The Bruins are missing one key prospect from development camp
A week of on-ice work at Warrior Ice Arena for the Bruins’ prospects will come and go without its most promising one, as 2021 first-round pick Fabian Lysell stuck out as the most noticeable name missing from the roster.
There’s no injury at play. Nor is it related to any potential off-ice issues. It’s the Bruins simply managing the miles on Lysell ahead of a pivotal 2022-23 campaign that could see him remain in Vancouver with the WHL Giants or make the jump to the pro game, and with a rescheduled 2022 World Junior Championship tournament placed in the middle of the summer much to the chagrin of organizations and scouts alike.
It’s sort of the ultimate ‘it is what it is’ after COVID-19 issues interrupted and eventually postponed the tourney last winter. Especially when talking about a tournament as beloved as the World Junior Championship.
But it hasn’t come without some disappointment for those involved, as noted by B’s player development director Jamie Langenbrunner.
“You know, [Lysell] was disappointed, quite honestly,” Langenbrunner said. “He wanted to be here. It’s an opportunity for him to meet everybody and be around. But after talking through with him, it just makes more sense [to skip development camp]. For him to bounce back and forth, it would mess up his summer way too much.
“Disappointing, but we’re dealing and kind of just going with the flow with a lot of these things. It’s kind of the way it goes.”
And though they won’t get a look at Lysell this week, the Bruins couldn’t be happier with the Swedish wing after a strong season as a WHL rookie, with 22 goals and 62 points in 53 games and another 21 points in 12 postseason contests.
“We’re very happy with the way he progressed as the year went on,” Langenbrunner said of Lysell’s 2021-22 season. “Definitely an adjustment the first half of the year, mostly off ice to [with] living on his own, being away from home, a new culture and all that. But he grew and grew, and then his playoff run and you know [in] the most important time of the year, he was playing his best hockey and really put that team on his back. He’s a great kid. He’s gonna be a good player.”
The plan for Lysell is to compete in the World Juniors tourney in Alberta and report to Boston in late August, where he’ll get settled into his potential new home ahead of rookie camp and training camp.
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Ty Anderson is a writer and columnist for 985TheSportsHub.com. He has been covering the Bruins since 2010, and has been a member of the Boston chapter of the PHWA since 2013. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Yell at him on Twitter: @_TyAnderson.
