(Photo Courtesy of Providence Bruins / Flickr)

By: Tim A Richardson | Follow Me On Twitter @TimARichardson

The 2020-2021 season is unlike any other we’ve previously had. The beginning of the season was delayed due to the global pandemic currently going on. With the AHL season in question, many of the Bruins’ prospects have decided to play on loan to teams overseas. Many of the guys playing on loan are actually playing quite well. Let’s dive into the numbers and see just how well those players are playing. 

Forwards

Jakub Lauko

Jakub Lauko is a name that we all know. He soared to the top of the Bruins’ prospect lists a few seasons ago. After an injury-plagued 2019-2020 season, Lauko went on loan to HC Energie Karlovy Vary of the Czech Tipsoirt Extraliga. The young forward has played in 16 games, netting three goals while dishing out three assists for six total points (stats courtesy of EliteProspects). Black N’ Gold’s own Mark Allred had an article out earlier with a rumor that Lauko could play the entire season in the Czech Republic’s top league. Check it out here. 

Robert Lantosi

Robert Lantosi came to Providence last season from Slovakia. The young forward had a stellar first season on North American ice. Lantosi is following that fantastic 2019-2020 season by playing sensationally this season. He is playing on loan with HK Nitra of Slovakia’s top league Tipos Extraliga. In 17 games, he’s netted four goals while dishing out 14 assists for 18 total points (stats courtesy of EliteProspects). Keep an eye out for Robert Lantosi. With how well he’s played over the past year and a half, I would not be surprised if we see him in Boston sometime soon. 

Oskar Steen

Oskar Steen played in his first season on North American ice last year. It took him some time to get acclimated to the style of play. However, he came on strong towards the end of the season. Steen is playing on loan in Sweden’s second-highest league, HockeyAllsvenskan, with IF Bjorkloven. In 16 games, he netted 12 goals while dishing out three assists for 15 total points (stats courtesy of EliteProspects). The young forward has since been returned to Boston, but he had a successful loan tenure in Sweden. 

Joona Koppanen

Joona Koppanen is a lesser-known prospect who spent the 2019-2020 season with Providence in the AHL and Atlanta in the ECHL. The young forward started on loan in Finland’s second-highest league Mestis with KOOVEE.  In 10 games, he netted six goals while dishing 11 assists for 17 total points (stats courtesy of EliteProspects). Koppanen also played for Ilves in Liiga, Finland’s top league. He has three goals and two assists for five total points in nine games with Ilves (stats courtesy of EliteProspects). 

Defenseman and Goalies

Urho Vaakanainen

Urho Vaakanainen is a guy who dropped off in many people’s eyes during the 2019-2020 season. He’s still someone who could very much be part of the Boston Bruins’ future. The young defenseman is playing on loan with SaiPa in Finland’s top league, Liiga. He’s found the back of the net one time two games with SaiPa (stats courtesy of EliteProspects). 

Jakub Zboril

Jakub Zboril had an excellent 2019-2020 season for the Providence Bruins. The young defenseman played on loan in the Czech Republic’s top league Tisport Extraliga for HK Kometa Brno. He’s played in 18 games, netting one goal while dishing out seven assists for eight total points (stats courtesy of EliteProspects). Zboril is someone we could see get a lot of playing time for Boston this season. 

Victor Berglund

Victor Berglund played all of last season in Sweden’s second-highest league HockeyAllsvenskan. The young defenseman has played all this year on loan in Sweden’s highest league, the SHL with Lulea HF. In 23 games, he’s found the back of the net two times while dishing out 12 assists for 14 total points (stats courtesy of EliteProspects). 

Dan Vladar

Dan Vladar had a superb 2019-2020 season with the Providence Bruins. The young netminder has played on loan in the Czech Republic’s top league Tipsport Extraliga with HC Dynamo Pardubice. In 6 games, he’s 4-2 with a 1.29 goals-against average and .956 save percentage. Earlier this month, I wrote about the importance of Dan Vladar. Check it out here. 

I hope everyone has enjoyed this update of Boston Bruins’ prospects playing on loan overseas. I also hope everyone has a marvelous holiday season. Feel free to send me any comments or questions on Twitter. As always, GO, Bs, GO!