It is now October and it’s never too early to be looking at which of the Boston Bruins prospects have a chance at representing their countries at the 2022 World Junior Championships over the holidays. If you’re looking to watch Bruins prospects and how they excel against the best players in their age group, you might be a little disappointed.
Fabian Lysell is about as close as you’ll get to a sure thing to represent his Native Sweden. Lysell has represented Sweden at the World Hockey Challenge Under-17, the World Junior Championship Under-18 but he has also represented Sweden at other Under-20 international competitions.
Barring a superb season with Djurgardens IF J20 squad, Lysell’s fellow countryman Oskar Jellvik appears to be a long shot but could make a case for himself for 2023 as he is still 18 years of age. Jellvik has represented Sweden at the World Hockey Challenge Under-17 as well us other international Under-17 and Under-18 competitions. Jellvik was the Bruins fifth round pick in 2021.
Boston’s second pick in the 2021 Draft, in the third round, Brett Harrison is in the same shoes as Jellvik. Canada is just so deep down the middle that the only option for Harrison is on the wing and I don’t think his game is suited for that position. Harrison has represented Canada at the World Hockey Challenge Under-17 and the World Junior Championship Under-18.
The only other players eligible are: Riley Duran (USA), Ty Gallagher (USA), Andre Gasseau (USA), Ryan Mast (USA), and Philip Svedeback (Sweden).
I think it’s safe to say that these players are longshots for the World Juniors. Unless Svedeback plays every game for the Dubuque Fighting Saints in the USHL like his first game, then he might get some attention.
To be eligible for the World Juniors, a player must be 19 years of age on January 1, 2022. A player who turns twenty after January 1 and January 5, 2022 (the end of the tournament) is still eligible. That takes several of the “better” Bruins prospects out of the competition.
At the 2021 World Juniors, two Bruins took part: Matias Mantykivi (Finland) and Roman Bychkov (Russia). In 2020, the Bruins had three prospects at the Tournament: John Beecher (USA), Curtis Hall (USA) and Jakub Lauko (CZE)
The 2022 WJC is scheduled to take place in Edmonton and Red Deer Alberta, Canada beginning on December 16, 2021 and ending on January 5, 2022. The IIHF and Hockey Canada were hopeful to have fans in attendance but Alberta is going through another COVID-19 problem and just recently has asked the army for assistance. The IIHF and Hockey Canada are monitoring the situation.
Unless you are talking generational talents like Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid or Auston Matthews, it’s rare that an 18-year-old hockey player steps into the National Hockey League and makes an immediate and significant impact in the best league in the world.
NHL teams are burdened with the task of what is best for the player and team long term. For the Bruins, they believe that for Fabian Lysell – their first-round pick in the 2021 Entry Draft, that the Vancouver Giants of the Western Hockey League is the best option for both parties.
The wheels were set in motion for the reassignment to Junior when the Giants opened up an import spot on their roster (WHL teams are only allowed to carry two imports on their roster) by trading Marko Stracha to Kelowna for a fifth-round pick.
Shortly thereafter, CapFriendly’s transaction page indicated that the Bruins have reassigned Lysell to the Giants.
The Bruins made the news official today. They also sent Brent Harrison, Boston’s third round pick in 2021 back to the Ontario Hockey League with the Oshawa Generals. The moves also means Lysell’s entry level contract will slide this year and will be under Bruins control for four years instead of three. If Lysell plays in either the AHL or WHL for the 2022-2023 season, it will slide once again.
There is sure to be some mixed reaction among fans, especially after Lysell did well at Development Camp, the Prospect Challenge and the Bruins main camp and exhibition games. However, these eyes say that while we saw what Lysell could eventually become as a pro hockey player, there were some things that he needed time to further develop. One must remember, he wasn’t going up against a full NHL lineup in the games he appeared in.
Of course, many will ask why not the Providence Bruins instead of Vancouver? Well, Lysell has off ice things that are new to him as well as on ice. The native of Gteborg, Sweden is new to North America. The culture and way of life is different than being raised overseas. The food, the people, it’s a lot to get accustomed to as an 18-year-old. And concentrating on hockey at the same time.
In Vancouver, Lysell will have a great coach in Michael Dyck, who has been head coach with the Giants since 2018. Dyck has 14 years experience as a WHL coach and has served with the Giants in many capacities. He has a wealth of international experience with Team Canada as he has served as an assistant and head coach from IIHF Under-18 to Hlinka-Gretzky to World Juniors.
