Ranking Bruins’ top 10 prospects: Who stands out in Boston’s growing pipeline?

The Bruins’ once-barren prospect pool is getting deeper and deeper.

As they continue to retool their roster, they have started to reap the rewards of both a March 2025 teardown, and a restocked cupboard of draft capital.

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If the Bruins plan to take another step forward with their core of David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy, and Jeremy Swayman, odds are they will need to supplement with their intriguing young talent — many of whom could start carving out key NHL roles as soon as next season.

As such, here’s a look at the Bruins’ top 10 prospects who’ve yet to log at least 15 games in the NHL.

The Bruins will need to wait a few years for their top 2026 draft pick, 17-year-old netminder Yuri Ivanov, to marinate before seeing if he has the makings of a legitimate NHL talent.

That timeline may not be quite as long for the 5-foot-10-inch Bartholdsson, who could have gone a lot earlier than the third round (No. 88) had he been just a few inches taller.

Despite his smaller stature, Bartholdsson was a menace (23 goals, 19 assists in 32 games) in Sweden’s U-20 league with Rogle BK last year. Only No. 12 pick Alexander Command generated more points than Bartholdsson as an under-18 skater in the U20 Nationell.

There will be some concerns about how he can handle physicality at the higher levels, but Bartholdsson boasts a lethal shot and a willingness to drive into Grade-A ice — with the young Swede modeling his game after undersized scoring winger Viktor Arvidsson.

For all the talk of the Bruins cornering the market on Hockey East talent, the collegiate club Bruins fans might want to keep tabs on next year is a stacked Quinnipiac squad in the ECAC.

Leading the charge for the 2026-27 Bobcats is a pair of Bruins prospects, including Pelosi — a productive, two-way forward. Drafted 92nd (third round) in 2023, Pelosi followed up a strong end to his freshman campaign (19 points in 23 games) with an 18-goal, 34-point performance in 2025-26.

Pelosi generates chances by hounding pucks, forcing turnovers, and cashing in on miscues, while he’s also developed into a reliable special-teams option for Bobcats coach Rand Pecknold. He could be a dependable bottom-six forward in the pro game.

Much like his Bobcats teammate, Groenewold is a no-frills prospect who boasts a pretty high floor thanks to his profile as a hard-nosed defender.

The Vermont native took another major step forward as a sophomore last season, with the 2024 fourth-round pick (No. 110) earning ECAC Best Defensive Defenseman and All-Conference First Team honors.

The 20-year-old led the NCAA with a plus-39 rating, while also chipping in seven goals and 20 points in 40 games. Groenewold could make a push for pro reps in short order as a dependable, left-shot option on the blue line.

The pipeline isn’t exactly stacked with high-impact blue liners, but a mobile D-man like Brunet could make a push for the NHL this fall.

“I think he’s put himself on our radar now to really push for an NHL opportunity,” general manager Don Sweeney said of Brunet in June. “He’s had the one game, but you see his game continue to grow. He’s rounded out defensively. He values that part of the game, whereas before when we first got him, it was go, go, go. I’m a transporter. But now we like the aggressiveness of the offensive blue line.”

Brunet, a 2022 fifth-round pick, has been knocking on the door for a while in Providence, scoring 17 goals and 61 points over the last two seasons (134 games).

A playmaking defenseman with good size at 6-foot-3, Brunet may not necessarily project to be a power-play QB, but could chip in 25-30 points and be a strong transition player who moves pucks out of danger with crisp first passes. If he has a strong training camp and preseason, Brunet could be an appealing candidate to pair with McAvoy.

Another Swiss Army Knife who has been productive at just about every stop of his young career, and could be in line for some NHL reps.

Be it at UMass (33 points in 40 games in 2024-25), on the international stage for Latvia (two goals in four Olympic games), or with the P-Bruins, Locmelis has drawn plenty of high marks for his refined 200-foot profile and ability to chip in on the scoresheet.

Had it not been for a season-ending injury, Locmelis would have been one of the top scorers in Providence last winter; he had 28 points in 43 games. He might be more of a “master of none” in that his speed, size, and shot aren’t exactly elite — but he finds a way to impact most of his shifts with a cerebral skillset.

