2023-24 Providence Bruins

cshea

cshea

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Thought we could use a thread dedicated to the Baby B's this season. For the first time in recent memory they have a few prospects playing that could find their way to Boston sooner rather than later.

The season starts tonight against Bridgeport.

Mark Divver is the best follow for Baby B's news. He has the forward lines as:

McLaughlin - Lettieri - Lysell
Toporowski - Beecher - Steen
Wagner - Koppanen - Brazeau
Merkulov - Asselin - Hall

There's a bunch of guys on defense. Mike Callahan, Victor Berglund, Jack Ahcan, Nick Wolff are the top 4 in some order. Ahcan is probably the first injury call up for Boston.

View: https://twitter.com/MarkDivver/status/1580604469032542213?s=20&t=CAVFQPBLxtNk4ne7D4E9Pw


The players to watch are McLaughlin, Lysell, Beecher and Merkulov. McLaughlin was very close to making the NHL roster out of camp and was a surprise cut. Lysell is arguably the teams top prospect. He's making his pro debut tonight and is their most dynamic F prospect since Pastrnak. An injury limited him towards the end of the NHL camp. Beecher was a first round pick and is embarking on his first full pro season. He has the size and skating to be an NHL player it's just a matter of how much offense will be there. Merkulov was a suprise UDFA signing last year. He flashed in limited time after joining Providence. He's more of a long term project in terms of reaching the NHL but he flashed a lot of skill.

Toporowski isn't technically a prospect but might be someone to watch. He's on an AHL deal so he's not Boston property but stood out during the prospects challenge and development canp. Could parlay an AHL only deal into an ELC with the Bruins, similar to the path taken by Connor Clifton and Samuel Asselin.
 
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Granite Sox

Granite Sox

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@cshea, are line constructions in Providence the same as Boston? Seeing Merkulov on the fourth line is amusing. His defensive shortcomings are well-known, but burying him on that line seems to indicate they aren’t at all interested in seeing him use his greatest asset (offensive flair). Seems more like “eat your vegetables “ punishment. :D
 
Foxy42

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I was at the game last night and there was a P goal in the 2nd that was called no goal, and we were shocked in my area. They went to replay and confirmed it despite the jumbotron replay showing a clear goal. Any way to get a replay?
 
cshea

cshea

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Lysell popped in 2 assists on Friday. 1-5=6 in his first 3 pro games. He didn’t play last night which is probably be because it’s a 3-in-3 weekend. Hopefully he is back in this afternoon.
 
BostonFanInCanesLand

BostonFanInCanesLand

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Yeah, he’s fast, has good vision and is more than just a shooter. Hopefully he gets stronger this year so he can handle the punishment at the NHL level. One thing that strikes me about Pasta this year is that he hardly ever gets wiped out anymore. Some of that is skill, some experience, some willpower, but he’s just stronger now and can withstand the physical pressure.

This kid will be fun to watch in the big show.
 
NYCSox

NYCSox

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Funny you just posted that. I was at yesterday's game in Bridgeport and he was pretty much invisible most of the game. The Isles team defended well but he simply didn't make any plays.

Beecher looked good. He's legit big and fast. Trucked one of the Isles players and got a deserved minor. Also snapped a rocket wrister that caught iron.
 
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cshea

cshea

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Lysell is likely headed to the WJC's in a few weeks.

View: https://twitter.com/MarkDivver/status/1599845763047075841?s=20&t=r34OWnXP6Hc8UgmJtKZABQ


Providence has been cruising this season, 14-3-3-2.

Lysell 17 games 5-9=14
Merkulov 19 games 5-9=14
Steen 22 games 4-8=12
Beecher 21 games 3-4=7
McLaughlin 22 games 2-5=7
Lauko 11 games 3-1=4
Bussi 9 games .932
Keyser 6 games .931

Another notable is Luke Toporowski. He has 9 goals and 8 assists for 17 points in 21 games, 2nd on the team in scoring behind veteran Vinni Lettieri. IIRC Toporowski played pretty well during the rookie camp and tournament early in the fall. He is not a Bruin prspect, he's only on an AHL deal so I didn't include him above but he could be signed at any time. He is 21 years old, undrafted out of the WHL. It's rare, but Connor Clifton is a success story who took this route. He's not really on the radar for the NHL team but Sam Asselin also turned an AHL deal into an NHL contract.

