By: Eamonn McLean | Follow me on Twitter/X @EamonnMcLean44
Three years after being selected 21st overall in the 2021 National Hockey League Entry Draft, Fabian Lysell finally made his NHL debut with the Boston Bruins. Lysell slotted into the lineup on December 28th, for the second half of a back-to-back, home & home against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Bruins desperately needed a spark, after falling flat on their face in a 6-2 loss in Ohio the night before.
Two minutes into his debut, Lysell provided just that. Using his speed, Lysell beat Blue Jackets’ defenseman Damon Severson to a loose puck below the goal line, a play that ultimately led to what would be the game-winning goal for Justin Brazeau. Postgame, Lysell was sent back to the American Hockey League, where in five games since his call-up, he has a goal and three assists, with a +4 rating.
In many ways, this season has been a microcosm of Lysell’s time in the Bruins organization. The Goteborg, Sweden native showed flashes of promise in preseason, including a bar-down snipe against the Washington Capitals, before being sent down to start the season in Providence. His first eight games in Providence were rough. Lysell only put up two points, and was a -3 in that time.
It wasn’t the first time in his young career where Lysell’s development was a bit bumpy. At the 2022 World Junior Championship he played a major role in Sweden’s run to a Bronze Medal, with six points in seven games including a highlight reel goal against Team Austria.
However, at the 2023 World Junior Championship Lysell did not register a point in seven games, as Sweden failed to medal. His time in the Bruins organization has often been plagued by injury and inconsistency. But after a slow start in the AHL this year, Lysell has found his groove. In the 23 AHL games since his 0.25 PPG start, Lysell has 19 points.
With the Bruins about to enter a crucial 11 game stretch before the league shuts down for the Four Nations Face-Off, President Cam Neely spoke to the media at the Black and Gold Gala where he was asked about the potential impact young players like Lysell and Matt Poitras could have on Boston’s roster. “With Fabian, we certainly like his skill set, but one of the things with him we’ve preached is away from the puck and when you don’t have the puck, how do you play? These are guys that we know what they can do or how they can help us offensively, but are you out scoring your mistakes is really the question at the end of the day?”, said Neely.
That same question could also be asked of the Bruins NHL lineup however. Boston has only scored 122 goals this season, while conceding 144. Their -22 goal differential is the sixth worst in the league, ahead of only San Jose, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Anaheim and Nashville.
With the NHL’s trade deadline fast approaching, and the Bruins in the thick of a congested playoff race in the Eastern Conference, a potential retool could be looming for Boston. In that case, the Bruins will need to get younger. Calling up Lysell, who at 21 years old is perhaps the organizations most offensively-gifted prospect, could help the Bruins compete both now and in the future.
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