Boston Bruins Monday Morning Prospect Update Week Ending: March 31, 2024

I have to clear up some Kristian Kostadinski news. Yes, he was listed on Frolunda’s roster for their SHL playoff matchup against Leksand on March 24, but he did not play. He does not have an SHL contract. Frolunda owns his SHL rights and they were short one of their seven defencemen for the game and had him at the ready, with a contract in the event they needed him. They won the game 4-2. He was not in the lineup for Tuesday’s 2-1 victory.

Goaltender Reid Dyck was named to the WHL Central Division Second All-Star team. If only he hadn’t been hampered by a couple of lengthy injuries.  

Original sentence: In the SHL, Linkoping went into Tuesday’s action trailing Skelleftea 2 games to none in the series. Down 3-0 in game three heading into the third period, Linkoping rallied to tie the game with three unanswered goals. The first two overtime periods ended scoreless before Skelleftea scored a power-play goal 14:46 into the third overtime to take game three 4-3. The win gave Skelleftea a commanding 3-0 series lead. Linkoping had three power-play chances in overtime but could not capitalize. Jonathan Myrenberg played 25:46 minutes, recording one shot on goal, one hit, and finishing plus-1, but did not register any points.

In the second round of the J20 Nationell quarterfinal series on Wednesday, Frolunda hosted Vaxjo. Frolunda won the game 2-0, taking a 1-0 series lead in the best-of-three matchup. While Frolunda’s Casper Nassen and Kristian Kostadinski were in the lineup, neither player recorded any points. Nassen led the team with 4 shots on goal, while Kostadinski had 2 shots.

Facing elimination while down 3-0 in their SHL quarterfinal series against Skelleftea, Linkoping needed a win on Thursday to stay alive. After two scoreless periods, Skelleftea broke through with two goals in the third to win the game 2-0 and sweep the series 4-0, ending Linkoping’s season. Despite the early playoff exit, it was not a disappointing campaign for Linkoping’s Jonathan Myrenberg, who is expected to attend the Boston Bruins Development Camp this summer if those plans hold.

The NCAA season has ended for Dans Locmelis and the University of Massachusetts after a 2-1 double overtime loss against Denver. Locmelis failed to record any points, took 2 shots on goal, and went 17 for 26 on faceoffs. Despite his quiet offensive output as a freshman adjusting to North American hockey, Locmelis had a solid first season, following a similar trajectory to Oscar Jellvik’s early career. Locmelis is primed for a breakout sophomore campaign.

Boston University’s season continues after their 6-3 win against RIT. Ty Gallagher posted zeroes across the board, aside from 2 penalty minutes. Though spending most of the season as the 7th defenseman, he regularly rotated into BU’s bottom defensive pairing. Gallagher has untapped potential that remains unseen this year. His decision for next season will greatly influence his development.

Also on Thursday, Cornell defeated Maine 3-1 in the NCAA Tournament, advancing to face their next opponent. Ryan Walsh did not record any points and won 8 of 15 faceoffs. Just over 6 minutes into the game, with Maine leading 1-0, Walsh took a major penalty for hitting from behind. Despite being down a man, Maine was unable to capitalize on the power play and Walsh avoided further damage.

Friday was a busy day on the playoff docket. Starting in the J20 Nationell, when the Top-10 portion of the schedule ended, things were not looking good for Frolunda. How quickly things change. After defeating Rogle in the “8th final” round and blanking Vaxjo in the quarterfinal opener, Frolunda had the chance to sweep Vaxjo and advance to the semifinals. They did just that, winning the decisive game 7-3 to take the best-of-three series 2-0. However, Bruins prospects Casper Nassen and Kristian Kostadinski did not register any points in the victory. They will now face Skelleftea in the semi-finals in a best-of-three.

In the NCAA Tournament, Michigan defeated North Dakota to eliminate them and end the season for Jake Schmaltz. Schmaltz was held scoreless in the game, only winning 2 out of 5 faceoffs. For the season, he totaled 1 goal, and 10 assists, and had a +3 plus/minus rating over 37 games played. While Schmaltz could turn pro now, it would likely be in his best interest to return to North Dakota for his senior season.

Boston College defeated Michigan Tech to advance in the tournament, but the win was harder than the final score suggested. The Eagles led just 2-1 entering the third period before erupting for four unanswered goals. Oskar Jellvik had an outstanding game for BC, driving play at times with his relentless effort. He was rewarded with a goal, two assists, and a +2 rating while firing four shots on goal. Jellvik even won all three faceoffs he took, a rarity for him at this level. In contrast, it was a quiet night for Andre Gasseau, who managed just one shot on goal for BC and at times looked like he struggled to keep up with the pace.

In the OHL, the London Knights shut out the Flint Firebirds 3-0 in the first game of their best-of-seven playoff series. Jackson Edward did not register a point for London and finished +1 on the night. Flint tried to play physically at first, but London, led by Edward and others matched their intensity, leading to fewer altercations thereafter. Unusually, London dressed seven defensemen, reducing ice time for each. It remains to be seen if this defensive strategy will continue.

In the WHL, Reid Dyck delivered a stellar performance in the net as Swift Current defeated Lethbridge 3-0 in game one of their playoff series. He turned aside all 33 shots, including 19 in the third period alone. Many of Dyck’s saves were highlight-reel-worthy. Swift Current built a 2-0 lead after the first period, and Dyck took over from there, stonewalling Lethbridge for the shutout victory to give his team a 1-0 series lead. He was rightfully named the game’s first star.