One problem is the Boston Bruins are at 48 contracts with Miller still on the books so a 49th contract would put them up against it heading into trading and NCAA signing season.
 
The B’s Knees

The B’s Knees

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cshea said:
Another notable is Luke Toporowski. He has 9 goals and 8 assists for 17 points in 21 games, 2nd on the team in scoring behind veteran Vinni Lettieri. IIRC Toporowski played pretty well during the rookie camp and tournament early in the fall. He is not a Bruin prspect, he's only on an AHL deal so I didn't include him above but he could be signed at any time. He is 21 years old, undrafted out of the WHL. It's rare, but Connor Clifton is a success story who took this route. He's not really on the radar for the NHL team but Sam Asselin also turned an AHL deal into an NHL contract.
Click to expand...
Some interesting stat lines for Luke’s dad Kerry who played in the WHL, AHL, ECHL and UHL among other leagues…

1990-91 Spokane (WHL) 65GP, 11G, 16A, 505PIM
1997-98 Portland (AHL) 3GP, OG, OA, 53PIM
2000-01 Quad City (UHL) 63GP, 2G, 15A, 413PIM

https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/85474/kerry-toporowski

And he was drafted by San Jose in the 4th round of ‘91. How times have changed!
 
cshea

cshea

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Jeez, that's ugly. Hope he is OK.

Updated the rest of the prospects in that thread, here's where the kids in Providence stand. Keeping this to skaters under 23.

Georgii Merkulov: 51 games 18-24=42
Fabian Lysell: 39 games 11-18=29
Marc McLaughlin: 52 games 11-12=23
John Beecher: 44 games 6-11=17
Jakob Lauko: 34 games 10-6=16
Mike Callahan: 41 games 1-4=5
Brandon Bussi .925 in 25 games
Kyle Keyser: .918 in 15 games

Definitely enoucaging starts for Merkulov and Lysell. The two goalies are also having promising years and really factored into them trading Kinkaid. Bussi was supposed to spend the year in the ECHL but injuries gave him an opportunity in Providence and he has basically become one of the best goalies in the AHL, with the 2nd highest save percentage.
 
cshea

cshea

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Bump and updated title to this year. Will try to do a better job of updating.

The Baby B's kick off their season tonight. Lineup appears to be:

Richard - Merkulov - Brazeau
Boqvist - Megna - Steen
Kuntar - McLaughlin - Lysell
Toporowski - Farinacci - Harrison

Wotherspoon - Regula
Callahan - Walsh
Lohrei - Zboril

Bussi
Keyser

The interesting playyers to watch:

Merkulov and Lysell - 2nd full season and pro's. Underwhelming NHL camp for both, would hope they start to push for a job sooner rather than later.

Farinacci- Don't know a ton about him but basically a free prospect. He was Arizona's 3rd round pick in 2019 and went the UFA route to land here. Played at Harvard,

Harrison - 3rd round pick from 2021, starting his pro career.

Kuntar- Thought he had a pretty good camp to start off his pro career. The Bruins kept him around pretty late, he was among the final cuts. Not sure his ceiling is all that high but curious to see his development. Playing with an offensive talent in Lysell.

Lohrei- Duh. Will probably see the NHL this year. Like that he is paired with Zboril, the player with the most NHL experience down there.
 
wiffleballhero

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TSC said:
First game for Lysell without Merkulov and he goes 2g 1a 3pts in a 5-2 win.

Big response from him.

View: https://twitter.com/ivanivanlvan/status/1740894472664482303?s=46


View: https://twitter.com/ivanivanlvan/status/1740911535143489859?s=46


View: https://twitter.com/ahlbruins/status/1740921936924778793?s=46
Click to expand...

He was looking to impress me.

So, he clearly passed my eye test. Like, wow!

That first goal was just such quick hands, and the assist on the second goal, which happened right in front of where I was sitting, was such a great, great read of the play. What gets sort of lost in the way the camera cuts in the video is that he really found that back side pass with eyes seemingly in the side of his helmet. It was good!

He did get goaded into a stupid slashing penalty -- goonish dude face-washed him behind the play and Lysell just started slashing him. They always see the retaliation!

Bruins first line was a little more than Utica could handle.
 
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