Bruins Prospect Kristian Kostadinski moves to North America

Last week Swedish Bruins prospect Kristian Kostadinski committed to Boston College for the 2025-26 season, having already declared that he will move across the pond to play for the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints for the 2024-25 season. This is great news for Bruins fans for a couple of reasons.

Firstly, it is a massive step in the development of the young D-Man. So many European prospects disappear back to their home leagues after they are drafted never to be seen again (apart from the annual development camp). Staying at home stymies the development of these players and means that they fall behind the development curve of their North American counterparts and never get to make an impression in the NHL.

As good as the European leagues are, they are nowhere near as competitive as the Show, which is much faster and more physical than the European game. Having exposure to this through the College and Minor Leagues in North America has a massive impact on the development of young players.

Look at all of the Bruins’ European stars and you will see that they moved to North America early on in their careers (Pastrnak was drafted in 2014 and played for Boston and Providence that year, Hampus Lindholm was picked up in 2012 and went straight into the AHL) and never looked back. Those who don’t jump across the pond quickly tend to never make it and fizzle out in their home leagues (Matias Mäntykivi for example, though I’m still holding out for a comeback!).

Kristian Kostadinski coming to North America will pay dividends

Getting Kostadinski into a North American team will pay dividends in the medium to long term. While there is no doubt the 6’6” behemoth would continue to dominate in the European U20 leagues (and probably the senior leagues too), bringing him to the USHL will allow him to learn how to apply his physicality to the North American game and will force him to play at a much higher tempo than he would have to play back home.  

Secondly, being in Boston for 2025-26 will make him far more connected to the team. Not only will this foster team spirit, but it will give him far more exposure to the Bruins’ system and give the staff on the team more exposure to him. Again, this is going to greatly benefit his development as not just a hockey player, but as a Boston Bruin as well.

Finally, it will give B’s fans far more opportunities to see one of their potential future stars. I am guessing that most Boston fans don’t have much time in the middle of the afternoon to watch the Swedish junior leagues, so having him play at the local college will give him a lot more visibility to fans. And he is a player that Bruins fans will want to watch, as I wrote, he is a beast who has an incredible on-ice presence and who isn’t afraid to show off his nasty side. If you are a Bruins and a BC fan you are going to enjoy 2025.