We’re deep into the dog days of summer, and Bruins fans have plenty on their minds—what the team did, what they didn’t do, and what lies ahead before training camp kicks off. So, I opened the floor to your questions and responded with my take. Of course, some answers will have to wait until camp wraps up and the picture becomes clearer.
Sophia asks: How would you rate the Bruins Draft?
Answer: The Bruins had an impressive showing at the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, earning an A- grade from me overall. The selection of Vashek Blanar certainly caught many by surprise. While North American scouts have been more reserved in their evaluations, the European scouts I spoke with are notably more enthusiastic about his potential. Blanar is undeniably raw, but his offensive skill set is promising—provided it translates effectively to the NHL level. His defensive game remains a work in progress, yet the belief among Euro scouts is that, with proper development, he could evolve into a reliable shutdown defenseman without compromising his offensive abilities. I will be watching him a lot this upcoming season.
Cory asks: Will the Bruins trade Korpisalo? DiPietro is ready to take the reins from him.
Answer: It seems likely that the Bruins will let Joonas Korpisalo and Michael DiPietro compete for a roster spot during training camp, trusting that GM Don Sweeney and Head Coach Marco Sturm are serious about giving younger players a real opportunity, and if DiPietro wins a spot, they’ll make room for him. If DiPietro does earn a spot, it could lead to either exploring a trade for Korpisalo or assigning him to Providence. The team did protect themselves by structuring DiPietro’s contract to make him less attractive on the waiver wire, but given the current cap landscape and teams with spending room, there’s no guarantee he’d go unclaimed. The real question becomes: how can the Bruins better capitalize on their goaltending assets?
Sophia with another question asks: What should the Bruins do with their 2026 draft picks?
Answer: Unless they’re able to acquire a young, already proven NHL player, I believe they should hold on to their draft picks. The 2026 class is expected to be deeper and more talent-rich than 2025, so sticking to their current plan makes sense. I’d support trading picks for a rising star with established NHL success, but not for an older player in a bid to chase a playoff spot. They’ve mapped out a clear direction—it’s best they stay the course.
Manny asks: Everyone talks about giving Lysell a chance and his potential. What am I missing? Does not impress at the AHL level and weak at the NHL level. I don’t think he makes it.
Answer: I wouldn’t go so far as to call Fabian Lysell weak at the NHL level—’unproven over the long haul’ feels more accurate. He showed flashes late in the season, and that might have stemmed from a confidence boost. On the flip side, each return to Providence has come with a noticeable dip, which again could tie back to his confidence. Whether he sticks with the big club or not remains to be seen—you might be right, or not—but it all hinges on how things unfold in camp. Neither side can say for certain until then.
Gary asks: If the Bruins were to keep both Poitras and Minten on the roster who plays where in your opinion? Both profile as a 3C? Would one slide to wing? Who do you think has greater upside.
Answer: Matthew Poitras likely has the higher ceiling, while Fraser Minten appears to be the more well-rounded player—though his offensive output may be limited to secondary scoring. They bring distinct skill sets and strengths to the table. Both players are versatile enough to shift to the wing without missing a beat. However, given the Bruins’ emphasis on strong defensive play from their centermen, Minten’s edge in that department makes Poitras a more logical candidate to move to the wing.
Mike asks: Hi Dom…wondering what your thoughts are on the last 5 NHL drafts the bruins had and what draft class has the potential to generate the most NHL players for the Bruins, and if any what player drafted might surprise everyone.
Answer: In my view, the 2025 draft holds the greatest potential to produce future NHL talent for the Bruins. James Hagens stands alone in a tier of his own, while Will Moore was a steal who unexpectedly fell into Boston’s lap. Sixth-rounder Kirill Yemelyanov flies under the radar but could prove to be a hidden gem in the sixth round. Blanar, meanwhile, has earned rave reviews at Development Camp—though he still faces a steep developmental path.
The 2024 draft class presents a question mark in Jonathan Morello, and from 2023, Chris Pelosi appears to be the most likely candidate to crack the NHL. The 2022 draft is coming along well, with Poitras, Dans Locmelis, and Frederic Brunet showing promise. Jackson Edward will need time, however. The team has already parted ways with Reid Dyck and is expected to lose the rights to Cole Spicer by August 2026.
As for the 2021 draft, I’m still holding out hope for Lysell, Oskar Jellvik, Andre Gasseau, and Ty Gallagher to carve out roles at the next level. However, there are many questions about how they will fit with the Bruins moving forward.
Domenic asks: Is Joonas Korpisalo the Boston Bruins’ best trade chip? If yes, who could the B’s acquire for him? Could the B’s package him with a prospect or two? What are you hearing?
Answer: Best trade chip? I have to disagree. In fact, he might hold one of the lowest trade values on the roster, and moving him would likely require a package deal. From what I gather, there have been talks with other teams, and the Bruins may be a bit taken aback by how he’s viewed across the league. There’s also a clear hesitation to deal him, especially with the NHL trending toward three-goalie systems. If they were to trade Korpisalo, they’d be compromising their depth almost entirely.
Mark asks: How many of the young guys make the team? Do you think the Bruins have hurt their development by signing a bunch of bottom-six guys?
Answer: I don’t think any signing has hurt any young player’s development. Just how many are ready for the NHL? You want your young players to have to compete for playing time and this does just that. I believe if they earn a spot, they will be given a spot and management will figure out how to fit them in. If not, they go to Providence and work harder. I do believe though that if they earn a spot, they will be on a shorter leash.
