Who are the Boston Bruins European prospects?

It is fair to say that the Boston Bruins prospects are a mixed bag. Some look like they will be the future of the franchise, and others will simply slip away from the team into obscurity, destined to be nothing more than an obscure answer on a Super-fan quiz. Often, those who are sent to the European leagues to develop end up falling into the latter category. This may be because the game in Europe is different, but a quick scan of the Bruins’ roster shows 5 players from across the pond, all of who have shown they can handle playing in “The Show”.

So, as B’s fans start looking forward to the draft, let’s take a look at the three Bruins prospects who will be spending the 2024-25 season in the Euros.

Roman Bychkov

The 23 year old Russian has somehow managed to cling on to his place in the Bruins’ system despite the fact he has struggled to get a place in a KHL team. His production has been low, below even the most conservative of expectations for him. This has fed into a cycle of him struggling to get ice time (including numerous games as a healthy scratch), further reducing his output.

Having spent the majority of last season in the VHL, he has managed to land a spot with Spartak Moskva in the KHL. This breaks his long-term relationship with his home team, who he has played for since U16. The change of scenery might give him the opportunity to shine, but I wouldn’t put your house on it.

Jonathan Myrenberg

The 21-year-old Swede was originally drafted by the Canucks in 2021 and is yet to play in North America. He is back with Linköping HC, a team he has been with since U18, and where his brother, Jesper, is a tendy.

At 6’3” and 196lb, he is a solid D-man. Some might think he needs a few more pounds, but given his age he has plenty of time to fill out his frame. While he isn’t a high scorer, his stats show he has the ability to shift the puck around and give opportunities to others to score.

Myrenberg has time on his side, but if he wants to break into the NHL, he needs to demonstrate the skills, and the size, to play the North American game soon, so that he has time to develop in the Minors in the US/Canada.

Kristian Kostadinski

Picked up in the 7th round of the 2023 draft, Kostadinski has been in the Frölunda HC system since U16 and may return to them in 2024/25 for another season. Other options include turning pro in Sweden or coming over to the US for a season in the Minors.

The 6’6”, 220lb D-man is a presence on the ice, you genuinely cannot miss him. Despite that size, he is relatively quick, chasing down breakaways and getting up the ice to contribute to the offense. His scoring isn’t stellar but where he really shines is in the D-zone. Forwards struggle to get away from him and he is constantly in their faces and harrying them, on and off the puck. He has a nasty streak a mile wide, which Bruins fans will love.

It's too early to know where his ceiling is. He is a dominant defenseman in the Swedish U20 league, but you would expect as much from such a behemoth. With options to play in Swedish pro league or North America, we should get a better idea of what he is capable of this year. At 19 years old, he has plenty of time and is a very exciting prospect for B’s fans who like their defensemen big and tough.