(Photo Credit: Connor Nee / Black N’ Gold Productions LLC)

By: Eamonn McLean | Follow me on Twitter/X @EamonnMcLean44

With the dust finally settled on the 2026 National Hockey League Entry Draft and development camp complete, I figured there was no better time than the present to drop my annual pre-season Top Ten Bruins prospects list. If you’d like to compare this year’s list to last year’s, I’ve included a link here.

As always, a few quick ground rules. Rule number one: in order for a skater to be considered a prospect, he must be 23 years old or younger, or, in simpler terms, born in 2003 or earlier. This would take guys such as Lukas Reichel and Ivan Ivan off the list, as it’s more likely than not that they are what they are at this point. I’ve decided to be a bit more lenient with goaltenders, as they typically take longer to develop, and made the cut-off at 25, or 2001 birth years or younger. Also, if you played a full season in the National Hockey League, you are an NHLer and no longer a prospect in my eyes, which is why Fraser Minten is not included here anymore, despite only being 21 years old. Now, without further ado, let’s get into the honorable mentions.

Honorable Mentions

Before diving into the top ten, I want to give a quick shoutout to a few prospects who didn’t quite make the cut. Creating this year’s top ten prospects was considerably more difficult for me than last season, as there were some really tough names for me to exclude.

Matvei Kotkov is a prospect I find very intriguing; however, I just could not yet justify including him in the top ten given some of the other forwards in the pipeline. He had a fantastic development camp from all accounts and was the youngest-ever Kharlamov Cup Playoff MVP in Russia’s MHL last season. He’ll return to Loko Yaroslavl for next season, where he might be teammates with fellow B’s prospect Kirill Yemelyanov again, another name who in other years would likely find himself on this list.

William Moore was #6 on my list last season, as he was entering Boston College as a freshman off of a solid draft campaign with the United States National Team Development Program, resulting in the B’s taking him 51st overall. He only had 10 points in 33 games with the Eagles this season, which was well below what I thought he would put up point-wise. However, he should see an increased role at BC as a sophomore, and could easily find himself back in the top ten come the end of next season.

Similar to Kotkov, Roberto Henriquez is another intriguing prospect who could have made this list, but I just couldn’t justify ranking him above other Goaltenders in the B’s system given his body of work so far. He’s headed to Boston College this year after a solid season with the Green Bay Gamblers in the USHL, where he had a .921% save percentage, scored a goal, and got in a fight. I’d expect him to challenge for starts both with the Eagles and the Slovakian World Junior team this season.

Vashek Blanar had a solid year in the U20 Nationell; however, with other defenders on this list playing against stronger competition this season and also producing, I have him in the honorable mentions tier. He’s a really fun player to watch, and I do think he has legitimate potential. This year will be a big one for him, and I’m excited to see how he does, especially with Team Czechia at the World Juniors.

Finally, Liam Pettersson dropped out of my top ten, but still deserves a mention. It was a bit of a difficult year for him, as he missed quite a few games due to injury, but when he did play, he looked solid. He fell more as a result of some bad luck mixed with strong play from other prospects. He’s headed to Djurgardens’ system in Sweden, where he should hopefully challenge for game time in the Swedish Hockey League, as well as a spot on the Swedish World Junior Team.

#10. Nils Bartholdsson, RW – Rogle BK

Nils Bartholdsson debuts at #10 in my prospect rankings. I always have a soft spot for smaller players who play bigger than their size, and Bartholdsson is just that. He’s only 5’11”, 179lbs, but he plays fearless and isn’t afraid to play along the walls and can score in and around the crease. He’s got a great shot that routinely beats goaltenders clean at the U20 Nationell level, as evidenced by his 32 goals in 41 games between the regular season and playoffs. The only U18 player to outscore Bartholdsson in the U20 Nationell this season was New Jersey Devils first round pick Alexander Command.

The big thing for Bartholdsson will be whether he can overcome questions about his size and how he projects at the NHL level. For me, I think his floor is a top-six forward in Europe, and his ceiling is a middle-six wing in the NHL. I think he has the tools to overcome the questions, but this year will be revealing as he tries to cement a spot in the SHL and on the Swedish World Junior team.

