Boston Bruins 2024-2025 Preseason Prospect Update: Part One

We are gearing up for another season of coverage on Boston Bruins prospects. There’s no better moment to share my insights as players start to join their teams and leagues worldwide for the beginning of training camps.

Every offseason, I start with the chart below. It helps me monitor the players during the season and compare their standings in June to their current status.

The chart reflects my assessment of the players’ likelihood of making it to the NHL. For the Bruins, the analysis is more intricate as it encompasses factors ranging from contractual obligations to their position on the depth chart. Consider Jonathan Myrenberg as an instance. Despite my belief in his NHL potential, he remains contracted in Sweden for another two seasons, whereas the Bruins retain his rights only until June 1, 2025. That affects the big picture.

Oskar Jellvik – Round 5 – 149^th – 2021 – Left Wing – Boston College

Jellvik’s most significant advantage, aside from his exceptional hockey skills, lies in his position on the depth chart. The prospects for the left wing, his likely continued position, are not strong outside the NHL. Moreover, it seems improbable that he will remain at Boston College after this season.

Dean Letourneau – Round 1 – 25^th – 2024 – Center – Boston College

Many have marked Letourneau as the Bruins’ top prospect, even though he hasn’t played beyond prep school hockey. His skill set is undeniable, yet I remain cautious, having witnessed numerous players fall short of expectations in my 55 years as a hockey spectator. However, all signs point to him being an NHL-caliber player.

Andre Gasseau – Round 7 – 213^th – 2021 – Center/Wing – Boston College

Gasseau is the third player from Boston College to be ranked among the top three. Although he faced a minor setback last season, I anticipate he will bounce back this year. His skating was the main issue, but he has dedicated himself to improvement. If he keeps advancing, he could secure a position on the roster in the future.

Jonathan Myrenberg – Round 5 – 140^th – 2021 (Vancouver) – Right Defence – Linkoping HC

As previously stated, Myrenberg possesses the skills and talent required for an NHL defenseman. Last season, he performed admirably in the SHL, competing against professional players who were older and more physically developed. However, his contractual situation with Linköping HC is somewhat concerning. Nonetheless, his attendance at the Development Camp is a positive aspect.

Christopher Pelosi – Round 3 – 92^nd – 2023 – Center – Quinnipiac University

Pelosi had an impressive season in the USHL, earning an invitation to Team USA camps for the World Junior Summer Showcase, though making the final roster will be challenging. His development is progressing well, and now he is ready to advance as he transitions to Quinnipiac in the NCAA. The path to the NHL has 3 steps remaining. Let’s see how he does.

Beckett Hendrickson – Round 4 – 124^th – 2023 – Center/Left Wing – University of Minnesota

Hendrickson had an excellent season in the USHL, arguably even better than Pelosi’s. He received an invitation to Team USA’s camp, and his progress is on track. He will be heading to Minnesota for the NCAA, and I believe he will find the transition somewhat easier than his past and future teammate. I said it then and will say it again: I would have reversed the Hendrickson – Pelosi picks.

Dans Locmelis – Round 4 – 119^th – 2022 – Center – University of Massachusetts

I strongly believed that Locmelis would take a similar route as Jellvik. I’m not worried about his production in the NCAA during his first year and believe he will have a standout season with the University of Massachusetts, just like Jellvik. If I have one concern, it’s about how he fits into the future and whether he might become a trade asset.

Ryan Walsh – Round 6 – 188^th – 2023 – Left Wing – Center – Right Wing – Cornell University

Walsh was selected in the draft as an older player, raising questions about his offensive skills against players similar to his age. However, he has consistently performed well at every stage, from prep school to his freshman year at Cornell University. While it’s too early to declare him a guaranteed NHL player, he represents the kind of prospect worth taking a risk on with a sixth-round pick.

Elliott Groenewold -Round 4 – 110^th – 2024 – Left Defence – Quinnipiac University

The Bruins recognized Groenewold’s potential early on and made a trade during this summer’s Entry Draft to secure him. His defensive skills are already well-developed, so the focus now is on whether he can enhance his offensive abilities. He is joining a strong program at Quinnipiac, where his defensive skills will keep improving, and the coaching staff will help maximize his offensive output.

Philip Svedeback – Round 4 – 117^th – 2021 – Goaltender – Providence College

Last season, the goaltending depth in Boston appeared to be a strong asset. However, now that every goalie on an NHL contract needs waivers to be assigned to Providence, the possibility of losing one could challenge that depth. It is crucial for Svedeback to return to the performance he demonstrated two seasons ago with Providence College. Last season seemed to be a setback for him.

