Are the Boston Bruins Unfairly Expecting Fabian Lysell to Play Perfect Hockey?

Fabian Lysell skating for the Boston Bruins

It took forward Fabian Lysell over 1,500 days since being drafted by the Boston Bruins in the first round of the 2021 NHL Draft to make his NHL debut, and it lasted one day for now. The Bruins returned the 21-year-old prospect to Providence of the American Hockey League after his debut on Saturday in the Bruins’ 4-0 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Lysell went pointless during 11:32 of ice time, but his puck possession play behind the Columbus net on his first shift began the sequence of Boston’s first goal by Justin Brazeau.

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The gifted winger’s family was in town from Sweden and able to watch Lysell play on the third line with Brazeau and Trent Frederic while also getting about a minute of power play time. Overall, the 5-foot-11, 190-pound forward played solid hockey. However, after the game, Lysell was returned to Providence where he has collected five goals and 12 assists in 26 games this season.

The reason for sending the speedy Lysell back to the minor league club was explained by Bruins’ Head Coach Joe Sacco after Sunday’s practice. “The message to Lysell was basically that he didn’t hurt his chances for another opportunity. He played a good game and did some good things out there”, Sacco said. Sacco also mentioned that playing a heavier, more physical team in the Washington Capitals on Tuesday might not be as good of a fit as the Blue Jackets were as an opponent on Saturday.

Prospect Frustration

The trend for Boston has been to give prospects a taste of the NHL, and while using a short leash. Fellow prospect Georgii Merkulov, who had a three-game stint in Boston earlier this season and four games last season, got limited ice time during games and is back with Providence again. With the Bruins having difficulty with consistent, balanced offense, players with skill like Lysell and Merkulov could potentially fill a void for Boston. But, first, both players have to continue to play their dues and show the consistency needed to stay in the big leagues.

As a young player playing for the Bruins, it can be frustrating with how inexperienced players are handled. Expecting young players to play near-perfect hockey might be unfair. But, in the end, Boston values a solid 200-foot game that includes handling your defensive responsibilities. Lysell is getting there but is not quite ready yet.

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