As training camp features some of the Boston Bruins’ top prospects, here is an update on the five selections the Bruins made in the 2023 NHL Draft. For the second consecutive year, Boston was without a first-round pick after trading away the first selection as part of a trade for defenseman Dmitry Orlov and forward Garnet Hathaway with Washington. Their second-round pick was also traded, in this case, to Anaheim for defenseman Hampus Lindholm. Due to the Bruins being the President’s Trophy winner during the 2022-23 season, their third-round pick, and first of 2023, was the 92nd pick overall.
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With that pick, Boston selected Sioux Falls center Chris Pelosi. Last season, in 43 games with the Stampede, Pelosi scored 13 goals with six assists. In the first three games this season, the 6-foot-, 180-pound forward has a goal and an assist and is playing on a line with fellow Bruins draft pick Beckett Hendrickson. The Sewell, New Jersey native was described at draft time by Elite Prospects as being a “nightmare around the net, combining shooting skill, hand-eye coordination, and overwhelming physicality. He wins body positioning to free his stick for chances as defenders desperately reach in. Even when there’s a defender in his face, or he’s off-balance, he still gets the shot off. And somehow, he’s always the first guy to the loose puck or to apply pressure on the backcheck”.
In the fourth round, the Bruins chose Hendrickson, a 6-foot-2, 175-pound center, with the 124th overall pick. Hendrickson is playing on a wing with Pelosi to start the season with Sioux Falls. Hendrickson’s father, Darby played 510 games with five different NHL teams. Beckett totaled 34 points in 52 games for the US National Development Team last season and also has a goal and an assist for the Stampede. The Minnetonka, Minnesota native is committed to The University of Minnesota for 2024-25.
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A third center was selected by Boston in the sixth round as the Bruins chose Ryan Walsh from Cedar Rapid of the USHL. Walsh will be playing for Cornell this season after totaling 79 points in 61 games with Cedar Rapid last year. The 6-foot, 180-pound Rochester, New York native is an older freshman at 20 years old and plays a smart offensive game.
The Bruins had two selections in the seventh round, and they are now teammates with Frolunda in the J20 Nationell Swedish League. Casper Nassen is a 6-foot-4, 205-pound winger who already has two goals and seven assists in eleven games. Nassen was chosen 214th overall and plays on the team with fellow Bruins prospect Kristian Kostadinski. Nassen is committed to The University of Miami-Ohio for the 2024-25 season.
Kostadinski is the final pick for Boston at 220th overall and is a tall, rangy defenseman at 6-foot5, 214 pounds. The blue liner has five assists early on for Frolunda and played for the U18 Swedish team at the World Junior Championships last year. During Bruins rookie camp, the big defenseman worked quite a bit with former Bruins defenseman and current player development coordinator Adam McQuaid. Kostadinski brings a physical game and will need to improve his skating to have a chance at a pro career.