Where my interest is piqued is with the Giants strength and conditioning coach Jordan MacKenzie. He has six years of experience with the Vancouver Canucks as assistant strength and condition coach and over a dozen years with the Giants. He has worked at Delta Hockey Academy and has worked with many elite athletes. His list of degrees is quite impressive. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Education and Coaching specializing in Kinesiology. He holds a high five certificate in NCCP (level 1) and BCRPA in fitness theory weight training and personal training. Lysell has all the tools to be an elite hockey player but what he lacks is strength, and I couldn’t imagine a better place for him to be.
Hard to imagine that Lysell needs to work on his skating, but should the need arise at any time, Barb Adelbaum will be right there in his backyard. She has over 40 years experience coaching hockey players and figure skaters and has coached former NHL superstar Pavel Bure. She has also worked with almost 1000 NHL players throughout her career. She may come in handy should adding muscle affect his skating in any way. After all, you can never stop working on aspects of your game.
The Giants are, probably in the top three landing spots in the CHL for development. Lysell can’t go wrong there.
The Boston Bruins announced Sunday prior to their exhibition game in Washington that they have sent a pair of defensemen back to Major Junior.
Ryan Mast, the team’s sixth-round pick at the 2021 NHL Entry Draft will return to the Sarnia Sting of the Ontario Hockey League. Noah Dorey, at Bruins camp as an invite, will return to the Kelowna Rockets of the Western Hockey League.
Dorey could sign an NHL contract prior to opening night in the NHL or he will re-enter the draft for 2022. The fact that he was sent back at this stage suggests a contract won’t be forthcoming but it gave the Bruins a long enough look to decide whether to invest using a draft pick on him in 2022.
As for Mast, the Bruins 181st pick in the 2021 Draft is young and needs to play to develop. Because he was drafted from the CHL his only option was to make the Bruins squad out of camp or return to the Sting. The OHL is in the midst of their exhibition schedule and he should get plenty of ice time and play in all situations in Sarnia.
Welcome back to another addition of your Boston Bruins Monday Morning Prospects Update. I’d like to begin by thanking you for your support. I am truly taken aback by the number of you taking the time to read and the overwhelming support. I never expected the response this blog has received this early in its life and I owe it all to you. I hope to keep bringing these to you throughout the year. We are not here to make money and Twitter and other social media outlets simply don’t allow me to give you my honest and lengthy opinion after spending hours upon hours watching your prospects.
Last week saw the USHL drop the puck on it’s 42nd season and that means three more players have resumed their journey that will (hopefully) one day lead them to the National Hockey League. They are: defenseman MasonLangenbrunner and left-wing Andre Gasseau, teammates with the Fargo Force and goaltender PhilipSvedeback of the Dubuque Fighting Saints. Things will start to pick up for our next update as the NCAA will kick off it’s season this upcoming weekend where the Bruins have 9 prospects.
We will get to the three in detail as the season progresses, but this week it’s all about Oskar Jellvik, who is in Sweden with Djurgardens IF J20 squad in the Nationell J20 league. Jellvik was a 5th round pick – 149th overall by the Bruins at the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.
Boston Bruins fifth-round pick in 2021 Oskar Jellvik. Photo courtesy of Flickr.
Let’s begin with what some of the independent scouting services had to say prior to the draft.
He is a good puck handler, and that weapon is the most effective for him on the power play. He is flexible and well-balanced when moving through opposing defenders with the puck, and looks comfortable doing it. His overall hockey sense is pretty good. When his team captures the puck, he is able to find free space to receive it, and he often beats his man in 1-on-1 situations. He finds his way through traffic both with and without the puck. He sets up hard and accurate diagonal passes to open up the defense when he enters the zone. He makes quick, short, direct passes, and he is usually aware of where his teammates are on the ice and what is going to happen next in the play. He screens the goalie well and wants to be around the net all the time. He is a player who always wants to score, and keeps his stick on the ice to be ready – FC Hockey
He is a dual threat though as he can be seen making great passes through traffic to the tape of an open teammate and he can also be seen firing lasers top shelf. The issue here is the lack of consistency and determination. What is consistent is his perimeter play, he has to attack in 90-degree motions to get rid of engaged opponents, to create time and space for himself and to change things up more. His shot has some good power to it and he is more accurate with his shot than he gets credit for. Hockey Prospect Black Book.
His skating has most of the right cues: knee-bend, ankle flexion, back straight and angled over knees, hips tilted forward. I don’t think he will ever be a speedster, but the right mechanics are there. Elite Prospects Draft Guide.
