Bruins Prospect Rankings Show Real Jump From 2024-25
Evaluators now see promise where there was once doubt
The Boston Bruins’ prospect pool gaining increased respect.
After ranking last in The Athletic’s organizational pipeline two years in a row, Boston has climbed to No. 20, a sign of meaningful progress.
The leap owes much to recent draft success, highlighted by the arrival of James Hagens, the seventh overall pick this summer. Hagens already looks like a future driver down the middle, blending quickness, creativity and elusiveness in a way that has drawn comparisons to some of the league’s most dynamic centers.
Behind Hagens, the group leans on balance more than star power, notes Corey Pronman of The Athletic. Fraser Minten, brought in from Toronto at the deadline, plays a detailed two-way game that Bruins coaches will likely trust, even if his scoring upside is limited.
Dans Locmelis is another center showing a steady climb, with strong performances in the AHL and for Latvia internationally, flashing enough skill to fit in a support role at the next level.
Boston also added William Moore in the second round, a big-bodied forward who shows flashes of creativity but must prove his consistency. Dean Letourneau rounds out the early tier of names. The 6-foot-7 center endured a rough freshman year at Boston College, but evaluators still see raw tools worth developing.
The rankings shift shows what was once a thin systems now has genuine building blocks.
If Hagens delivers on that upside and the supporting cast continues to mature, Boston’s climb in these standings may only be beginning.
This upward step in the rankings is proof of progress, but the real test will come on NHL ice.
