The Boston Bruins have found themselves near the bottom of NHL prospect pools as the season approaches in two months. Recent call-ups Mason Lohrei, Matt Poitras, and John Beecher are now most likely on the NHL roster, leaving the pool of young players a little thin yet again. As the 2024-25 season nears, here are players’ destinations within the Boston Bruins organization from the 2023 NHL Draft.
2023 Draft
Chris Pelosi (3rd Round) – Pelosi has shown improvement and potential since being drafted by Boston with the 92nd overall pick. The 19-year-old left-shot center had 21 goals and 34 assists with the Sioux Falls Stampede of the USHL last season and has committed to Quinnipiac University for the 2024-25 season. The 6-foot-1, 180-pound forward lives around the net and possesses a great shot.
Beckett Hendrickson (4th Round) – Hendrickson was Pelosi’s teammate for 43 games with Sioux Falls before getting traded to the Dubuque Fighting Saints. The 6-foot-2, 175-pound center combined for 27 goals and 37 assists in 59 games and shows excellent playmaking ability. Look for Hendrickson at the University of Minnesota this winter.
Ryan Walsh (6th Round) – The 20-year-old center had a solid freshman season at Cornell University, registering 12 goals and 10 assists in 35 games. Walsh is a 6-foot-1, 180-pound forward who creates space for teammates and shoots the puck with a quick release. The Rochester, New York native enters his sophomore season at Cornell this winter.
Casper Nassen (7th Round) – The big Swede totaled 16 goals and 15 assists in 41 games for Frolunda in the J20 Nationell in Sweden. The 6-foot-4, 205-pound right-shot winger possesses a heavy shot and will be bringing his talents to the University of Miami-Ohio this season.
Kristian Kostadinski (7th Round) – Nassen’s teammate with Frolunda is a 6-foot-6, 220-pound defenseman who registered three goals and 18 assists as the captain last season. Kostadinski is tall and rangy and plays a physical style. The 19-year-old will play another season with Frolunda.
The 2023 draft began in the third round for Boston, but there seems to be some potential in the five players selected. Four of them will be playing college hockey in the United States which will give the fans access to their games and a glimpse into what might be down the road.
