Luke Toporowski Is an Underrated Signing by the Bruins

Yesterday, I was interacting on one of the Black N’ Gold podcasts when I heard that the Bruins were about to sign Luke Toporowski to his entry level contract. A few hours later, the deal was made official. The 22-year-old native of Bettendorf, Iowa (who has American and Canadian Citizenship) signed a two-year deal with and base salary of $775,000 with a signing bonus of $95,000 in each year. He can also earn $80,000 in performance bonuses in each year. The deal will pay him $82,500 in the AHL.

For me, this signing was over due.

Toporowski spent 3 seasons in the WHL with the Spokane Chiefs. In a move that is seen on occasion, the Chiefs loaned Toporowski to the Sioux Falls Stampede of the USHL for the start of the 2020-2021 season. After putting up 33 points in 32 games for the Stampede, he was recalled by the Chiefs to the WHL.

Because of that loan, Toporowski was deemed an affiliate player under WHL rules and could only play a maximum of 6 games after his recall.

He was invited to the Detroit Red Wings camp in September 2021 and later released. He returned to the Chiefs and after posting 29 points in 27 games, he was traded to the Kamloops Blazers where he went on to add 34 points in 22 games. He would then add 23 points in 16 playoff games for the Blazers. He was named to the WHL Second All-Star Team. He finished his WHL career with 96 goals, 103 assists and 199 points in 245 games and 17 goals, 20 assists and 37 points in 37 playoff games.

The Providence Bruins signed Toporowski to a two-year AHL deal on June 12, 2022.

Toporowski had a good rookie season with Providence, scoring 15 goals and 14 assists in 47 games. He was hampered by an injury but the obvious was still there; he can put up points. And the threat of receiving an offer from another NHL club was real, so the Bruins acted – later than I would have liked.

The fact is, Toporowski has always been able to produce offensively.

Toporowski comes from a hockey family. His father, brother, sister uncles and cousins all played the game. He brings skill to his game, has a good top speed and first step, is always around the puck with tenacity, he moves well through traffic and is willing to go to the net. He’s not shy about the physicality; He’ll hang with anyone in front of the net and lick his wounds afterwards.

Scotty Bowman, who needs no introduction, saw Toporowski early in 2016 and had this to say about the youngster at the US National Development Team Camp: “He’s one of the best prospects I’ve seen. He’s got a terrific stride, skates like {Sidney} Crosby, hard to knock off his feet, just cutting around defense and accelerating.”

Toporowski came with some high praise in the scouting community entering his draft year, but he was never selected. And despite the unconventional path, I’m glad we can call him a Boston Bruin.  

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