Welcome to Scott Wheeler’s 2022 rankings of every NHL organization’s prospects. You can find the complete ranking and more information on the criteria here, as we count down daily from No. 32 to No. 1. The series, which includes in-depth evaluations and commentary from sources on more than 500 prospects, runs from Jan. 10 to Feb. 9.
The Bruins had, for my money, their best draft in years in 2021. And so despite having graduated or moved six of the 16 players who appeared in last year’s ranking, I’m still higher on where Boston’s pool is at than I have been in years.
It’s still lacking in both quality and quantity relative to the field, but it’s definitely in better shape than it has been in each of the previous two years of this project. They’ve progressed from having a group made up entirely of peripherally-interesting depth pieces, to one that now has at least a small number of players who project higher into an NHL lineup at their ceilings. A couple of those were drafted in 2021. And another has progressed better than I anticipated to establish himself as a legitimate prospect.
The Bruins pool’s biggest hole is now in net in the aftermath of Jeremy Swayman’s promotion and Dan Vladar’s offseason trade to the Flames for a 2022 third-round pick.
In theory, that pick helps bolster the Bruins’ pool this time next year as well. While the Bruins have already dealt their own third-rounder to the Senators in last year’s move to acquire Mike Reilly, the Bruins have a selection in each of the draft’s seven rounds for 2022. Hanging onto those, which they haven’t done much of in recent years in pursuit of contention, will be vital if the Bruins want to seriously address a longstanding organizational disadvantage within their prospect pool — and if they want to lessen the challenges that may loom around the corner in the post-Bergeron-and-Rask era.
2021 prospect pool rank: No. 31 (change: +4)
1. Fabian Lysell, RW, 18 (Vancouver Giants)
2. Jack Studnicka, C, 22 (Providence Bruins/Boston Bruins)
3. Mason Lohrei, LHD, 20 (Ohio State University)
4. Brett Harrison, C, 18 (Oshawa Generals)
5. John Beecher, C, 20 (University of Michigan)
6. Jakub Lauko, C/RW, 21 (Providence Bruins)
7. Ty Gallagher, RHD, 18 (Boston University)
8. Trevor Kuntar, LW, 20 (Boston College)
9. Curtis Hall, C, 21 (Providence Bruins)
10. Victor Berglund, RHD, 22 (Providence Bruins/Maine Mariners)
11. Matias Mantykivi, C, 20 (Ilves)
12. Quinn Olson, LW, 20 (University of Minnesota-Duluth)
13. Andre Gasseau, C/LW, 18 (Fargo Force)
14. Ryan Mast, RHD, 18 (Sarnia Sting)
The Bruins’ pool now breaks down into four groups that were mostly cut-and-dry for me. Lysell is the clear No. 1 prospect in the organization, for now, I like the foursome that follows him as potential everyday NHLers, then there’s a tier from 7-12 with kids who are likely good pros but may not progress beyond the fringes of the NHL, and a last pair of projects. The only real debate I had about these groupings was whether to include Lauko in the second tier.
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The Bruins had, for my money, their best draft in years in 2021. And so despite having graduated or moved six of the 16 players who appeared in last year’s ranking, I’m still higher on where Boston’s pool is at than I have been in years.
It’s still lacking in both quality and quantity relative to the field, but it’s definitely in better shape than it has been in each of the previous two years of this project. They’ve progressed from having a group made up entirely of peripherally-interesting depth pieces, to one that now has at least a small number of players who project higher into an NHL lineup at their ceilings. A couple of those were drafted in 2021. And another has progressed better than I anticipated to establish himself as a legitimate prospect.
The Bruins pool’s biggest hole is now in net in the aftermath of Jeremy Swayman’s promotion and Dan Vladar’s offseason trade to the Flames for a 2022 third-round pick.
In theory, that pick helps bolster the Bruins’ pool this time next year as well. While the Bruins have already dealt their own third-rounder to the Senators in last year’s move to acquire Mike Reilly, the Bruins have a selection in each of the draft’s seven rounds for 2022. Hanging onto those, which they haven’t done much of in recent years in pursuit of contention, will be vital if the Bruins want to seriously address a longstanding organizational disadvantage within their prospect pool — and if they want to lessen the challenges that may loom around the corner in the post-Bergeron-and-Rask era.
2021 prospect pool rank: No. 31 (change: +4)
1. Fabian Lysell, RW, 18 (Vancouver Giants)
2. Jack Studnicka, C, 22 (Providence Bruins/Boston Bruins)
3. Mason Lohrei, LHD, 20 (Ohio State University)
4. Brett Harrison, C, 18 (Oshawa Generals)
5. John Beecher, C, 20 (University of Michigan)
6. Jakub Lauko, C/RW, 21 (Providence Bruins)
7. Ty Gallagher, RHD, 18 (Boston University)
8. Trevor Kuntar, LW, 20 (Boston College)
9. Curtis Hall, C, 21 (Providence Bruins)
10. Victor Berglund, RHD, 22 (Providence Bruins/Maine Mariners)
11. Matias Mantykivi, C, 20 (Ilves)
12. Quinn Olson, LW, 20 (University of Minnesota-Duluth)
13. Andre Gasseau, C/LW, 18 (Fargo Force)
14. Ryan Mast, RHD, 18 (Sarnia Sting)
The Bruins’ pool now breaks down into four groups that were mostly cut-and-dry for me. Lysell is the clear No. 1 prospect in the organization, for now, I like the foursome that follows him as potential everyday NHLers, then there’s a tier from 7-12 with kids who are likely good pros but may not progress beyond the fringes of the NHL, and a last pair of projects. The only real debate I had about these groupings was whether to include Lauko in the second tier.
| RANK | PLAYER | POS. | AGE | TEAM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fabian Lysell | RW | 18 | Vancouver |
| 2 | Jack Studnicka | C | 22 | Providence/Boston |
| 3 | Mason Lohrei | LHD | 20 | Ohio (Miami) |
| 4 | Brett Harrison | C | 18 | Oshawa |
| 5 | John Beecher | C | 20 | U. of Michigan |
| 6 | Jakub Lauko | C/RW | 21 | Providence |
| 7 | Ty Gallagher | RHD | 18 | Boston U. |
| 8 | Trevor Kuntar | LW | 20 | Boston College |
| 9 | Curtis Hall | C | 21 | Providence |
| 10 | Victor Berglund | RHD | 22 | Maine/Providence |
| 11 | Matias Mantykivi | C | 20 | Ilves |
| 12 | Quinn Olson | LW | 20 | Minnesota-Duluth |
| 13 | Andre Gasseau | C/LW | 18 | Fargo |
| 14 | Ryan Mast | RHD | 18 | Sarnia |
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