There isn’t much happening on the ice for Bruins prospects at the moment — at least not until Providence, currently on its bye, gets its playoff run underway. Once the puck drops there, the spotlight shifts quickly.
There’s off‑ice news, though — and it’s significant. After being named the winner of the Aldege “Baz” Bastien Memorial Award as the AHL’s top goaltender on Wednesday, Michael DiPietro followed it up Friday by capturing the Les Cunningham Award as the league’s Most Valuable Player.
The goaltending accolades didn’t stop there. Merrimack College announced that Max Lundgren — signed by the Bruins as a free agent on March 29 — has been awarded the school’s LEAD Award as its Athlete of the Year. It’s another strong nod to the organization’s growing depth in net.
September is still a long way off, but the Bruins will have no shortage of decisions to sort out in the crease before then. The depth chart is crowded, the timelines are tightening, and the organization will need to chart a clear path forward well ahead of camp.
Boston College announced Friday that James Hagens has been named its Male MVP — not just for hockey, but across all varsity sports. It’s a school‑wide honor, underscoring just how impactful his season truly was.
Kirill Yemelyanov – Loko Yaroslav – MHL
Loko took Game 1 of the MHL’s best‑of‑seven conference final on Saturday, edging Chaika 5–4. With Loko up 4–2, Yemelyanov buried his sixth of the postseason midway through the third, drifting into open ice in the slot, slipping past coverage, and ripping a wrist shot past the goalie’s glove. It stood up as the game‑winner after Chaika clawed back with two goals in a 2:27 span. Yemelyanov finished plus‑1 with three shots on goal, went 11‑for‑17 on draws, and logged 17:39 of ice time.
Game 2 went Sunday, and Loko skated off with a 4–1 win to take a 2–0 series lead. Yemelyanov didn’t hit the scoresheet this time, but he remained a heavy‑usage piece — registering two shots on goal, going 11‑for‑23 on draws, and leading all Loko with 20:03 of ice time.
Games 3 and 4 go Wednesday and Thursday with the series shifting to Chaika. The remainder of the schedule, if necessary, is to be determined.
Cooper Simpson – Youngstown – USHL
Youngstown kept its season alive with a 4–2 win over Madison, extending the best‑of‑three series. Simpson picked up an assist on the tying goal just 27 seconds after Madison opened the scoring, helping swing the momentum. He finished the night with five shots on goal and a plus‑1 rating — another assertive performance in a must‑win game.
Youngstown needed a win Saturday to push the series back home for a decisive Game 5, but Madison shut the door with a 2–1 victory. Despite controlling the night — outshooting Madison 38–13 and owning the puck for long stretches — Youngstown ran into a goaltender who simply wouldn’t break. Simpson assisted on Youngstown’s lone goal, added three shots, and finished plus‑1. With the loss, his USHL career comes to a close.
Providence Bruins
The P-Bruins released their playoff schedule:
Here’s a look at the Providence Bruins leaders. You will notice a column called “Benchrates” 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.
I’ll be keeping a close watch on Yemelyanov as he and Loko continue their push toward an MHL championship — along with monitoring the Providence Bruins as their postseason unfolds. I’ve also got a four‑part series on the way reviewing each prospect’s season, capped off with updated prospect rankings.
As the NHL Draft draws closer, I’ll be breaking down potential options for the Bruins from the first round all the way through the seventh, examining fits, trends, and value across the board.
—
