August 15, 2026, represents an important deadline for NHL teams to sign drafted college players whose college eligibility has expired.
For the Bruins, that deadline is particularly relevant when looking back at the organization’s 2020 and 2021 draft classes — two groups that have produced remarkably little NHL impact.
Mason Langenbrunner was one of the players facing that decision. Selected 151st overall by Boston in 2020, Langenbrunner officially stepped away from hockey in early July, choosing to pursue a career outside the sport.
The Bruins also made a decision on another member of that class in 2025, opting not to tender a qualifying offer to Trevor Kuntar. Kuntar subsequently signed with the Buffalo Sabres as an unrestricted free agent and went on to have his best season in the AHL with the Rochester Americans.
That leaves Mason Lohrei and Riley Duran (currently with the Providence Bruins) as the only remaining pieces of Boston’s 2020 draft class.
And if 2020 looks underwhelming, 2021 looks even worse.
Boston entered that draft with seven selections. Five years later, only three players remain within the organization — and two of those three are already playing under circumstances that cast doubt on their NHL futures.
On June 13, 2025, the Bruins traded Ryan Mast, selected 213th overall, along with a 2025 seventh-round pick, to the Chicago Blackhawks for the rights to Victor Soderstrom. Soderstrom spent one season in Providence before returning to Sweden.
Then, on March 6, 2026, Boston moved Brett Harrison, the 85th overall pick in 2021, and Jackson Edward, selected 200th overall in 2022, to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Alexis Gendron and Massimo Rizzo.
Rizzo’s stay in Boston was brief. Six days later, he was sent to the San Jose Sharks — along with Dalton Bancroft — in a deal that brought forward Navrin Mutter to the Bruins.
The Bruins made another significant move on June 18, sending Andre Gasseau, another member of the 2021 class in need of a contract, to San Jose in a draft-pick deal after refusing to sign with the Bruins.
Nine days later came perhaps the most notable transaction of the group. Boston traded Fabian Lysell, the 21st overall selection in 2021, to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for forward Ivan Ivan.
That leaves Philip Svedeback, Oskar Jellvik and Ty Gallagher as the remaining members of the Bruins’ 2021 draft class.
Boston has already made its decision on Svedeback, choosing not to sign him and instead adding undrafted NCAA free agent Max Lundgren. It was a significant indication that the organization sees its future in a different direction.
Jellvik has also moved on, signing a professional contract with Rogle BK of the SHL. That leaves Gallagher as the lone remaining member of Boston’s seven-player 2021 draft class still within the organization.
Even then, there is an important caveat: Gallagher is currently in Providence on an AHL contract rather than an NHL deal. But Gallagher is a UFA at the NHL level and could sign with any team if one were to come calling.
Put it all together, and the picture is difficult to ignore.
Two drafts. Eleven players. And just one player — Lohrei — has established himself as an NHL regular.
The contrast with the 2022 draft class is already becoming apparent. Matthew Poitras and Frederic Brunet are both pushing for NHL roster spots this season, while, had it not been for an injury setback, there is a legitimate argument that Dans Locmelis could have been part of that conversation as well.
That is precisely what the Bruins needed from their 2020 and 2021 classes: a player — or preferably a couple— to break through and become an NHL contributor.
For an organization that has spent considerable time rebuilding its prospect pool, the lack of NHL production from the 2020 and 2021 classes stands out. The Bruins can point to Lohrei as a success story, but one NHL player from 11 selections is hardly the type of return a team hopes for from two consecutive drafts.
The 2022 class offers a reason for optimism.
But it also highlights just how badly Boston needed a breakout from the classes that came before it.
While the Bruins now lead the league in pending free agents with three — a number that dropped after moving Gasseau — they’re not alone in facing decisions. Several prospects drafted by other clubs will also be free to sign anywhere once the deadline passes, adding another layer to the league‑wide shuffle.
The most prominent name on the list is Cruz Lucius, who put up 14 goals and 31 assists in 36 games at Arizona State last season. Originally a fourth‑round pick of the Carolina Hurricanes in 2022, his rights were acquired by the Penguins in the 2024 deal that sent Jake Guentzel to Carolina. In April, Penguins GM Kyle Dubas announced that Lucius would not be signing with the organization.
Samu Salminen, a former third‑round pick of the New Jersey Devils in 2021, spent last season at the University of Denver, posting 11 goals and 18 assists across 43 games. He played two seasons with the Pioneers after transferring from the University of Connecticut following his sophomore year.
Jack Smith (Montreal), Adam Ingram and Sutter Muzzatti (Nashville), Tyson Dyck (Ottawa) and Chase Clark (Washington) will also hit free agency. Several others have already signed minor league deals.
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