There was some turnover for the Boston Bruins this offseason; however, when it comes to the Providence Bruins in the American Hockey League (AHL), there has been a lot of roster turnover, with some familiar names gone either through free agency or trades.
Boston general manager Don Sweeney shook up the AHL team and will do so through deals and players making the move to the NHL in Boston. Former first-round draft pick Fabian Lysell was traded to the Colorado Avalanche in June. Was it surprising that he was traded? No, but it ended a frustrating tenure for both the player and the organization. If he ends up making an impact and is a regular for the Avs, then it wouldn't be a good look for the Black and Gold. Boston did get back prospect Ivan Ivan in the deal.
Also making their way to Colorado is former Bruins undrafted free-agent signing Georgii Merkulov. Goalie Michael DiPietro is expected to make the jump to the NHL this season after Sweeney traded Jeremy Swayman's backup, Joonas Korpisalo, to the New York Rangers. Also gone is P-Bruins GM Evan Gold, who left the Bruins for a job with the New York Islanders.
Looking to add some AHL depth, the Providence Bruins announced a signing on Tuesday of a former Buffalo Sabres draft pick.
Providence Bruins sign Josh Bloom on a one-year contract
The P-Bruins announced on Tuesday that they inked 23-year-old Josh Bloom to a one-year, two-way contract for the 2026-27 season. A third-round pick of the Sabres in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft and is a depth signing.
Last season, for the Kalamazoo Wings and Fort Wayne Comets in the ECHL, he combined for 18 goals and 19 assists last season. What a bizarre season it was last winter for Bloom. He also played in AHL games for the Bakersfield Condors and Abbotsford Canucks where he had two goals and three points.
So where does the 23-year-old fit for the P-Bruins and new coach Trent Whitfield? Probably someone who will come in and add some energy to the lineup, but being a third-round pick five years ago and bouncing around like he did last year likely means he'll do the same with the Bruins. This is clearly a move being made to hopefully find lightning in a bottle and add depth in the organization, as there are still a lot of questions surrounding what the roster in Boston will actually look like on Sept. 29. There are going to be some players sent down from the big club at the end of next month.
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