Ranking Boston Bruins’ top 5 prospects to watch out for in 2024-25 NHL season ft. Dean Letourneau

By Evan Bell

Modified Jul 17, 2024 15:42 GMT

The Boston Bruins added some depth to their prospect pool this offseason with four additions thanks to the NHL draft. With picks in the first, fourth, fifth and sixth rounds, the Bruins were able to bolster their prospect pool for the season ahead, as well as the years to come.

With new additions and several longtime staples who have continued their development in leagues such as the AHL, OJHL and the NCAA, the Boston Bruins' prospect pool is looking quite deep with skaters and netminders.

While the team has continued to add depth to their developmental program in the form of their prospect pool, after a second-round exit from the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the team is also looking to make a strong playoff run in the upcoming season.

Even if many of the players in the prospect pool likely won't play a big role in the team's Stanley Cup hopes next season, fans should nonetheless keep an eye out for a number of players.

Top 5 Boston Bruins prospects to watch out for during the 2024-25 NHL season

#5: Georgii Merkulov (C/W)

Georgii Merkulov finished last season with the second-most points of any skater in the Boston Bruins' prospect pool. Last season, Merkulov played 67 games for the Providence Bruins, where he finished with 30 goals and 35 assists.

While he did dress for the Boston Bruins for four games, he failed to tally any points. At 23 years old, he may not have the appeal of a budding young prospect, however, his numbers speak for themselves.

#4: Beckett Hendrickson (C)

Drafted as the 124th overall pick of the 2023 draft, Beckett Hendrickson spent last season in the USHL. Through the first 43 games of the season, which he spent time playing for the Sioux Falls Stampede, he logged 43 points in 43 games.

Hendrickson then finished the season with 16 games for the Dubuque Fighting Saints, where he logged 21 points in 16 games. At just 19 years old, it's no wonder that Hendrickson is one to watch.

#3: Philip Svedeback (G)

Drafted in the fourth round of the 2021 NHL draft, Philip Svedeback finished last season with a 90.0% save percentage in back-to-back seasons while playing NCAA hockey with Providence College.

With the Bruins trading away Linus Ullmark to the Ottawa Senators this offseason, Svedeback, as the youngest member of the Bruins' goalie prospects, could be called up this season to test his netminding skills as a pro.

#2: Jonathan Morello (C)

At just 17 years old, there are plenty of reasons for Bruins fans to be optimistic about Morello's future with the team. Last year, Morello logged a career-high 57 points over 50 games with St. Michael's Buzzers in the OJHL, while led to a fifth-round selection by the Boston Bruins in this year's draft.

With plenty of time to develop, Morello could be one of the top prospects to watch for the next several years until he gets called up by the team.

#1: Dean Letourneau

A name that should come as no surprise to Bruins fans, Dean Letourneau was selected with Boston's 25th overall pick in this year's NHL draft.

He instantly became the Bruins' prospect leader in points after being drafted thanks to a dominant season at St. Andrew's College where he finished with 127 points in just 56 games.

At just 18 years old, Letourneau seems poised to take the league by storm when he inevitably gets called up by the Bruins. The question is whether he will be called up for a short stint this season, or whether he will spend a year developing before testing the waters as a pro.