#9. Yuri Ivanov, G – MHK Spartak Moskva

Lots of people, myself included, were shocked by the selection of Yuri Ivanov at #56 in this summer’s draft. After all, the Bruins do have Jeremy Swayman locked up until 2032, as well as Michael DiPietro, and a solid minor-league pipeline of goaltenders, including Luke Cavallin, Simon Zajicek, Max Lundgren, and Jiri Patera. However, when you look at the raw numbers, it’s hard to poke holes in what Ivanov did in the MHL this season. He had a .924% save percentage in 17 regular-season games with MHK Spartak Moskva, where he had a dominant 13-3-1 record. Especially when you factor in that Ivanov will not turn 18 until September 12th.

Another trait I love in a player is somebody who steps up when it matters most. Ivanov raised his game even more in the Kharlamov Cup Playoffs, posting a .928 save percentage and a 2.15 goals-against average, helping lead MHK Spartak Moskva to the Finals, where they eventually lost to Loko Yaroslavl. According to General Manager Don Sweeney, Ivanov is expected to stay in Russia for at least two more years, however, with Russia producing some of the world’s best goaltenders in Ilya Sorokin, Andrei Vasilevskiy, and Igor Shesterkin, amongst others, there are worse development paths for a young goaltender to take.

#8. Elliott Groenewold, D – Quinnipiac University

Elliott Groenewold, was one of my biggest risers on my list this season. I did not have him ranked in my top ten, nor as an honorable mention last year. However, it’s impossible to deny what he did with Quinnipiac this past season. The Bellows Falls, Vermont, native saw his points total increase from 12 to 20, and while plus/minus is certainly a flawed statistic, Groenewold led the nation in that category at an absurd +39.

Groenewold’s size at 6’4″, 216lbs helps his NHL projection, and I could see him as high as a #4 defenseman in the NHL one day; however, more realistically, I think a solid third-pairing defender is the most likely outcome here. His size, skating ability, and two-way game are all things to be excited about. I think, at absolute worst, Groenewold ends up having a long pro career as an AHL/NHL depth defender.

#7. Dans Locmelis, C/LW – Providence Bruins

I have Dans Locmelis slotted in at #7 on my list, two slots down from last year. Similar to Liam Pettersson, Locmelis fell more because of others’ play than his own, and due to injury. Locmelis had a solid first pro season, putting up 28 points in 43 games with the P-Bruins, also scoring two goals in four games at the Olympics with Team Latvia. Unfortunately, that was where his season ended, as he underwent season-ending shoulder surgery after the games.

Locmelis continues to look like a potential bottom-six NHL forward; however, I am starting to wonder where he might fit into the Bruins’ long-term plans, given the quality of some of the other forwards in the B’s pipeline. I do see enough, both talent- and hockey-sense-wise, for me to pencil him in as a potential NHLer; however, if he breaks through, I’m just not sure it’ll be in Boston.

#6. Matt Poitras, C – Providence Bruins

I have Matt Poitras sliding three spots to #6 this season. I’m a believer in Poitras’ ability to make things happen offensively at the AHL and NHL levels; however, similar to Locmelis, I’m beginning to wonder if a potential breakthrough will have to happen somewhere else. I feel a bit stronger about this in Poitras’ case than I do Locmelis’ given Poitras’ rumored inclusion in the trade package that would’ve been sent to the Calgary Flames to land Rasmus Andersson.

However, Poitras continues to play well in the AHL and has probably earned a legitimate look at the NHL level, especially given his performance during his three-game recall to Boston this season, where he scored a goal and generally looked like he belonged at the next level. This year will be a make-or-break season for the Ajax, Ontario, native.

#5. Frederic Brunet, D – Providence/Boston Bruins

Another name who shot up my board this year is defenseman Frederic Brunet. Brunet improved upon what was a solid sophomore season in the AHL with 36 points in 65 games as a third-year pro. Brunet isn’t particularly flashy in any aspect of the game, but is a solid all-around defenseman who isn’t afraid to jump up in the rush, something the Bruins’ current defense corps desperately needs more of.