Like Pelosi, he could develop into a trusty third-line forward.

Don’t be surprised to see Simpson much higher on this ranking next year, given the 2025 third-round pick’s established track record of shredding opposing defenses.

After dominating at Shakopee (Minn.) High with 49 goals and 83 points in 31 games, it’s been so far, so good from the 19-year-old forward in the USHL. He ranked second with 34 goals and posted 74 points over 61 games with Youngstown in 2025-26.

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Armed with a blistering shot, Simpson can score from just about anywhere in the offensive zone, and also has the hands and anticipation to both capitalize on rush chances and find soft spots in coverage to pepper the net.

If Simpson — who will join fellow Bruins prospect Will Zellers on a stacked North Dakota squad — continues to produce as a freshman in the NCHC, look out.

Sweeney didn’t mince words earlier this month when asked about the reasoning behind trading veteran netminder Joonas Korpisalo.

“We just feel that Michael has earned this opportunity,,” he said.

While he’s only made four appearances in the NHL, the 27-year-old netminder — originally acquired from the Canucks as part of an October 2022 trade involving Jack Studnicka — was the AHL’s top goalie in each of his past two seasons with Providence.

Beyond that accolade, DiPietro was named AHL MVP for the 2025-26 campaign, leading the league in wins (34), GAA (1.91), and save percentage (.930).

He’s a bit of a late bloomer, but it’s hard to argue against the results.

Similar to Simpson, Zellers is a shot-first, scoring winger who has legitimate 25-goal upside.

One of the top prizes plucked by the Bruins as part of their fire sale, the 2024 third-round pick of Colorado has seen his stock soar since arriving in Boston.

The Minnesota native earned USHL Player of the Year honors after notching 44 goals and 71 points across 52 games in 2024-25. He didn’t slow down after making the jump to North Dakota, tallying 18 goals and 34 points over 38 games as a college freshman.

He also saw his stock soar at the World Juniors this past winter — going from a spare forward into arguably Team USA’s most impactful winger with five goals and 8 points over five games.

He’s not the most imposing figure at 5-10, but Zellers — who said he models his game after a fellow undersized scoring winger in Jake Guentzel — blends his heavy shot with a high motor and a creative approach in the offensive zone. He could carve out a middle-six role in the next few years.

What a difference a year makes.

The 6-7 forward was always going to be a long-term investment, selected in the first round in 2024 coming off a dominant year at the prep level — 127 points in 56 games at St. Andrew’s College.

His upward trajectory took a major hit after he accelerated a year ahead, then went goal-less (with three assists) in 36 games as a Boston College freshman in 2024-25. But for all the fears over Letourneau being a complete whiff, the 20-year-old center rebounded in a major way as a sophomore, posting 22 goals and 39 points in 36 games.

Letourneau’s silky mitts and sharp wrist shot might have helped him stuff the stat sheet at the prep level, but the BC product’s willingness to use his imposing frame and reach to win puck battles, wreak havoc, and truck his way into Grade-A ice has made him a matchup nightmare in Hockey East.

There’s a valid case to be made that Letourneau has the highest upside among Bruins prospects. There are a lot of skilled forwards in the collegiate ranks, but there aren’t many who are are 6-7 and 235 pounds.

If the Bruins do take another step forward in 2026-27, Hagens carving out a regular role should factor into those fortunes.

The seventh pick in the 2025 draft earned a cup of coffee with the Bruins after another strong season at Boston College (23 goals, 47 points in 34 games as a sophomore).

Even if the playmaking forward didn’t necessarily pop over his very limited reps — one assist in five games, including three playoff appearances — the skill and upside are evident with the potential top-six fixture.

While he might start out on the wing, Hagens is at his best at center — with his elite edge work and pass-first approach making him the type of player who will consistently generate chances.

Even with some expected growing pains as a rookie, Hagens is a tantalizing talent who will play a key role.

Honorable mentions: F Will Moore, D Vashek Blanar, F Matvei Kotkov, G Max Lundgren, D Liam Pettersson, G Yuri Ivanov, F Ryan Walsh.

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