him, but I just didn’t see him play in the Czech Junior League.
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Dom - Hockey 
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