One Boston Bruins prospect who has been turning some heads is forward Dans Locmelis. He just returned last week from the Olympics, where he scored two goals for Latvia against some of the best players in the world.
Since returning to the Providence Bruins in the American Hockey League (AHL), he has not played in a game. On Saturday, Mark Divver of New England Hockey Journal reported that Locmelis told him that he is going to be out the rest of the season as he is scheduled to undergo shoulder surgery. The recovery time frame is six months, and he should be ready for training camp in September.
The 22-year-old has 15 goals and 28 points this season for Providence with a plus/minus of plus-16. Locmelis was a big part of what the P-Bruins are doing this year and will be a huge loss for the rest of the 2025-26 season.
Andrew Peeke sits again
For the first time in a long time, the Bruins are healthy again on defense. They have eight guys again for six spots against the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday. For the second straight game, Andrew Peeke and Jordan Harris were healthy scratches again, like they were against the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 4-2 Black and Gold victory.
“It’s a lot of bodies,” said Sturm. “That makes it a little bit of a challenge, too. I’ll do the best I can to keep them all involved. But it’s not easy.”
It was interesting that Peeke sat again with the trade deadline six days away. His name has come up in trade rumors, and it wouldn't be surprising if he's moved. He is a free agent on July 1 and not likely to be part of the roster beyond this season.
Bruins receive standings help
After losing the Flyers, 3-1, on Saturday afternoon, the Bruins picked up some standings help in the evening. The Columbus Blue Jackets lost in overtime to the New York Islanders, 4-3, while the Washington Capitals, who are two points behind Boston, lost 6-2 at the Montreal Canadiens. Boston has three games in hand on Washington in the standings, which could be big with a pair of head-to-head matchups on the horizon.