By: Tom Calautti | Follow me on Twitter @TCalauttis
The NHL draft is just a day away, and with the seventh overall pick, the Boston Bruins have a chance to select their best prospect in years. The first chance to see that player in action will most likely be at Bruins Development Camp. The Black and Gold have plenty of intriguing prospects suiting up at Warrior Ice Arena, and here are five skaters I have my eye on:
Will Zellers
Age: 19
Position: LW
Stats: 44-27-71 in 52 USHL games
2025-26 Team: Univesity of North Dakota
Zellers joined the Bruins organization during the whirlwind 2025 trade deadline when the Bruins acquired him, Casey Mittlestadt, and a second round pick in exchange for Charlie Coyle. The former 2024 third rounder lit the USHL on fire this season posting 44-27-72 in 52 games for the Green Bay Gamblers. Those stats earned and his overall play earned him the following awards: All-USHL First Team, USHL Forward of the Year, and (most impressively of all) USHL Player of the Year.
Zellers’ 44 goals makes him one of the most prolific scorers in USHL history. Only Kevin Roy (54), Matt Coronato (48), Macklin Celebrini (46), Thomas Vanek (46), and Rem Pitlick (46) have scored more single season goals than him. Fnas have been pleading with Bruins management for years to start drafting/developing more elite scoring talent, and Zellers is exactly that kind of player.
Although he hasn’t been with the Black and Gold long, Zellers is already one of their top prospects. His combination of speed, quickness, and smooth hands allow him to make plays in space and drive offense for both himself and his teammates. He’s the skater I’m most excited to watch at this year’s development camp.
Chris Pelosi
Age: 20
Position: C
Stats: 13-11-24 in 38 games
2025-26 Team: Quinnipiac
Chris Pelosi put together an impressive freshman season for the Quinnipiac Bobcats, but it was even more impressive when you consider how hot he got down the stretch. Over the team’s final 23 games, the New Jersey native notched 11-8-19, good enough for .83 points per game.
Pelosi, selected in the third round of the 2023 draft, is one of my favorite prospects in the Bruins’ system. What immediately jumps out about Pelosi is his motor and compete around the net and on the wall. He has the combination of strength and finnesse to win puck battles all over the face and fight for inside ice and finish in tight.
At 6’2, 183 lbs, Pelosi has both the size and skating ability to take his talents to the next level. The fact that he was able to slot into a national championship contender as a19 year-old and perform as well as he did speaks volumes about his upside. I expect his to take more steps forward this season, and potentially establish himself as one of Boston’s top ten prospects by this time next season.
Loke Johansson
Age: 19
Position: LHD
Stats: 4-18-22 in 62 games
2025-26 Team: TBD
Loke Johansson is the kind of defensive prospect Bruins fans are going to love. he’s big (6’3, 214 lbs), he’s mean, and he knows how to defend. The 2024 sixth round pick has all the hallmarks of an excellent shutdown defender, and he showed in the QMJHL this season that the Bruins may have found a gem.
Johansson’s offensive numbers don’t jump off the page, but when you watch him play, it becomes immediately clear why the Bruins took a chance on him. Despite his height and frame, Johansson is a smooth skater who can make a solid first pass and moves well in transition. He loves to play the body, constantly clears out the front of his net, and makes it a priority to protect his teammates and goalie on every shift.
The reason I left Johansson’s 2025-26 team as TBD is because he may have already earned himself a spot with the Providence Bruins. Despite playing only one season in North America, the Swedish defenseman has exhibited a mature defensive game, one that translates across all levels of hockey. He’s fun to watch.
Albin Boija
Age: 21
Position: G
Stats: 23-8-6, .928 SV%, 1.82 GAA
2025-26 Team: University of Maine
Boija took the hockey world by storm this season, backstopping the University of Maine to its first Hockey East Championship since 2004. He then went on to lead the Black Bears to their first NCAA Tournament victory (and Elite Eight appearance) since the 2006-07 season.
The Swedish netminder established himself as one of the premier goaltenders in college hockey this season. His 23 wins, 1.82 GAA, and 37 games played were all good enough for fifth in the country, while his .928 save percentage ranked ninth.
Boston’s organizational goaltending depth is thin behind Jeremy Swayman and Joonas Korpisalo. Michael DiPietro and Brandon Bussi are both free agents, and newly signed Simon Zajicek and Providence College goalie Philip Svedeback are the only others in the system. Boija will be playing for the Black Bears again next season, but after that, the undrafted free agent could be an excellent addition to the Boston Bruins.
Dean Letourneau
Age: 19
Position: C
Stats: 0-3-3 in 36 games
2025-26 Team: Boston College
Things didn’t go the way the Bruins or Letourneau wanted in 2024-25. The jump to college hockey was a bit premature for the 6’7 center, and as a result, he suffered a wildly underwhelming year at Boston College. Bit fans need to remember: Letourneau was drafted as a longterm project, and it’s still far too early to write him off.
What stood out to me about Letourneau’s game at last year’s development camp was his smooth hands and hand-eye coordination. Despite his massive frame he was able to manipulate/control pucks well and use his size/stickhandling to create space for himself. He has a long way to go, but that doesn’t mean he’s without legitimate NHL tools.
This is a massive camp for Letourneau. If shows improved skating, balance, and physicality it’ll illustrate that he’s slowly but surely making strides in his development. It’s going to take time, but positive steps forward would be a massive development for Boston’s 2024 first-round pick.
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