Jellvik has been an offensive force at every level he has played at and a season ago he was doing so well at almost a point-per-game clip in the J20, that he got a 3 game callup to the SHL. Mind you, in those three games he never got more than a handful of shifts and his first game with the big club only got one shift that lasted just 11 seconds.
As stated in the Elite Prospects Scouting Report, Jellvik is a technically sound skater. He has great edges and is able to change direction and dangle, but he lacks the speed required of a 5’11” winger. With a good skating coach, I believe he can add some speed since the mechanics are there. But it is an area that needs work.
Jellvik has a knack for finding the open areas of the ice undetected which means he has some hockey sense. He’s an excellent passer but I don’t know if he is a playmaker or a shooter. He has an accurate shot that finds the target but he lacks the power behind it to beat goaltenders with it (I know this is in disagreement with one of the scouting reports, but through a handful of games, I have yet to see the ability). With the exception of one season in the J-18 league, his goal to assist ratio his virtually even. He’s also an excellent stick handler. Just when a defender thinks he is going to close in on Jellvik, he distributes the puck to an awaiting teammate, usually by surprise. What he lacks in skating speed, he has in puck speed. Normally that would translate to the NHL but whether it’s enough to surprise the best defencemen in the world, well we won’t know until he starts playing against better competition.
Jellvik is your prototypical project and that is what is to be expected of a fifth-round pick. The Bruins hold his rights until July 1, 2025 and I look forward to seeing how he progresses. A couple of seasons in the SHL should do him some good before he heads to North America. I’m certain that Bruins Scout P J Axelsson will be keeping tabs on him.
Jellvik got off to a slow start offensively, going pointless in his first three games of the season. In his last two games, he recorded his first goal and first helper of the year and looks much more comfortable and confident.
I’ll be the first to admit that when I heard the Bruins make this selection, the first thing I thought was this was Axelsson using his voice to impose his guy once again.
With training camp well under way and the exhibition schedule set to begin tomorrow against the Washington Capitals, the Boston Bruins have some interesting decisions to make.
We’ll likely see Major Junior players returned to their CHL squads early as their exhibition schedule is under way. Brett Harrison will head back to the Oshawa Generals while Ryan Mast will head to the Sarnia Sting. It’s believed Fabian Lysell will head to the Vancouver Giants of the WHL at some point, but the 2021 first round pick will remain for a portion of the Bruins exhibition schedule.
The Bruins long list of NCAA players are not at camp as it would affect their NCAA eligibility. That goes for Andre Gasseau and Mason Langenbrunner, teammates with the Fargo Force and Philip Svedebeck of the Dubuque Fighting Saints who is looking at Division 1 Schools for next season. All three play in the USHL and their seasons began this week.
American Hockey League camps open up in a week’s time and the Bruins have a lot of players at camp that will head back to Providence for their camp to begin and those cuts from the main camp should begin to happen in the week ahead.
So, what does that mean for the big club and it’s opening day roster?
Let’s start in goal where there are no questions. Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman will be your starters. I don’t think there is even a debate about that.
On defense, there also aren’t many questions. General Manager Don Sweeney likes to carry eight defensemen and will likely do so again this season. The depth has some questions so you can rest assured that Jack Ahcan, Brady Lyle, Urho Vaakanainen, Nick Wolff and Victor Berglund (currently injured) will return to Providence since they don’t require waivers.
Mike Reilly and Brandon Carlo will most likely find themselves as the opening night second pair as they formed some chemistry last season. Charlie McAvoy and Matt Grzelcyk are analytics darlings who will see some time together, but offseason signing Derek Forbort will also get some time with McAvoy – depending on opponent and game situation. Connor Clifton is locked in as the third pair right side defender.
That leaves three defensemen vying for the seventh and eighth spot: John Moore, Jakub Zboril and another of Sweeney’s signings in the offseason, Tyler Lewington. One might think that Lewington has an advantage in the event that they want a lefty and a righty on standby in case of injury or illness, but both Grzelcyk and Moore can fill in on the right in a pinch. One of the three will be hitting the waiver wire and my guess is it’s one of Moore or Lewington with the likeliest being Lewington.
Up front there are questions and plenty of them.
Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak will once again form one of the top lines in hockey. Taylor Hall will anchor the second line and likely be joined by last season’s linemate Craig Smith. And why not? They had some chemistry. Like it or not, Charlie Coyle will get first crack at centering the line but let’s not exclude Erik Haula from getting looks there at some point should that line fail to produce. In the meantime, Haula looks to begin the season centering Jake DeBrusk on his left and Nick Foligno on his right. If given the time to form some chemistry, I feel that line could exploit some weaker opposition lines and defensive pairings.
That leaves the fourth line. Trent Frederic, Thomas Nosek, Curtis Lazar, Chris Wagner, Anton Blidh, and Karson Kuhlman are all looking for spots. The latter two are destined for Providence and they too will be on the waiver wire and one of the remaining four will be the thirteenth forward.
But what about Jack Studnicka and Jesper Froden? Through camp so far, Studnicka has been getting looks centering Hall and Smith on the second line while Coyle is recovering. And Froden has had some time with Bergeron and Marchand. Both are getting strong looks as they have impressed at times so far. Could both possibly crack the opening night lineup and who would they replace?
It’s unlikely the Bruins would attempt to send Frederic to Providence as he would require waivers and the Bruins would not want to risk him being claimed after investing the development time and money on the former first round pick. It’s also unlikely to be Nosek after Sweeney signed him in the offseason to a two-year $3.5 million contract. That leaves Lazar and Wagner as the two likeliest in the event Studnicka and Froden prove worthy.
The other option is for Sweeney to carry fourteen forwards and seven defensemen, and risk placing Moore or Zboril on waivers. But that would stray from what he normally does.
Here’s a look at my projected lineup and the cap implications.
Jake DeBrusk of the Boston Bruins. Photo by thescoutingpost.com
Yes, the title might be a little harsh. In reality, there are plenty of Bruins fans that would have shipped Jake DeBrusk out already for pennies on the dollar. If you believe in earlier rumors, the Bruins have already attempted to trade the 2015 first round pick. But General Manager Don Sweeney has denied those rumors.
There are two sides of the fence here. One, there are those that believe JDB is just not a good hockey player and that the Bruins should move him. Two, there are those that believe he was a victim of circumstance last season and that he should be given the upcoming season to redeem himself. There are very few that are in the middle. It’s a pretty cut and dry stance by Bruins’ fandom.
At issue here is mental health and whether the isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic caused the winger undo stress during the season. With Jonathan Drouin speaking out about the issues he had in dealing with anxiety and the insomnia that comes along with it, the topic has reared its ugly head again.
As someone who suffers with mental health issues myself, I can tell you the issue is real. But nothing I can say will convince you. I am twice JDB’s age and I too live alone and the affect the pandemic, lockdown and isolation had on me caused me to hit rock bottom. I can’t say for sure, but I would imagine it would be tougher for a 24-year-old youngster. The National Hockey League’s return to play protocols couldn’t have made things any easier for DeBrusk either. In some ways, they were tougher rules than the Governments imposed on us regular people.
Drouin’s disclosure of his struggles has some fans calling for DeBrusk to do the same. I have a newsflash for you: discussing the issue with the media does nothing to help the issue. And then there is the comment made by Coach Bruce Cassidy:
Cassidy and DeBrusk had talk this offseason: “We had a good talk about some of the things that didn’t allow him to be at the top of his game away from the rink. It was probably on both of us to reach out a little more. With today’s athlete, there has to be a little more of that."
It appears that Cassidy was at the least, willing to shoulder some of the blame.
With training camp officially hitting the ice today, it all ends now. No more excuses. The lockdown is behind us. The strict NHL guidelines are behind us. For the most part he’s able to do what he did prior to the pandemic. It should all be 100% about playing hockey at this point.
I see two changes the Bruins made this offseason that should have an impact on DeBrusk as a hockey player, in a positive way.
The first is naming Chris Kelly as an assistant coach. Just like he was as a player, Kelly won’t hesitate in calling someone out when he needs too, but he’ll do it behind closed doors. He will be tough on DeBrusk and will expect him to work as hard as he did on his game when he was playing. You would always find Kelly and Captain Patrice Bergeron being the last two players off the ice after practice. You’d also find the pair working with the youngsters.
It won’t all be tough love from Kelly. He’ll be approachable. He’ll know when something is going on in a player’s head that is affecting his game. And he will help DeBrusk (or any other player) work through it.