Toad Nj asks: Saw this from Daily Faceoff re: new cba. Seems like this could be a big deal. “Speaking of movement from the NHL to the American Hockey League, if a player is assigned to an AHL team, they must report for at least one day. That means players can no longer be “sent down” to the minors and get recalled shortly thereafter, eliminating the possibility of “paper moves” for salary cap compliance.”
Answer: Every team in the NHL used the “paper transaction” to bank cap space. Sometimes, the Bruins more than others. I don’t think this changes much moving forward and puts everyone on a level playing field. I welcome the change and it was necessary.
Andy asks: How do you feel about Dans Locmelis making the big club out of camp? I see how well he has played internationally and in the AHL against players much older than him. He is my sleeper to have a great NHL career starting with the upcoming season. Thanks Andy
Answer: I’m a big Dans Locmelis fan—I’ve been hyping him up for three years now. I’ve consistently said that his international experience will serve him well. Could he crack the roster out of camp? From what I’ve seen so far, he’s not quite there yet. But things can shift quickly. September could tell a different story, so let’s see how camp plays out. I think he is a future NHL player, just not this early.
Mark asks: A lot of analysts seem to believe that Minten would make a better 3C than Poitras. Other than the size difference can you explain why? I think Poitras is the playmaker between the two of them, so is the assumption that he would be better as 2C?
Answer: I mentioned this earlier, but I see Poitras as having the higher ceiling, which naturally places him higher in the lineup. Minten, meanwhile, is more of a well-rounded presence—ideal for a third-line role. He brings defensive reliability and can contribute on the penalty kill, which is why I think he’s best suited for that spot.
Ben asks: Dom, did Don Sweeney make a mistake by signing so many 3rd and 4th liners to contracts? Most likely it will block the younger players – who are the team’s future – from getting ice time and as an added bonus took up most of their cap room. They needed scoring and instead they wasted money on players that won’t address their most pressing issue – scoring.
Finally, a lot of Bruins podcasters I’ve listened to seem to think that Lysell is a lock to make the roster next year. Do you agree? I’m not so sure about that. He was scratched in the playoffs for the Providence Bruins, which I don’t think is a great sign. What’s your take and what happens if he doesn’t make the team?
Answer: I don’t think this blocks anyone. The real question is, how many are truly NHL-ready? What this situation does is create an environment where players have to go out and earn their spots. And if they do, the team will find room for them. Take Fabian Lysell, for example—it’s rare to see a player perform better at the NHL level than the AHL, but it happens. Why? Who knows. What we did see was Lysell improving toward the end of his NHL stint, and maybe that came down to confidence. Personally, I believe there’s a roster spot waiting for him—it’s his to lose. But if he doesn’t make the team, then it’s off to Providence where he’ll need to put in serious work to fight his way back. That’s when the real questions will start to surface and he usually doesn’t handle that well. That’s when you have to start questioning his future.
Liz asks three questions: 1) Regarding Poitras, do you see the B’s trading him this summer?
2) Even if Poitras plays his ass off in camp, where do they put him? I know he’s played RW before, but he’s a more effective playmaker at C. There’s a serious logjam at that position now and it will only get worse next year when Hagens joins the team. The Bruins aren’t going to sit Lindholm or Mittlestadt with the $$ they’re making, so is it best for Poitras’ career to get traded to a younger team where he can get consistent playing time and grow with them? And does him being an RFA after next season influence the B’s decision at all?
3) Were you surprised that Merk resigned with the Bruins? I feel like Merk might feel duped since Sweeney went out the day after and signed about 10 bottom six players, which will make it damn near impossible for him to make the team. I can’t believe he would play in PVD again, so does he request a trade or was that Sweeney’s plan all along to sign and trade him?
Answer: 1) I’m open to trading anyone if the deal is right. There’s a lot of chatter happening across the league right now. I don’t believe the Bruins are actively shopping Poitras—they’re clearly fans—but if a trade comes along that improves the team now and for the future, they’ll have to make the move.
2) I agree—Elias Lindholm and Casey Mittlestadt aren’t coming out of the lineup. I always advocate for patience and letting things unfold through training camp. If Poitras makes a strong case, they’ll find a way to fit him in, just like they did a couple of seasons ago. And if Poitras is that good and much better down the middle, he could force one of them to the wing. I don’t know how much being an RFA affects their decision. Ultimately, you want to hold onto them.
3) I am not surprised that they resigned Georgii Merkulov. In fact, I tweeted a couple of months ago that Merkulov wanted to return for another opportunity. I don’t know if they plan on trading Merkulov and I find it hard to believe that he would request a trade when he wanted another opportunity here and agreed to a contract. However, in Boston’s case, they have to ice an AHL team as well and I think many fans lose sight of that.
Brett asks: With the sheer volume of bottom six forwards that the Bruins added via free agency, will players like Poitras, Minten, and Lysell be blocked out of the NHL roster, barring dominant preseason performances? Thanks!
Answer: Aside from Minten, I don’t see the others fitting into a fourth-line role—it’s just not their style of play. Minten, on the other hand, could handle that spot for a season before progressing. As for Poitras and Lysell, if they prove themselves, I fully expect they’ll be rewarded with roster spots and management will figure out the roster moves.
Dom - Hockey 