Boston Bruins Development Camp: Day 4 Recap, Thoughts and Reactions

After a morning spent taking batting practice at Fenway Park, the Boston Bruins prospects returned to Warrior Ice Arena for Day 4 of development camp. The afternoon sessions were split up between forwards and defensemen, each group getting a little over an hour on the ice with Adam McQuaid and the Bruins development staff. Here’s where we stand after Day 4:

Standouts

• Andre Gasseau: The BC Eagle forward spent the entirety of the day ringing shots off the post, and I mean that in the best way possible. Whether it’s coming off of a power turn, flat-footed, or in-stride, Gasseau has a quick release with a lot of power and excellent accuracy. his 6’4″ frame allows him to extend his arms out and protect the puck, giving him extra space to let off his wicked wrister. He’s a big skater but when he gets moving, he’s difficult to slow down.
• Frederic Brunet: This kid is a straight-up smooth skater. If you weren’t watching him skate with defensemen you’d think he’s a skilled winger with how quick and agile he is. The other thing about Brunet is his shot from the point. He’s always shooting with a purpose when parked at the blue line, but when he gets the chance to jump into transition he’s not afraid to pick a corner and wire his shot home. He moves well both with and without the puck because he has such a high hockey IQ. His anticipation and offensive awareness are off the charts.
• Fabian Lysell: Boston’s most well-known prospect returned to the ice for the second day in a row without the red (merlot) non-contact jersey. At full speed, it’s easy to understand why Lysell is Boston’s highest-rated prospect. The kid can flat-out fly and has the hands/skill to complement that. Like Gasseau, Lysell was picking corners and labeling posts, which is impressive considering how fast he’s moving. He’s a defender’s worst nightmare in open ice and his skating is already at a legitimate NHL level.

Notes

• Jake Schmaltz has had a relatively quiet camp but got some love from coaches yesterday. In the puck retrieval/takeaway drills he showed an active stick with an ability to pick pucks clean out of crowded areas.
• Mason Lohrei is once again the draw at this camp. The fluidity with which he moves pucks through his legs, around defenders and from one side to the other reminds me of something you’d see on Tik Tok
• Jellvik had another really good day. He’s so agile and quick on his feet. He’s been criticized for not shooting enough but as you can see below, he can rip it when he gets the chance

• Riley Duran showed off a lot of solid fundamentals today. He was great on the boards, used his size well and even took some face-offs at the end of his session
• As a whole, this group of defensemen is very promising. Ethan Ritchie (just signed to an ELC) has great speed and great hands for a defenseman.
• Kristian Kostadinski impressed me again today, showing marked improvement in his lateral skating game.
• Poitras is a stud, the guy exudes energy and charisma on the ice and is bound to be a fan favorite.
• Funny moment during board drills when Adam McQuaid bumped Brett Harrison to the ice. Afterwards an audible “Quaider!” could be heard from one of the coaches.