The second thing is the signing of Nick Foligno. It is expected that DeBrusk will be playing on the third line with Foligno. The latter is a former captain with excellent leadership qualities. But he’s a workhorse who is willing to do whatever it takes to win a hockey game. If Foligno’s work ethic doesn’t rub off on DeBrusk, he will most certainly have a word with him. It won’t be tough love from Foligno. He will teach young Jake the right way to play without the puck. And that is one of DeBrusk’s biggest issues with his game – his play without the puck.
DeBrusk’s two-year, $7.35 million contract expires at the end of this season. He’ll become a restricted free agent in the offseason and arbitration eligible. His qualifying offer will be $4,410,000. If DeBrusk wants to see that total or more on his next contract, he’s going to have to put up numbers like in his second NHL season.
The 2021-2022 season continues to move along for your Boston Bruins prospects playing in various leagues in Europe. With the Bruins having had their captain’s practice, rookie camp and the Prospect Challenge having been completed and main camp just moments away, those playing in Europe may have been forgotten, at least for now. But have no fear. We’re here with our Monday morning updates on the week that was.
The NCAA, where the Bruins have the greatest number of their prospects, begins their season on October 2. The OHL, in the midst of their exhibition schedule, begins their season 5 days later on October 7. The USHL, also in the midst of their exhibition schedule starts for real later this week on Thursday.
Just a reminder that our focus is on the non professional players. The AHL and ECHL are still weeks away from beginning their regular seasons, but if you’re looking for updates on those players stats you can find the Providence Bruins stats here and the Maine Mariners here. Both are of course blank for now.
Let’s talk some Roman Bychkov (long pause). It’s fair to say my comments on Matais Mantykivi were not well received last week and I was politely informed that I was too harsh on the young forward after just one game. I can accept that. If I am willing to criticize a player, then I have to respect one’s criticism of my opinion. As I have said many times on this blog, it’s about fairness and when the player does something to change my opinion, I will be the first to admit it.
If you didn’t like last weeks update on Mantykivi, then you may dislike Bychkov’s even more. The Bruins 5th round pick in 2019 – 154th overall – is still listed officially as on loan to Armur Khabarovsk of the KHL. With 6 games under his belt, it appears that he is in over his head at this level and everyone might be better served if he went back to the VHL for another season. With Armur carrying 7 blueliners and two veterans injured, that might just happen.
Bychkov was able to produce in Russia’s Under-16 and Under-17 leagues. He even contributed offensively in the MHL, Russia’s equivalent to the CHL (level not quality). During the 2020-2021 season, Bychkov got a shot with Buran Voronezh of the VHL, Russia’s equivalent to the AHL (again, level not quality). For a rookie defender, he did okay in 25 games scoring once and adding 3 helpers but was the team’s blueliners worst minus-12. That eventually got him sent back to the MHL to finish out the season.
Let’s look back at what some of the independent scouting services had to say about Bychkov back in 2019:
Bychkov is a two-way defenseman with some offensive-flare in his game. Unlike a lot of the Russian backend available in this class, Roman has legitimate offensive-tools that stood out. He can rush with the puck and use his hands in conjunction with his top-gear to beat opponents cleanly. – Hockeyprospect.com Black Book
Agile, puck-moving defenseman with good hands and an aggressive playing style. Boom-or-bust prospect. – Dobber Prospects.
He is a competent puck distributor, with soft hands, and a comfort level that is apparent when he carries it up the ice. – McKeen’s Hockey
All those scouting reports – and there are several more I didn’t quote – are not wrong. Bychkov is an excellent skater with a good burst in his first couple of strides. He can retrieve pucks quickly and is above average with the puck on his stick, able to deke out forechecking opponents. In simple terms, he has all the tools to be a one-man breakout.
His time in the KHL tells me he is not ready for prime time. The skating, as everyone mentioned is great. The offensive potential however, is not coming through. Granted, he’s playing less than 10 minutes per game – 8:51 to be precise. Bychkov has an excellent shot, but he’s not thrown into situations where he can use it.
On a bright note, he leads the blueline with a plus-2 and only one other defenseman is a plus player. But even then, we notice Bychkov having a difficult time defending against larger players. Listed at 5’11” and 183 pounds, he has some bulk to his frame but can be overpowered. Despite his plus skating, he is having a difficult time keeping his gaps close and forcing opponents to the outside. He lacks the reach with his stick to be effective with it but he could stand to have a more active stick in taking away lanes. Despite all of that, and the 8:51 TOI, he has only been on the ice for one 5v5 goal against.
Having traded their second-round pick in 2019 to the New Jersey Devils in the Marcus Johansson trade, and their fourth-round pick to the New York Rangers in the Adam McQuaid – Steven Kampfer trade, they took a swing for the fences with Bychkov here. Time is not running out, but the clock is ticking.