It sounded like the Bruins wanted to give the Gatineau, Quebec, native a real shot at the NHL level this season; however, it’s hard to envision how he slots in right now, given the logjam of defenders in Boston. If the B’s are able to move out bodies similar to how they opened up a spot for DiPietro by trading Joonas Korpisalo, I’d expect Brunet to start the season in Boston. If not, he’ll likely be in Providence, if not elsewhere.

#4. Cooper Simpson, LW/RW – University of North Dakota

I had Cooper Simpson down as an honorable mention last year, and in hindsight, I really should have seen the year the Shakopee, Minnesota, native had this season coming. In his draft year, Simpson lit up Minnesota High School Hockey with 83 points in 31 games; however, I wasn’t sure how much stock to put into that performance, given the level of competition was a bit hard for me to judge. What was an inexcusable mistake on my part was glossing over the seven goals in nine games he had in the USHL that season.

Simpson spent the entirety of this season in the USHL with the Youngstown Phantoms, where he exploded for 34 goals and 74 points in 61 games and was named to the USHL’s first All-Star team. He’s headed to North Dakota this season, where he’ll join fellow Bruins prospect Will Zellers on what should be a stacked UND roster. I think Simpson has the offensive ability to be a top-six forward in the NHL, however I think he’ll need to round out his game to get to that level, something that kept him out of the top three of my list. I still have faith in him becoming an NHLer, however.

#3. Will Zellers, Wing – University of North Dakota

Will Zellers had a wild year. The Maple Grove, Minnesota, native had a great freshman season at North Dakota, putting up 18-16-34 in 38 games for the Fighting Hawks. However, this initially wasn’t enough for him to be named to Team USA for the World Junior Championships, before eventually being invited to the team’s training camp. Once he was given the slightest of opportunities to make the team, Zellers beat the door down, scoring eight points in five games at the WJC, being named as one of Team USA’s three best players at the tournament.

He’s dominated the USHL and World Juniors, but I do think he has a little bit more to prove at the college level before transitioning to the Pro game. I suspect this is his last year in college, and I think we’ll see him in Providence at the end of next season. I think Zellers and Simpson have similar offensive ceilings, however I put Zellers over Simpson on my list as I think Zellers overall game is just a tad more complete than Simpson’s is at this time.

#2. Dean Letourneau, C – Boston College

I’m not sure there’s a prospect in the NHL whose stock rose more this year than Dean Letourneau’s. After all, how many players go an entire year without scoring a goal, only to turn around and score 22 the following season? Not many, just like there aren’t many players that are his size, with as much skill as he has. I was skeptical of the Bruins’ decision to draft Letourneau 25th overall in 2024 and felt justified in doing so after his freshman campaign at Boston College. However, there’s no denying that the Braeside, Ontario, native has taken a gargantuan step in his time on Comm Ave.

I don’t think there’s a player in the B’s pipeline with a shot as good as Dean’s, and he’s figured out how to use his 6’7″, 229lb frame to his advantage at the NCAA level. I think there’s a legitimate shot he contends for the Hobey Baker, and I don’t think it’s out of the question he sees some time in Boston at the end of next season, similarly to how his former teammate at BC, James Hagens, did.

#1. James Hagens, C/LW – Boston Bruins

I suspect this will be the last time I ever include James Hagens on one of these prospect rankings. I don’t see a world in which the Hauppauge, New York, native isn’t in the Bruins’ opening-night lineup next season. My main question is whether or not the B’s will deploy him on the wing or up the middle of the ice.

For me, I believe Hagens should be given every opportunity to start the season as a top-six center, especially if a long-term contract extension cannot be reached with Pavel Zacha. If there’s a real shot that Zacha might not be a Bruin in 2027, the B’s will need a replacement, and I don’t think there’s a better option in the system than Hagens. While Letourneau is a fantastic prospect, there’s nobody in the system whose raw talent is equivalent to Hagens’. He projects as a top-six forward in the NHL, with the potential to be a first line player.