Don't be shocked if these three Bruins break out next season.
The 2026-27 season is rapidly approaching. The Boston Bruins will be hoping to take another step in the right direction after their successful 2025-26 season.
If the Bruins hope to once again be a playoff team this upcoming campaign, they are going to need some of their players to break out. Players like Fraser Minten, Marat Khusnutdinov, and Jonathan Aspirot were among Boston's top breakout players from last season.
Now, let's look at three more Bruins who could follow in their footsteps and break out in 2026-27.
James Hagens
Let's get the big one out of the way.
James Hagens is easily the Bruins' top breakout candidate for this season. The 2025 seventh-overall pick has a ton of potential and has a real chance of cementing himself as a very important part of Boston's roster next season because of it.
The 19-year-old forward posted one assist in his first two NHL games with Boston last season. He also had four points in six games with the Providence Bruins last season after recording 23 goals and 47 points in 34 games with Boston College before signing his ELC.
Michael DiPietro
After being named the AHL's goalie of the year in back-to-back seasons, Michael DiPietro is finally get his long overdue chance with Boston.
If DiPietro can translate some of his AHL success over to the NHL, he could be a very good backup for the Bruins. In 45 games last season for Providence, he posted a 34-8-1 record, a .930 save percentage, a 1.91 goals-against average, and three shutouts.
Frederic Brunet
Frederic Brunet is the under-the-radar prospect who Bruins fans need to watch closely next season.
The left-shot defenseman has shown a lot of promise in the AHL with the Providence Bruins and has a shot of getting his first real chance with Boston next season. The 23-year-old blueliner appeared in 65 games last season for Providence, posting 12 goals, 36 points, and a plus-18 rating.
