The Bruins have spent much of their offseason reworking the roster and even tweaking the organization beyond the NHL lineup, but one name has kept popping up in the background: Frederic Brunet.
General manager Don Sweeney has mentioned the defensive prospect more than once, and that matters because Boston’s blue line is already crowded. Charlie McAvoy, Hampus Lindholm, Nikita Zadorov, Mason Lohrei, newly-acquired William Borgen, Henri Jokiharju, returning Connor Clifton, Jonathan Aspirot and Jordan Harris all give the Bruins plenty of options on defense. That depth leaves Brunet buried heading into camp, even though it also gives Boston some flexibility if it wants to move a defender to address another need up front and clear a path for the 22-year-old.
Brunet has earned the buzz. The 6-foot-2, 199-pound defender has built his rise on work ethic as much as talent, and his production has climbed steadily. He posted two goals and 12 points in 48 games in 2023-24, then jumped to five goals and 25 points in 69 games the next season, before taking another step last year with 12 goals and 36 points in 65 games.
His brief NHL look came in one game with Boston during the 2024-25 season, when he logged 14:23 of ice time. He finished with four shot attempts, two on goal, five blocked shots, one hit and one takeaway, with no turnovers. It was a tidy showing for the then-21-year-old, who began 60% of his limited shifts in the defensive zone.
Newly-named Providence Bruins head coach Trent Whitfield had especially strong words for him.
“Freddy Brunet’s come a long way from year one to now. Last year took huge strides.
He was probably our best defenseman from day one right through the end of the season. He put some offense in his game; he put the work in away from the rink, he came in after every summer faster, stronger, more prepared than he was the year before.
He’s well on his way; now he just needs a little bit of runway in Boston to get his feet wet. He doesn’t have any NHL experience yet, so he’s gonna have to learn that level, but he’s ready to go, mentally, physically, his skillset; he’s an NHL player.
He moves really well around the ice; real excited for Freddy over the next few years and where he’s going.”
That endorsement cuts both ways. Whitfield clearly sees an NHL player in Brunet, but Boston’s current roster makes the route to a full-time job anything but straightforward. Even so, if the Bruins are serious about maximizing their depth and building a pipeline for when openings do appear, Brunet is the kind of player who could force the issue.
He’ll get his chance in training camp and the preseason. What he does with it will tell the story.
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