The Boston Bruins are likely to promote one or two of their top prospects to the NHL given the current make-up of their roster. Which ones are most likely to earn the spot?
Just about two weeks after free agency opened, the Boston Bruins’ roster is more or less set. The biggest priority remains re-signing Jeremy Swayman to a new contract, but other than that, there likely won’t be any more players signing in Boston this offseason, with the possible exception of a low-cost veteran on a two-way contract or Professional Tryout Agreement (PTO).
Besides that, the players currently under contract will be the ones competing for a roster spot in October, and given the way things are laid out, it’s possible a younger prospect without much NHL experience will have the opportunity to take the leap up. At least, Bruins general manager Don Sweeney said as much.
“I would say that [Georgii Merkulov] and [Fabian Lysell] or Riley Duran keep going down the list: Just pin your ears back, train your ass off this summer, and come with the intent that there'll be an opportunity here,” Sweeney said on July 1. “If you're the best player, then we find a way to get you in the lineup. You have to sustain it as you're going along.”
Clearly, there are a few players that Sweeney mentioned by name that are on the Bruins’ radar for a chance to win a roster spot going into next season. First, we looked at Merkulov and Lysell, and today we'll evaluate Duran.
Riley Duran, Forward
Age: 22
Draft Position: 2020 6th Round, 182nd overall
2023-24 stats:
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Of the three Sweeney mentioned by name at the beginning of the month, Duran has the longest odds of making the team. The 22-year-old forward only turned professional at the end of last season after spending three years at Providence College.
Duran only got his feet wet in the AHL ranks, with four points in 11 games plus four scoreless showings in the Calder Cup Playoffs, but Providence Bruins coach Ryan Mougenel believed Duran adjusted better than most do going from NCAA to the AHL.
“I think he was a lot better than what I was expecting,” Mougenel said. “Not saying that I had him at a different standard, but we were really surprised at how well his game had grown, and how confident he was in the American League.”
That confidence will go a long way as he tries to move up the ranks. Given his lower ceiling compared to Lysell and others, Duran is likely to hit said ceiling earlier, thus giving him a better opportunity to win a bottom-six role compared to another prospect’s likelihood to earn a spot in the top or middle six.
That said, the Bruins will have a competitive battle for bottom-six positions, with a healthy mix of returning players and new acquisitions that are all older and more experienced than Duran. So why would he be in the mix? Well, his hands, speed and ability to separate from defenders are some key traits Mougenel mentioned about Duran’s game, and Duran himself said he’s working on improving his shot and strength during Bruins development camp earlier in July.
Again, his odds to make the roster out of training camp are slim, but when it comes to midseason call-ups, Duran is firmly in the mix, and could make a bigger case for himself in his first full season.
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