Jonathan Morello – Round 5 – 154^th – 2024 – Center/Left Wing – Dubuque Fighting Saints

I was likely the most surprised person to see Morello still available for the Bruins with the 154th pick in the 2024 Entry Draft. He had just wrapped up a season in the OJHL with the St. Michael’s Buzzers, where he achieved slightly more than a point per game. However, it was during the playoffs that his value surged, as he scored nearly two points per game. Like Hendrickson and Pelosi, he will be joining an excellent program at Dubuque in the USHL.

Loke Johansson – Round 6 – 186^th – 2024 – Left Defence – Moncton Wildcats

Some people call him the Swedish Groenewold. While he and others may not excel in offensive skills, Johansson stands out as a strong defensive player. Like many on this list, he will join a solid program at Moncton in the QMJHL. His role won’t involve scoring for Moncton; instead, he will focus on further developing his defensive abilities.

Mason Langenbrunner – Round 5 – 151^st – 2020 – Right Defence – Harvard University

It’s been a rough ride for Harvard and in turn for Langenbrunner who was often left to do too much and not always with success. The depth chart on right defence for Boston is not a strong suit so there is a window of opportunity for Langenbrunner. But he’s going to have to take a big step forward this upcoming season.

Jake Schmaltz – Round 7 – 192^nd – 2019 – Center – University of North Dakota

Schmaltz showed potential as an offensive player while playing in the USHL and during his freshman year at the University of North Dakota. However, his performance has declined since then. He has adapted his style to become a defensive forward, but it may not be sufficient for him to secure a contract with the Bruins after his senior year concludes in the spring.

Ty Gallagher – Round 7 – 217^th – 2021 – Right Defence – Colorado College

Gallagher showed a lot of potential during his time with the National Team Development Program and in two seasons at Boston University. However, last season was a setback. This season, after transferring to Colorado College, it will be determined how much of that decline was due to Gallagher himself and how much was related to how he was used. This is a crucial year for him as it is his last in the NCAA.

Casper Nassen – Round 7 – 214^th – 2023 – Left Wing – Center/Right Wing – Miami University (Ohio)

Nassen was expected to perform comparably to Jellvik and Locmelis in the J20, despite their draft positions. However, he had a poor start to the season and was unable to achieve his previous year’s statistics. I will extend the same understanding to him as I did for Jellvik and Locmelis, noting that this is a transition year to North America, so I won’t focus too much on his point totals. Nevertheless, I require more from him in other areas of his game.

Kristian Kostadinski – Round 7 – 220^th – 2023 – Left Defence – Dubuque Fighting Saints

Kostadinski, like Hendrickson and Pelosi, attended the WJ Summer Showcase while representing Sweden. He faces a lengthy development journey, as he will compete in the USHL this season before likely moving to the NCAA, probably with Boston College, for the 2025-2026 season. His skating remains the primary concern and the main factor preventing him from rising higher on this list. However, he is dedicated to improving.

Roman Bychkov – Round 5 – 154^th – 2019 – Left Defence – Spartak Moskva

At this point, even earlier, Bychkov is no more than a career European. Despite not securing a full-time position on a KHL team in three seasons, he is set to join his fourth KHL team for the next season. At only 23 years old, any changes on his career upside will be reported here promptly as I will continue to have eyes on him.

To sum up:

Identifying NHL players beyond the first two rounds of the Entry Draft is quite challenging. Aside from Letourneau, who was picked in the first round, and Pelosi, selected in the third round, all other players were chosen in rounds 4 to 7. Would it be seen as a success if two of the remaining players reached the NHL?

Jellvik is undoubtedly progressing toward that goal. Myrenberg is also making strides; despite not being drafted by the Bruins, he was a player they aimed to acquire in a trade with the Canucks. Both Pelosi and Hendrickson have demonstrated that they are on the right track. As they start their college careers, there are still unanswered questions ahead. Locmelis sure looks like a future NHL player but there is a log jam down the middle of the ice.

The Bruins are frequently seen as possessing one of the less robust prospect pools in the NHL. While I have frequently argued that their pool may lack elite or top-tier prospects, I believe their lower-tier prospects can compete with those of any other team.

You need all types of players up and down your lineup to be a successful NHL team. The Bruins have that bottom half well covered.

Chris Nosek and myself did the premiere episode of Dom-Hockey the Podcast where it’s all prospect, all the time and discussing this topic. Please have a listen.