The 2022 NHL Draft was an important one for the Boston Bruins, who need to replenish a barren prospect pool with limited draft picks over the next couple of years. The Bruins selected promising center Matthew Poitras in the second round and UMass-Amherst bound center Dans Locmelis in round four after not having a first-round pick. Both players are participating in this week’s development camp.
In the fifth round of that draft, the Bruins chose defenseman Frederic Brunet from Rimouski Oceanic of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Brunet is a 6-foot-3, 190-pound blue liner who was coming off a 12-goal, 34-assist season in 63 games. Eliteprospects.com had the following scout on Brunet, “He understands how to drag opponents one way to cut back the other way, and he does so with good timing. He’s involved offensively, even going as low as the back wall, and he shoots at the right time at the point when there is traffic”. The Quebec native also is a force on the power play.
On April 10, 2023, Brunet signed an amateur tryout offer with the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League as his season with Victoriaville concluded. The Boston Bruins AHL affiliate had Brunet available for the one regular season game where he collected two assists, and the 19-year-old can either play with Providence in 2023-24 or return to the OMJHL as an overager next season. Brunet is an intriguing young player with excellent offensive skills who, by his own admission, will need to work on his defensive game.
Brunet has returned to Warrior Ice Arena this summer for his second development camp and continues to impress with his high-level skating and accurate shot. His offensive tools are eye-opening, and if his defensive game improves, the Bruins would love to see Brunet join the Providence Bruins for a full season. The later rounds of the NHL Draft can be hit or miss, but it seems the Bruins and General Manager Don Sweeney have done well with their selections in 2022. Hopefully, Brunet continues his development and finds a roster spot on the Boston Bruins in 2024-25.