In a USHL game, the Sioux Falls Stampede lost 5-1 to the Lincoln Stars. Although Sioux Falls generated opportunities with 36 shots on goal, they struggled to capitalize. Chris Pelosi, who had an assist but only 1 shot on goal, missed most of the second period after receiving a roughing penalty and 10-minute misconduct. The frustration was evident for Pelosi and the Stampede.

The Dubuque Fighting Saints lost 5-4 in a shootout against the USNTDP on Friday. Beckett Hendrickson recorded two assists, including setting up the game-tying goal that sent the game to overtime. He had 3 shots on goal and was plus-1 in the contest, but did not participate in the shootout. Since being traded to Dubuque, Hendrickson has tallied 3 goals and 6 assists in 10 games.

It was a hard-fought match between Cornell and Denver on Saturday, but a 2-1 loss knocked Cornell and Ryan Walsh out of the NCAA Tournament. The referees had allowed them to play all night, calling just one penalty on each team. That changed with 2.5 minutes left when Walsh knocked his opponent’s stick away on a faceoff and got called for a penalty. After letting the teams play all game, the ref’s late call was questionable. Walsh nearly redeemed himself in the final seconds when he got a great scoring chance after leaving the box, but Denver’s goalie made an incredible save. Despite the tough loss, it was a promising freshman campaign for Walsh. Expect even bigger things from him going forward.

Boston University defeated Minnesota 6-3 to advance to the NCAA Frozen Four, where they will face Denver on Thursday. Minnesota jumped out to an early 2-0 lead before Boston University got on the board to make it 2-1 at the end of the first period. In the second period, Boston University responded with three unanswered goals to take the lead, before Minnesota evened it up midway through. Boston University pulled away again with three more unanswered tallies to seal the 6-3 victory. Defenseman Ty Gallagher was held without a point (but played more than usual), registering two shots on goal for Boston University.

The Swift Current Broncos defeated the Lethbridge Hurricanes 4-3 in Game 2 of their WHL playoff series to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven matchup. Goaltender Reid Dyck was instrumental in the victory, keeping the game close until his teammates found their scoring touch. The Hurricanes jumped out to a 1-0 lead after the first period, but Dyck held steady between the pipes. Down 2-1 entering the third, Swift Current’s offense finally broke through with three unanswered goals to seize a 4-2 advantage. Lethbridge pulled within one at 4-3 with just over two minutes left after scoring with the extra attacker, but could not complete the comeback. Dyck made 29 saves on 32 shots to earn the win for the Broncos.

In the USHL, the Dubuque Fighting Saints defeated the U.S. National Development Team Program 7-6 in overtime. Beckett Hendrickson had a stellar performance, scoring 2 goals and tallying 2 assists on just 2 shots on goal, finishing with a +2 plus/minus rating. Hendrickson’s 4 points marked his best offensive output this season, surpassing his previous high of 3 points in a game, achieved 3 times earlier in the year while playing for Sioux Falls.

In the OHL on Sunday, London overcame a 3-1 deficit to defeat Flint 6-4, taking a 2-0 series lead as the matchup now heads to Flint. Jackson Edward did not record any points but played strong defensively for the Knights, who dressed seven defensemen and relied heavily on their top defensive pairing, limiting Edward’s ice time to under his usual 20-plus minutes per game.

In the NCAA tournament, Quinnipiac took an early 2-0 lead over Boston College, causing some nerves for BC. Boston College rallied to pull within one goal before Oskar Jellvik passed to Andre Gasseau, who fired a blistering shot from the left circle into the net to tie the game. The teams traded goals later in the period to enter the second intermission knotted at 3-3. Quinnipiac took a 4-3 lead early in the third period. With time winding down, Jellvik skated down the left side, gained the offensive zone, and set up teammates to tie the game 4-4, forcing overtime. Ultimately, Boston College prevailed in overtime to advance to the Frozen Four and will face Michigan.

Here’s a look at the Providence Bruins leaders. You will notice a column called “value” This is provided by our friends at Benchrates. Created by a retired hockey player, Benchrates has created an algorithm that computes values in real-time. The value you see is the cap hit value they’ve earned this season to date. Give them a look and check out their site.

Coming up this week:

This and that

I was informed that one member of the Bruins would be attending the Vancouver Giants and Everett Silvertips series-opening game last Friday. It’s only surprising because the Swift Current Broncos began their best-of-seven series on the same night. My best guess is they are keeping tabs on Ty Halaburda who attended the Bruins Development Camp last summer. Halaburda had 21 goals and 45 assists in 68 games for the Giants this season. He will be a draft re-entry in June and the Bruins are probably doing some due diligence. Vancouver won the game 6-4 with Halaburda notching a goal and assist with 5 SOG.

As I have mentioned many times before, Reid Dyck was the most valuable player for the Broncos this season. The team recognized his outstanding contributions by naming him co-winner of the Julie Forst Memorial Award (along with Conor Geekie), given annually to the Broncos’ MVP. Dyck also received the Charlotte Letkemann Memorial Award for Desire and Leadership, as well as the Humanitarian of the Year award. Just a reminder.

Now that Jake Schmaltz’s season has ended, he must choose between returning to the University of North Dakota for his senior year or turning professional. The Boston Bruins likely hope he goes back to college for one more year, but in the unpredictable world of hockey, anything is possible.

With Boston College eliminating Quinnipiac from the NCAA Tournament, the focus now shifts to free agents Collin Graf and Jacob Quillan. I have been open about Quillan being my top target for Boston, and it seems that NHL scouts are divided on the two prospects. According to what they have told me, about half prefer each player. Notably, Quillan participated in the Bruins’ development camp last summer.

Mark Divver reported that he saw Providence Bruins defenceman Alec Regula on Friday and that he was on crutches and going to be out for a while. He was injured last weekend in what the Bruins believed was a dirty hit.

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