By: Declan Flavin | Follow me on Twitter / X @FlavinDeclan
Training camp starts this week, and head coach Marco Sturm will be eager to see which young players can contribute for the Boston Bruins this season. In the past, the team has felt the effects of a stationary, unskilled unit leading the attack on offense. This has put tremendous pressure on core players like David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy to exceed expectations in production.
On top of pushing them out of their element, it’s allowed opponents to wear them down physically and mentally. Although aligning with an aggressive forecheck will be challenging, look for these three players to give the lineup a more balanced attack.
Dans Locmelis
Forward Dans Locmelis, finishing the 2024-25 season with 11 goals and 34 assists in 46 games between UMass and Providence, will look to bring his creative offensive approach to the National Hockey League. He has been a prospect flying under the radar of both fans and the organization. Although the team already has playmakers like Casey Mittelstadt and Pavel Zacha, Locmelis could bring a youthful energy to breakouts and entries that the team has sorely lacked. There is also potential for Locmelis to further tap into a shooting ability that has drawn praise in the past.
Matej Blumel
Forward Matej Blumel hopes to replicate the offensive threat he showed with the Texas Stars in the AHL, where he tallied 39 goals and 33 assists in 67 games. He is one of those players with clear natural scoring talent who has yet to fully translate it to the NHL. What better fit for a Bruins team that has developed players like this from the ground up? His left-handed shot, serving as an alternative to Pastrnak on the power-play unit, presents a clear opportunity to benefit both him and the team.
Fabian Lysell
Forward Fabian Lysell has had opportunities with the Bruins before, but there is too much to like to overlook his 12 goals and 25 assists in 64 games between Providence and Boston last season. His elusive skating and instant speed add agility to a lineup that will still feature mostly heavier bodies. For a team looking to force opposing defensemen into rushed decisions and overthinking, it is crucial to have speed wherever possible in the lineup. With the odds seemingly stacked against him following a challenging interpersonal dynamic with the organization, Lysell will need to go above and beyond and adapt alongside the rest of the players to a more physical forechecking style.
There should be a fair amount of confidence that these players can deliver on the main offensive traits they bring; it’s just a matter of rounding out their presence on the ice. A team like the Florida Panthers has sustained success thanks to the physicality that sparked the team’s change. The weeks ahead, with new coaches and players like these, could be when this change is fostered.
If young players like these don’t align with the team’s forechecking plan, that will be the reason they remain at lower levels. Until then, hope should remain high in their potential.
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