Bychkov won’t turn 21 until February 2022 so there is plenty of time here for him to develop and as stated earlier, the best place for him would be in the VHL – if he chooses to remain in Russia if and when the Bruins sign him to an entry level contract. Here’s my issue: If you have prospects playing in the USHL, the NCAA or the CHL, the Bruins development staff can talk to their coaches and have a discussion about where they see he needs to develop and vice versa. They can also be in regular communication with the players. Not so much in Russia.
Kyle Keyser of the Oshawa Generals had a remarkable playoff run in 2018-2019. Photo Courtesy of OHL Images
I for one am not a big believer in re-drafts. If an NHL team covets a player, they select him at the spot they think he deserves to be picked at and hope the development goes as expected. It doesn’t always turn out that way.
In my annual draft rankings of Ontario Hockey League players eligible for the NHL Draft, I ranked three goaltenders I thought for sure would be drafted back in 2017. In order of my rankings, they were: Michael DiPietro, Matthew Villalta and Kyle Keyser.
DiPietro was drafted with the 64th overall pick by the Vancouver Canucks while Villalta went 72nd overall to the Los Angeles Kings. Keyser however, went undrafted and the Boston Bruins signed him as a free agent after losing Malcolm Subban on the waiver wire to the Vegas Golden Knights.
I had two other goaltenders ranked in Jake McGrath, who is no longer playing hockey and Kaden Fulcher, who signed as a free agent with the Detroit Red Wings moments after the Bruins signed Keyser.
Back in April 2020, I had the chance to chat with Keyser and along with my good friend Kirk Luedeke, put together a piece on Keyser. You will find he is an intelligent person and he knows what he has to do to be successful. You can give it a read on The Scouting Post.
As I said at the beginning, I’m not a fan of re-drafts. But this isn’t about a re-draft, it’s more of a question I have had since that weekend at the United Center in Chicago: How could Keyser go undrafted?
Obviously, I have followed the career paths of DiPietro, Villalta, Keyser and Fulcher since they first broke into the OHL and have continued to follow their careers since then. I want to look at their careers to date following that 2017 draft and compare Keyser to the two goaltenders that were selected.
The 2017-18 season saw all three goaltenders return to their squads in the OHL. Under the NHL/CHL agreement, unless they played for the NHL squad, there was no other option unless they went to play in Europe.
In the chart below, I look at the three goaltenders beginning with the 2017-18 season, their draft plus-1 season, through to the end of last season. While I include stats such as won-lost and goals-against-average, I don’t put much stock into them as they are more team stats than an individual goalie stat. I am going to focus on save-percentage. Now, the analytics people are going to ask about shot quality. Well, we’re not talking about the NHL here. This is Major Junior, the ECHL and AHL where defense doesn’t necessarily come first. Besides, you won’t find much in the way of advanced analytics at those levels of hockey, so you’ll have to judge for yourself if it’s important to you. I am not going to go into detail about DiPietro’s 2 NHL games. They are what they are – a young goaltender thrown to the wolves.
Keyser went into that 2017-18 season with a bee under his bonnet and to prove he was worthy of his contract signing with the Bruins. Keyser had his best season to date in the OHL with career best totals in every category. However, it was DiPietro fresh off a Memorial Cup win that took home OHL Goaltender of the Year honors and named to the OHL first all-star squad. For his part, Villalta took a major hit in his save-percentage in the playoffs for a Soo Greyhound team with Memorial Cup aspirations going from a .908 save-percentage in the regular season to .893 in 24 playoff games. Villalta was named to the OHL third all-star team. It was never about personal accolades for Keyser. The Team always comes first.
But Keyser was only just beginning.
The 2018-19 season saw DiPietro traded midway through the season to the Ottawa 67’s, a team looking for a Memorial Cup. That did not materialize for the 67’s and DiPietro saw his season come to an end after 11 playoff games where he posted a .914 save-percentage. For Villalta, it was another disappointing end to his season where his save-percentage took a major hit in the playoffs going from .903 in the regular season to .885 in 11 playoff games.
For Keyser it was a different story. He proved he was a big game player. He came up huge in the playoffs for his Oshawa Generals going from a .915 save-percentage in the regular season to .925 in 15 playoff games. No one I know gave the Generals any hope of winning that series against DiPietro and the 67’s. In fact, yours truly wrote in a playoff preview that for the Generals to win even a game, Keyser was going to have to have a monumental performance. If you read that article in The Scouting Post, you’ll see I called that game 4 overtime loss by Keyser one of the best playoff performances I have ever seen in 45-plus years of following the OHL.
