ESPN released an updated Top 50 NHL Prospects list Wednesday — about a week and a half after the league’s Feb. 25 trade deadline — and the Boston Bruins have a limited presence.
The latest rankings published by Chris Peters look vastly different from ESPN’s preseason rankings, due in large to several players reaching “graduate status” by virtue of playing in at least 26 NHL games this season. Only one Bruins prospect cracked the new list: Jack Studnicka at No. 45.
Studnicka, a second-round pick (53rd overall) of the Bruins in 2017, has spent this season playing for the Oshawa Generals and Niagara IceDogs of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), totaling 32 goals and 39 assists for 71 points in 54 games. He wasn’t ranked on ESPN’s preseason list but has made significant strides, even earning a spot on Team Canada for the IIHF World Junior Championships.
Here’s what Peters wrote about Studnicka, who turned 20 years old a few weeks ago:
Another major riser in the past year, Studnicka has taken his game to another level this season. With excellent speed and puck skills to maximize his skating, he is turning into a greater offensive force.
Studnicka, a center, appeared in five games with the Providence Bruins last season after wrapping things up with the Generals. He scored a goal and added four assists in his first taste of professional hockey.
It’s likely Studnicka will begin next season in Providence, although he could compete for an NHL roster spot in training camp. The Bruins’ farm system isn’t exactly stacked right now, but Studnicka has plenty of potential and could help Boston sooner rather than later.
Coincidentally, as SB Nation’s Stanley Cup of Chowder blog points out, the Bruins drafted Studnicka with the compensatory pick they received from the Edmonton Oilers for signing general manager Peter Chiarelli to a deal while under contract with Boston. Chiarelli was fired by Edmonton in January.
Also, for the record, ESPN’s latest prospect list is topped by 20-year-old defenseman Cale Makar, a University of Massachusetts star drafted fourth overall by the Colorado Avalanche in 2017.
