After a flurry of free agent signings and the loss of David Krejci, many Bruins fans most likely have not had their minds on Boston’s prospect pool. But, with Boston’s development wrapping up, now may be the time to remember. With much of the current Bruins core growing older, some of these prospects may just enter the NHL soon. While not necessarily exciting, these prospect camps do help give a glimpse at upcoming future talent.
Which Prospects To Watch
Boston has very deep prospect pool to select from. Different players from all corners of the hockey world were invited to this development camp in Boston. Many of these players are recent top draft picks of the Bruins. They all have the potential to become house hold names in Boston, but that could take sometime.
John Beecher
John Beecher is one of those potential names. Selected 30th overall by Boston in 2019, the young forward has become a favorite of Boston’s front office. Beecher currently plays hockey for the University of Michigan and most likely will remain there to continue to cultivate his skills. Beecher is a solid player, but with the combination of COVID and injury cutting his last two seasons short, there may be some time before he is seen in black and gold.
.@TrevorKuntar bringing the filth.#NHLBruins | #BruinsDevCamp pic.twitter.com/E4o16vmqgo
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) August 5, 2021
Trevor Kuntar
As usual as well, one prospect has scored a dazzling goal during the camp. At this point, this seems mandatory for all prospect camps in the NHL to at least feature one highlight reel goal. For the Bruins this year it was provided by forward, Trevor Kuntar. Kuntar’s method of choice for this goal was a through the legs shot. While not a sign of being ready for the NHL, this goal did display Kuntar’s stellar control with the puck. Kuntar will most likely remain with Boston College to develop his skills similar to Beecher. But, expect the Bruins to eventually offer Kuntar an entry-level contract.
Mason Lohrei
Probably the most notable prospect out of all at the camp is Mason Lohrei. The defenseman was selected 58th overall by Boston in the 2020 entry draft. Lohrei is 6’4 and can play at all ends of the ice, very similar to current Bruins defensive stud, Charlie McAvoy. There are already predictions that Lohrei could make a big future impact in Boston because of this. Lohrei still actually has yet to play a game for his current school, Ohio State. This means that like Kuntar and Beecher, Lohrei will remain in college for sometime before moving to the NHL.
Worth The Wait
What may seem confusing to some Boston fans is that despite there being excitement around some prospects, they are not expected to see the NHL for some time. But that really is a good problem to have. Right now the Bruins have a solid team. They may have had some big losses from the last two seasons, but the team still has Stanley Cup hopes.
With the current Bruins team, there is no reason to rush any of these prospects to the NHL. In order for these prospects to become household names, the need to be ready. Bring them up too early, and all of a sudden they are a bust. It may take time before Lohrei, Beecher, Kuntar, and others are in Boston, but hopefully by the time they are, they will be ready.
Thanks for reading about the Bruins! Prospect info provided by eliteprospects.com. You can like The Game Haus on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for more sports and esports articles from great TGH writers like RJ!
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