DiPietro won the best goals-against-average in the OHL that season while Keyser was named to the OHL second all-star team.
That season also saw Keyser (Team USA) and DiPietro (Team Canada) named as starters for their respective countries at the World Junior Championships. Unfortunately, a hit to the head virtually knocked Keyser out of the tournament. DiPietro won Gold with Canada (USA won Silver), had the best goals-against-average in the tournament and was named top-3 player for Canada.
All three netminders turned pro for the 2019-20 season. Unfortunately for Keyser he battled injuries and was limited to just one ECHL game and 6 AHL games.
Of course, 2020-21 was the pandemic season and it’s hard to break it all down with all that changed for that season.
Which brings us to this upcoming season and why this is Keyser’s biggest opportunity to shine.
As you all know by now, Tuukka Rask will be out until January or February, if he returns at all, and that means Jeremy Swayman will be at the very least, backing up Linus Ullmark for the big club. Callum Booth is likely headed to the Bruins ECHL affiliate, the Maine Mariners. That means the net is Keyser’s to lose. The Bruins likely want to give Keyser as many starts as possible to further his development. He’ll be pushed by veteran free agent signing Troy Grosenick, who could be the first callup to Boston if there is an injury in the crease, so the Bruins will likely want to keep him sharp.
Keyser has done all the necessary work to take the next step and I for one know he is chomping at the bit to get it all started. Those of you that have followed me over the last few years know that I am a big believer in Keyser’s potential and that he can be an NHL goalie. And with all that’s happened in the last two seasons, his time starts now.
Finally, I want to give a big shout out to Keyser’s mom – Kimberly Fairbanks – who moved Kyle from Florida to Michigan back in 2013 to further his hockey career. You should be very proud.
Boston Bruins 2017 first round pick Urho Vaakanainen with Coach Bruce Cassidy and G.M. Don Sweeney.
I’m in the mood to rant.
This isn’t about the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. This isn’t about any one specific draft. It’s a combination of ten successive draft years under General Managers Peter Chiarelli and now, Don Sweeney.
For the most part, Europe wasn’t much of a consideration for Chiarelli and his staff. During the drafts that he oversaw, the Bruins selected just 4 players out of Europe through 6 consecutive entry drafts from 2007 through 2012. Those picks went on to play a total of zero NHL games.
Things began to change on May 20, 2015. Chiarelli, already dismissed from his job, was replaced by Sweeney. However, this isn’t on Sweeney as his job is to manage not scout and he relies heavily on his scouts to give him the best possible advice they can.
It was a move Sweeney made fifteen months to the day of being named GM that things changed. On August 20 2016 Sweeney named Keith Gretzky Director of Amateur Scouting and P. J. Axelsson as his European scout. Axelsson joined Svenake Svensson overseas, a position he’s had now going on 30-plus years.
In the next five drafts, from 2013 through 2017, the Bruins went on to select 10 players out of Europe. If you leave out David Pastrnak who was easily the best pick available, and Daniel Vladar – because goalies take longer – then the most successful pick they’ve made to date is Peter Cehlarik who is now playing in the KHL.
I need to be fair here. The book is still open on 2017 first rounder Urho Vaakanainen and seventh rounder Victor Berglund. Full disclosure: Berglund is really starting to come around. The 2017 draft took place after Gretzky left the Bruins to join Chiarelli as the Edmonton Oilers assistant GM in August of 2016. OskarSteen looks like he will be an NHL player.
Berglund and Steen, 7th and 6th round picks respectively, are the players you hope to find in the late rounds. Linus Arnesson who went 60th overall with a sum of zero NHL games and likely never to play for the Bruins is a miss. Six picks after the Bruins selected Arnesson, The Carolina Hurricanes selected BrettPesce (NCAA) who has 405 NHL games to date. Both are defensemen.
Cehlarik was the 90th overall pick in 2013 and has played in a total of 40 NHL games and has since bolted to the SHL and now the KHL. Ten picks later the New Jersey Devils selected Miles Wood (US Prep) who has gone on to play 323 NHL games and counting. Both are left wingers.
Anton Blidh was selected with the 180th pick in 2013. He will likely be a career AHL player who can be called up to fill in occasionally. Eleven picks later, the Los Angeles Kings select Dominik Kubalik (CHL) with 124 games under his belt and counting.
