Your prospect pool can end up being pretty bleak when you’ve been a competitive team for much of the last 15 years.

It’s hard to write high-end leads when you’re writing near the end of the first round, and that’s in the years when you don’t trade your first-round pick. When you write quality leads, you often trade them in for immediate help.

That’s the predicament the Bruins find themselves in.

The Bruins’ prospect pool isn’t devoid of talent, but they’re missing a star or two that gives them high hopes for the future after the current core leaves. Fabian Lysell and Brett Harrison have talent and skill, projecting themselves into the NHL’s top six forwards if their caps are hit. Lysell, in particular, could be excellent after finishing 21st overall in the 2021 NHL Draft.

Center John Beecher and solid defenseman Mason Lohrei could end up as middle contributors playing the Bruins brand of hockey. Matthew Poitras and Cole Spicer are two talented forwards who were added to the draft and could be long-term contributors. Jeremy Swayman, 23, looks like the future in goal, but Reid Dyck and Brandon Bussi also look like possible NHL players in goal.

The top talent isn’t there, but the Bruins are trying to win now – as they have for 15 years – so it’s no shock that their pipeline is a bit less impressive than others in the league.

2022 NHL Draft Class
Round 2 (54 overall) – Matthew Poitras, C, Guelph Storm [OHL]
Round 4 (117 overall) – Cole Spicer, C, USA National Development Team [USHL]
Round 4 (119 in total) – In Ločmelis, C, Lulea HF Jr. [J20 Nationell]
Round 5 (132 in total) – Frédéric Brunet, D, Rimouski Oceanic [QMJHL]
Round 6 (183 overall) – Reid Dyck, G, Swift Current Broncos [WHL]
Round 7 (200 total) – Jackson Edward, D, London Knights [OHL]

Boston’s 2022 NHL Draft was eventful, but was missing a first-round pick after trading him to Anaheim for defenseman Hampus Lindholm. With only one pick (54th overall) going into the fourth round, the Bruins were throwing a lot of darts at the board in the middle and late rounds.

In the second round, the Bruins began their draft by eliminating energetic forward Matthew Poitras from the OHL’s Guelph Storm. An aggressive forechecker with some shrewd puck-stealing ability and some sneakiness once he has the puck on his stick, Poitras is a good distributor and shooter who doesn’t use his shot enough. His upside is a question, but some pro-level tendencies could lead to a strong mid-six career in the NHL.

Cole Spicer has built his game around being a solid defensive tackle with the USNTDP who can participate offensively when given the opportunity. Spicer will finish a hit and work hard to get the puck back for his team. Dans Ločmelis is in the same mold as a forward who uses positioning and smart habits at both ends of the rink to excel.

Dyck is an interesting swing on a goalkeeper with great athleticism. Dyck has shown an ability to stand out in big moments at times this year and while his numbers with Swift Current aren’t phenomenal, he has the size and tools that have been on display more than enough to justify his selection.

Strengths

The Bruins have one of the weakest prospect pools in the entire NHL, but they have some very good wingers. Fabian Lysell is one of the most speed-oriented prospects in hockey with the ability to blaze through opponents and attack quickly with the game’s top prospects. His hands are starting to catch up to his feet and he has shown absolute attacking brilliance at times. He also plays vigorously in all three zones as a high-effort defensive presence in his own zone who could be a well-above-average defensive forward with a little practice.

Brett Harrison has played both center and wing, but could be a very top finisher at the NHL level as a winger. His pace could be an issue if asked to drive play, but his shooting is legit and he has very good passing ability in the offensive zone. Smart and skilled, Harrison could provide the quality secondary scoring that top Bruins teams are known for at the next level. Add some intriguing deep-scoring wingers like Jakub Lauko, Oskar Steen and possibly Matthew Poitras if he leaves center ice and the Bruins’ wing depth looks solid going forward.

Weaknesses

Boston might need help just on the backend, but they’re doing a decent job of developing defenders. In the middle, the Bruins struggled to find answers beyond their longtime mainstay Patrice Bergeron, particularly in terms of homegrown talent. John Beecher looks promising and screams “Boston Bruin” stylistically but projects himself as a third-line center at the NHL level unless he can really boost his offensive production. He performed well at the AHL level, but his record in the NCAA was nothing exceptional. Beyond Michigan’s product, there are many question marks.

Next Man Up: RW Oskar Steen

The Bruins need cheap scoring depth because they’re right against the salary cap and Steen could end up being the player to provide it. The 24-year-old Swede is an undersized, talented player who could thrive in a top-nine role given the chance as an offensive weapon. He’s a playmaker by trade who can thread the needle after opening up space with his underhandedness on his feet through the offensive zone. The Bruins likely won’t give their top prospects a look this year as they’re a year or two away from contributing at the NHL level, so Steen could look to solidify his role on the NHL roster this year. so that when those players arrive next year, he won’t have to worry about being the odd one out.

Prospect Depth Chart Notables

LW: Brett Harrison, Jakub Lauko
C: John Beecher, Matthew Poitras
AD: Fabian Lysell, Oskar Steen
LD: Mason Lohrei, Frederic Brunet, Jack Ahcan
DR: Victor Berglund
G: Reid Dyck, Brandon Bussi

For a deeper dive into the prospect pool with player rankings, check out the Yearbook and Future Watch editions of the Hockey News print edition!