By: Jason Cooke | Follow me on X @cookejournalism
When the Boston Bruins hit the ice for their season opener in less than 10 days, they’ll be doing so without a handful of prospects who yearned to get a shot with the big club. Among a group of 17 cuts on Sunday were touted youngsters Fabian Lysell and Georgii Merkulov, who will start their respective seasons in Providence.
Along with Lysell and Merkulov, the remaining prospects who will report to Providence are Joey Abate, Drew Bavaro, Ryan Bischel, Frederic Brunet, Michael Callahan, Riley Duran, Jackson Edward, John Farinacci, Brett Harrison, Trevor Kuntar, Nolan Maier, Ryan Mast, Adam Mechura, Mason Millman and Jaxon Nelson. Marc McLaughlin has been placed on waivers, while Kasimir Kaskisuo will join the slew of cuts in Providence and has been released from his PTO.
This decision ultimately reflects prioritizing experience over promise when the Bruins kick off the season against the Florida Panthers. Instead of providing blue-chip prospects like Lysell or Merkulov with a chance, it looks like Tyler Johnson, Cole Koepke, or Riley Tufte, among others, will be in the running to round out the Bruins roster as we near October.
However, seeing the Bruins’ top prospects in Lysell and Merkulov sent to Providence before October is slightly surprising. After a bleak start to the preseason, both players saw their games get to better places as training camp progressed. But that’s not to say we won’t see them sporting a spoked-B at any point in 2024-25. Here are three of Sunday’s cuts who we can expect to see NHL time this season:
Fabian Lysell
Perhaps the most surprising cut from Don Sweeney’s slew of Sunday subtractions was Lysell, Boston’s 21-year-old prospect who possesses an abundance of offensive flare. After two full AHL seasons, many expected the 2021 first-round selection to make a jump to the NHL ranks this fall. But his debut will have to wait.
Lysell disappointed in his first preseason game this September, failing to record a shot on goal in Boston’s 3-2 defeat to the New York Rangers. And the woes that plagued him in Providence in the past suddenly emerged, making ill-advised decisions with the puck at the blue line that resulted in turnovers.
But his very next opportunity revealed precisely why he is such a touted prospect, recording an impressive catch-and-shoot goal in Boston’s matchup with the Washington Capitals. He totaled two shots on goal in Saturday’s tilt with the Philadelphia Flyers.
Suddenly, Boston’s second-line right-wing vacancy doesn’t seem so uncertain, as Morgan Geekie has emerged as a likely suitor for the role. Geekie has been skating with Marchand and Charlie Coyle at various training camp sessions at Warrior Arena. Don’t be surprised if Lysell gets the call sooner rather than later, but he won’t be on Boston’s opening night roster.
Georgii Merkulov
Merkulov’s camp certainly wasn’t as telling as Lysell’s. Unlike Lysell, Merkulov already received a shot with the Bruins last season, albeit a very brief one. He played in four games from December into January before being returned to Boston’s AHL affiliate.
Still, Merkulov showed signs of an NHL-caliber middle-six forward throughout camp, including a nifty assist to Justin Brazeau against Washington. But like Lysell, his offensive talent evidently didn’t force management to beat a player like Geekie for that second-line position. Instead of being buried in the bottom six, Merkulov will return to Providence to continue his development where he netted 65 points in 67 games last season.
Riley Duran
Duran rounds out a trio of skaters who I thought had a strong chance to make the Boston roster on opening night. Because, unlike Lysell and Merkulov, Duran’s game is a perfect fit for a fourth-line role with potential candidates John Beecher or Mark Kastelic. He is hard and physical on pucks and makes smart decisions in all three zones, making him an ideal stalwart on a checking line.
But for Duran–who has played just 11 games at the professional level—another season in Providence will only benefit the Providence College product and his path to the NHL. If Boston’s fourth line begins to battle injuries throughout the season, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Woburn, Mass. native gets the call.
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