Even Vaakanainen who came with promise and was the 18th overall pick in 2017 has only played in 16 NHL games. Two picks later, the St Louis Blues selected Robert Thomas (CHL) who has played 169 NHL games. Granted, Vaakanainen is a defenseman and Thomas is a center, but the Bruins greatest need was and still is in the middle.
In September 2015, Sweeney went on a hiring spree, adding a professional scout along with four amateur scouts, including Bob Wetick who replaced Mike Chiarelli (yes Peter’s brother) to scout the Ontario Hockey League. Wetick was still virtually a rookie for that 2017 draft, so I’m not sure what type of voice he had in draft meetings and whether he had the ears of management. What I do know from his OHL days with the Kitchener Rangers and Brampton/North Bay Battalion is that his voice should be heard. I also know Wetick would have put in a strong case to select Thomas.
Below is a chart showing the players the Bruins selected from European Leagues from 2007 through the 2017 drafts. It includes what round they were selected in, their overall pick number and the number of NHL games they’ve played to date. Next to them, you will see the next best player selected and their pick number as well as the number of NHL games they’ve played in. Following it, I will leave you with one question to form your own opinion.
So, my question to you is this: Do you think that every Bruins amateur scout has the ear of management or do you think one or two scouts have a greater voice?
Three more Boston Bruins prospects outside the North American Pro Leagues began their 2021-2022 season last week. They are Matias Mantykivi with Ilves Tampere in Finland’s Liiga, Linus Arnesson with Djurgardens IF of the SHL and Oskar Jellvik with Djurgardens IF J20 of the J20 Nationell. They join Peter Cehlarik and Roman Bychkov, both in the KHL, who began there seasons a week earlier. Realistically, at this point I think only two of these five have a chance to don a Bruins jersey in the future.
This week we’ll focus on Mantykivi, the Bruins 6th round pick, 185th overall at the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. During his draft season, Mantykivi was all over the map. He appeared with SaiPa Under-18 (SM-sarja), SaiPa Under-20 (SM-liiga), Kettera (Mestis) and even got a taste with SaiPa in Finland’s top league, Liiga.
The 5-foot 11-inch, 165-pound center – left winger was over a point per game player in both the Under-18 and Under-20 but in two seasons in Finland’s top league, has been unable to find his offensive game. We’ll be fair, he played as an 18- and 19-year-old against men and in 91 career Liiga games has 5 goals and 11 helpers.
If we’re being honest with ourselves, then we’d know that it is a long shot for a sixth-round pick to play in the NHL. At that stage of the draft, you are trying to find players that need a lot of development time and patience and even then, they may not make it at all. Such patience is the case with Mantykivi. He’s not the fastest skater but does possess some good quickness. It appears early on that he’s put some work in on his blades.
Mantykivi has also shown flashes of having a solid hockey IQ. He sees the ice fairly well and knows how and when to get into open spaces but not nearly consistent. He’s not a shoot first kind of player, always seemingly looking to set up plays rather than take the shot himself. That’s fine, unless you’re passing up a better opportunity to take the shot yourself. His most impressive feature is his work ethic, at least in the o-zone.
It’s easy to look at Mantykivi’s quick rise through the Finnish leagues and come away thinking there is some potential there. There may just be, but it’s going to take some time with him. We’ve already mentioned he needs to improve his speed. For a smaller guy, that’s a necessity. But he really needs to add some bulk to his frame. He’s not shy about throwing the odd hit, but he’s not going to do any harm in the AHL let alone the NHL. And because of that lack of speed, he can be caught and knocked off the puck to easily.
I’ve seen it mentioned in other places that his lack of speed hurts him defensively, often being the last man back. Personally, I think it’s more a lack of effort. If he put in the same effort coming back into his own zone as he does entering the offensive zone, we’d have a different result.
Just an honest opinion, and trying to be fair: It’s only been one game and maybe it was an off night. We’ll continue to track Mantykivi throughout the season and provide you with updates as the season moves along. Here’s to hoping he takes the next step.
The Bruins hold Mantykivi’s rights until June 1, 2023 in which he would become a free agent if not signed.
Here are the updated stats from the Bruins prospects playing outside the North American professional leagues. If you’re looking for stats on prospects playing professional hockey in North America, you can find the Providence Bruins stats here and the Maine Mariners here. Both are of course blank for now as the AHL and ECHL seasons have yet to begin.
