Whether or not you agree with the Boston Bruins' cuts before the start of the regular season, one thing you can't deny is that, because of them, Providence will be a great watch this season. It remains to be seen how long it'll take for some of the players to get a recall to the big club, but the front office might want to let the season play out and chase a Calder Cup.
With the abundance of scoring talent that cleared waivers after the final cuts, it was clear that Providence would have a loaded roster for AHL play. All the players were in attendance for Providence's skate on Tuesday morning, and the top six looks like it could be a lot of fun to watch.
Still trying to figure out what's what at Providence Bruins skate, but here's a couple of lines (I think):
— Mark Divver (@MarkDivver) October 7, 2025
Steeves-Poitras-Lysell
Merkulov-Locmelis- Blumel
Alex Steeves and Matej Blumel were unable to land full-time NHL spots, but they were the top two scorers in the AHL last season. There is no reason to believe that it will change this year, with Steeves playing alongside a player with NHL talent in Matthew Poitras and a great AHL player in Fabian Lysell. While there are concerns about some of Poitras' tendencies in the NHL, there's no reason why he shouldn't be a top player at the AHL level.
The same goes for Blumel's linemates, as Georgii Merkulov is a proven AHL talent and Dans Locmelis looked great in his limited action with Providence last season. You can undoubtedly expect a drop-off from his 12 points in six games pace last season, but it's easy to project that the entire top-six could play at a near point-per-game pace.
Not to mention that last year's Goaltender of the Year, Michael Dipietro, was able to clear waivers, and their defense core will be some combination of Victor Soderstrom, Frederic Brunet, Michael Callahan, Jackson Edward, and plenty of other candidates who could earn reps.
While Boston could make fans want to pull their hair out at times this year, Providence's season is shaping up to be must-watch. If it gives the young prospects some winning experience and a chance to build something together, it'll only be good news for the future of the NHL club.