Bruins Prospect Watch: Beanpot Brilliance, AHL Standouts & Junior League Surges
With the Beanpot heating up and Bruins prospects making waves across multiple leagues, it’s a good time to take stock of how Boston’s pipeline is shaping up. From clutch performances at TD Garden to record-setting nights in Providence, there’s no shortage of encouraging signs for the Black and Gold’s future.
Beanpot: Bruins Prospects Shine Under the Bright Lights
The Beanpot semifinals delivered not just drama, but also a showcase of talent from several Bruins draft picks. Five of the seven Boston prospects involved in Monday’s games found the scoresheet, and a few of them did more than just chip in-they dominated.
James Hagens was the story of the night for Boston College, putting up a three-point performance (2G, 1A) in a 5-1 win over Harvard. The 2025 first-round pick (7th overall) wasted no time, burying back-to-back goals in the first period to help the Eagles build a commanding 3-0 lead.
Hagens continues to be a force for BC, leading the team in points (28), tied for the lead in assists (14), and sitting second in goals (14) across 22 games. His blend of speed, vision, and finishing touch is turning heads-and Monday night was just another example of what he brings to the table.
Dean Letourneau, Boston’s 2024 first-rounder (25th overall), also made his presence felt. The towering forward opened the scoring just three minutes into the game with an assist, then added a goal late in the second period to stretch the lead to 4-1. With 15 goals and 27 points through 24 games, Letourneau leads BC in goals and continues to show why he’s one of the more intriguing power forwards in the college game.
Andre Gasseau, a 2021 seventh-round pick, played the role of setup man to perfection-he assisted on both of Hagens’ goals in the opening period. Now in his junior season, Gasseau has quietly put together a strong campaign with four goals and nine assists in just 11 games. Monday’s performance also marked his 100th career collegiate point-a milestone worth celebrating.
Will Moore, drafted in the second round in 2025, added a helper on a power-play goal in the third period. The freshman forward has been steadily adjusting to the college game, with four goals and six assists through 24 games. Monday’s assist was another sign that he’s finding his rhythm.
On the other side of the bracket, Jonathan Morello helped Boston University punch its ticket to the Beanpot final with a clutch second-period goal in a 3-2 shootout win over Northeastern. The 2024 fifth-round pick now has six goals and six assists through 27 games in his freshman season. Morello’s ability to rise to the moment bodes well for a player still finding his footing at the NCAA level.
The Beanpot championship is set for Monday, February 9 at TD Garden, with Boston College and Boston University squaring off in a must-watch matchup that’ll feature plenty of Bruins prospects under the spotlight.
Providence Bruins: DiPietro Dominates, Tufte Hits Milestone, Merkulov Makes History
Down in the AHL, Michael DiPietro is putting together a season that’s hard to ignore. Named the league’s Goaltender of the Month for January, the 24-year-old hasn’t missed a beat in February.
Over three games last week, DiPietro stopped 79 of 81 shots, including a 36-save performance in a 2-1 win over Bridgeport. He also pitched 40 minutes of shutout relief in a 3-0 win on Sunday.
DiPietro leads the AHL in goals against average (1.65), save percentage (.942), and is tied for the league lead in wins (19). He’s earned a spot in next week’s AHL All-Star Classic-and honestly, he’s earned a longer look from the big club if this keeps up.
Riley Tufte is heating up as well. The veteran forward has four points in his last three games, including a two-goal, one-assist outing in a 3-0 win over Charlotte.
He followed that up with the opening goal in Wednesday’s 2-1 win over Bridgeport-his 200th career AHL point. With 19 goals and 34 points in 35 games, Tufte leads Providence in scoring and continues to be a key driver of their offense.
And then there’s Georgii Merkulov, who just etched his name into the Providence Bruins’ record books. With an assist in Sunday’s win over the Checkers, Merkulov became the franchise’s all-time points leader, passing Andy Hilbert with his 211th career point.
The crafty Russian forward has five points in his last four games and now sits at 14 goals and 19 assists through 40 contests this season. His offensive instincts and ability to create in tight spaces remain elite at the AHL level.
Juniors: Chandler and Simpson Turning Heads
In the QMJHL, Cole Chandler is finding the back of the net with regularity. The 2025 fifth-round pick scored twice in Shawinigan’s 3-1 win over Halifax last Friday, giving him five goals in his last four games.
Through 46 games, Chandler ranks third on the team with 42 points and fourth in goals with 17. The Nova Scotia native is showing a knack for timely scoring and continues to trend upward in his development.
Meanwhile, in the USHL, Cooper Simpson delivered a clutch performance for the Youngstown Phantoms, scoring a goal and adding an assist in a 4-3 win over the Chicago Steel. His third-period goal cut the deficit to one, and he later set up the game-winner.
A 2025 third-round pick, Simpson is tied for second in the league with 56 points and ranks third in goals with 24. His offensive upside is becoming more and more apparent with each passing week.
Final Thoughts
From the Beanpot to the AHL to junior hockey, Bruins prospects are stepping up in big moments and stacking impressive performances. Whether it’s Hagens lighting it up in front of a packed TD Garden, DiPietro shutting the door in Providence, or Simpson climbing the USHL scoring charts, the future in Boston looks bright-and it’s being built one standout night at a time.