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Boston Bruins: Top 5 prospects to get excited about this season

By Hannah Manning

BOSTON, MA - APRIL 06: Boston Bruins Defenseman Jeremy Lauzon (79) waits for the puck to drop on a face off. During the Boston Bruins game against the Tampa Bay Lightning on April 06, 2019 at TD Garden in Boston, MA. (Photo by Michael Tureski/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 06: Boston Bruins Defenseman Jeremy Lauzon (79) waits for the puck to drop on a face off. During the Boston Bruins game against the Tampa Bay Lightning on April 06, 2019 at TD Garden in Boston, MA. (Photo by Michael Tureski/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 19: Bruins C Jack Studnicka (68) chases the puck after a faceoff in the first period during the game between the Boston Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers on September 19, 2019 at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA. (Photo by Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA – SEPTEMBER 19: Bruins C Jack Studnicka (68) chases the puck after a faceoff in the first period during the game between the Boston Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers on September 19, 2019 at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA. (Photo by Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

4. Jack Studnicka, C

Ex-OHLer and current Providence Bruin Jack Studnicka was the Bruins’ only representative named in ESPN insider Chris Peters’ top-100 list for this season’s NHL prospects (premium content), which is… interesting… but that’s hardly the point of the matter.

Look, friends. The Bruins’ offensive core isn’t getting any younger (though they’re still competitive, obviously, with an average age of 25.8), and histrionics about how much longer over-30 offensive dynamos like Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Krejci can continue to produce at a high level are always looming in the very dark recesses of the neurotic Bruins fan’s mind.

Peters saw Studnicka as “a free-wheeling forward who can do a little bit of everything,” an almost sure bet to spend most of his time in Providence this season but someone with a fair shot at cracking the NHL if he plays his cards right and certain circumstances align.

Not a bad assessment, if you ask me.

I was lucky enough to see Studnicka in person at the Sept. 25 preseason game against the Devils, where he infamously scored a goal with his kisser. It was equal parts horrifying and mesmerizing.

I was struck by his enthusiasm in the way he carried himself. It was obvious that he was putting his all into every last stride, and the fact that he hardly skipped a beat and went back to playing shows us how serious Studnicka is about sticking around.

I won’t pretend that I’m a Studnicka scholar — far from it, really; I’ve mainly only looked him over just these few past weeks. But I really, really like what I’ve seen from him thus far. He may not have that polish yet, but that’s what spending time in the AHL is for.

I left TD Garden full of affection and admiration for Studnicka’s game — the Bruins could get a lot of mileage out of him in the future.

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