By Tim A Richardson | Follow Me On Twitter @TimARichardson
As summer comes to a close and the calendar turns to fall, we get ever so close to the start of the AHL and NHL season. I hope everyone is as excited as I am for a complete season of hockey. Before we embark on a new season, there are a few players in Providence that I am excited to see, and today, I am going to share them with you. So let’s dive in check those players out.
Jakub Lauko
Jakub Lauko has been one of the most promising young prospects for the Bruins since joining the organization as a third-round draft pick in the 2018 NHL Draft. The Czech native’s first professional season had been cut short due to a combination of injuries and COVID, but in 22 games, he netted five goals while dishing out four assists for nine total points.
Despite the shortened year, the young forward’s 2020-2021 season was excellent. In 23 games, Lauko netted five goals while dishing out 14 assists for 19 total points. The Czech native has elite speed and skill that could help Boston someday real soon. I expect him to play most of the season in Providence, but he’d likely be an injury call-up if something happens in Boston. Keep an eye out for him!
Oskar Steen
Oskar Steen was a six-round draft pick in the 2016 NHL Draft. Before coming to the Bruins, the young forward spent time playing in the Swedish Hockey League. The native of Sweden started 2019-2020, which was his first professional season slow but came on strong before COVID shut down the league. In 60 games, he netted seven goals while dishing out 16 assists for 23 total points.
The shortened 2020-2021 season was good to Steen. In 23 games, he netted five goals while dishing out six assists for 11 total points. The young forward would even spend three games in Boston, not registering a point. Steen is a gritty player with offensive upside. He has the potential to be a good bottom-six forward for Boston in the future. He’s likely also on the list of call-ups in case of injury. Keep an eye out for him!
Jack Ahcan
Jack Ahcan came to the Bruins organization last year as an undrafted free agent. The young defenseman spent the previous four seasons as a standout at St. Cloud State University, the last of which he served as the team’s captain. While at St. Cloud State, he set the team record for most assists by a defenseman and compiled an impressive 103 points in 144 games.
Ahcan had a successful first professional season. In 19 games, he netted one goal while dishing out nine assists for ten total points. The St. Cloud State alum is a smooth puck-moving defenseman who possesses underrated defensive ability and speed. He’s another guy that is likely to spend the majority of the year in Providence but could see a call-up in case of injury or general ineffectiveness in Boston. He could be manning Boston’s power-play sometime soon. Keep an eye out for him!
I know this list has only a handful of players that we’ll see in Providence this season. However, these three guys are my three favorites. One guy I kept off the list is Jeremy Swayman. I love Jeremy Swayman, he’s my favorite prospect in the system, but I expect him to play a lot of the season in Boston; otherwise, he’d be here too. I hope everyone is having a fantastic offseason! Feel free to send me any comments or questions on Twitter. As always, Go, B’s, GO!
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