By: Tom Calautti | Follow me on Twitter/X @TCalauttis
Yesterday, the Boston Bruins held their first two sessions of their 2026 Development Camp. Players and prospects from all over descended upon Warrior Ice Arena to take the ice with the Black and Gold’s development staff and show how much they’ve grown and progressed over the last season.
Day one was split into two separate groups: forwards and defensemen. Each group was on the ice for two individual 30-45-minute workouts: one on skating and the other on puck skills. Here’s what I saw:
Returning Class
This summer’s development camp roster was headlined by Dean Letourneau, Will Zellers, and Cooper Simpson, arguably Boston’s three most promising forward prospects. Of the returning players to camp, I’d say these three were my most clear standouts.
The first thing I noticed about the three of them is that they’ve all filled out since last offseason. Between putting on muscle and more completely filling out their frames, each of them has taken a physical step toward reaching full NHL maturity. The biggest indicator of this was when the media was allowed to speak with Letourneau, who told us he’s officially measured at 6’7, 235lbs.
When it comes to their on-ice performance, each player has clearly honed their strengths. The hallmark of Zellers’ game is his shot, and he put that on display early and often at camp. Zellers is one of the rare shooters who acts as a ‘triple threat’ whenever he’s on the ice. His one-timer is powerful enough to score from distance, his wrist shot has a lightning-quick release that beats goalies from the high-to-mid slot, and his hands are soft enough to finish under the bar in tight. The multitude of ways he can score the puck is truly impressive.
As for Letourneau, it’s clear that his breakout sophomore season has done wonders for his confidence. His skating looks to have taken a step forward, and his shot was on full display. It’s always impressive to see someone as tall as him be so poised and skilled with the puck on his stick. The BC Eagle mentioned after the session that he wants to improve his puck possession next season, so that’ll be something to watch as the drills become more advanced.
Simpson burst onto the scene at last year’s Development Camp with his standout performance in the Thursday scrimmage. The 19-year-old Minnesota native put Bruins fans on notice this season when he lit the USHL on fire, posting 34-40-74 in 61 games. For a player who had just finished high school hockey at this point last year, Simpson is clearly one of the most gifted skaters/puck-handlers at camp.
He has a rare ability to deceive goaltenders and opposing defenders, both with his skating and stickhandling. His edgework is excellent, allowing for quick lateral movements, and his straight-line speed is solid as well. The most impressive thing about him last camp was his offensive instincts, always knowing where open ice is and being able to see plays develop before they happen. It looks like his puck-handling and skating skills are starting to match those instincts, which is a great sign for Boston.
Other standouts from the returning class of players include forward Chris Pelosi and defensemen Liam Petterson and Vashek Blanar. I’m always impressed by the maturity and polished nature of Pelosi’s game. He’s one of those players who has a knack for scoring goals but also does all the little things well.
Petterson, Boston’s second-round pick from last season, was one of the few players Director of Player Development Adam McQuaid highlighted as his most impressive of the day. His combination of lateral quickness and length makes him a difficult defender for forwards to escape, and his offensive game seems to be rounding into form.
Blanar always impresses me in person due to his sheer size and skill. In no universe should a 6’5 defenseman be as adept with puckhandling as he is. Combine that with his straight-line speed and lengthy strides, and you have all the tools for a pace-pushing defenseman. Like Petersson, Blanar has the size and agility to take away time and space from opponents. Now that he’s had a year to focus on improving his defensive game, he’s becoming a contender for Boston’s best defensive prospect.
New Blood
In addition to the returning prospects already in the pipeline, the Bruins also saw all of their 2026 draft picks head to Warrior Ice Arena and don the spoked-B for the first time. Of the fresh crop of players, my three standouts were second-rounder Yuri Ivanov and fourth-rounders Matvei Kotkov and Oscar Olsson.
I’ll admit right off the jump that I’m no goaltending expert, but Ivanov had an impressive quickness and decisiveness to his movements in the crease. The 17-year-old Russian goaltender got to his spots faster than the goalies he skated with and was difficult to beat in the puck drills. There’s still a long way to go in his development, but the early signs are encouraging.
Olsson was the first skater who truly caught my eye with his ability to handle the puck in traffic and finish in tight. He has a smooth skating stride that isn’t altered when he changes pace and was able to deftly handle the puck through traffic and beat goaltenders when he got to scoring areas.
Kotkov was an interesting selection by the Bruins because he skates alongside current B’s prospect Kirill Yemelyanov in the MHL for Loko Yaroslavl. According to McQuaid, Kotkov was one of the players who caught his attention early on. He said the Russian forward, “looked pretty good and moved pretty well. For a younger guy, he’s got a pretty sturdy frame on him already.”
Loose Pucks
- McQuaid confirmed that James Hagens and Yemelyanov were not at camp this year due to the sheer amount of hockey both played this year and the condensed nature of their schedules.
- Blanar confirmed to the media post-skate that he will be returning to Sweden this year and attempting to earn an SHL spot. The season after that, he’ll take his talents to UMass Amherst.
- Pelosi said there were some discussions around turning pro after last season, but he and Boston’s scouting staff agreed he was best served playing another season at Quinnipiac.
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