Bruins Prospects: New Signings Add New Blood To Drained System

There haven’t been a lot of good things happening with the Boston Bruins lately.

The team has lost 10 games in a row and hasn’t earned a single point in the standings in seven straight games, sinking them to dead last in the Eastern Conference.

The good news, though, is that with each loss, Boston has strengthened its chances of landing a high pick in the upcoming NHL Entry Draft. Whether it’s Matthew Schaefer, Michael Misa, or James Hagens, whoever the Bruins choose will be a major piece in helping the organization replenish its shallow prospect pool.

But while the draft remains over two months away, the Bruins aren’t procrastinating until then to add young assets.

Earlier this week, Boston signed college free-agent forward Dalton Bancroft to a one-year entry-level contract worth $950,000.

The Bruins have signed free-agent forward Dalton Bancroft out of Cornell to a one-year entry-level contract with a $950K. He will report to AHL Providence.

— Andrew Fantucchio (@A_Fantucchio) April 3, 2025

Bancroft, 24, has spent the last three seasons playing at Cornell. The 6-foot-3, 207-pound forward appeared in 36 games for the Bears this past season, ranking second on the team in scoring  15 goals and 12 assists for 27 points.

Boston was among several teams hoping to sign Bancroft, with the likes of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Edmonton Oilers also among those interested in the physical forward.

Bancfroft will report to AHL Providence on an ATO for the remainder of the season, where he will join another prospect the Bruins newly signed out of college.

After two seasons at UMass, Dans Locmelis will begin his professional career in the Bruins organization after agreeing to a three-year entry-level contract that will pay him $860,000 a year.

Boston selected the forward with the 119th pick in the fourth round of the 2022 draft. He appeared in 70 career games for the Minutemen and had 30 points with eight goals in 30 games this past season.

The 21-year-old also has experience on the international stage, playing for Latvia in the World Junior Championships in each of the last three years, and will play for his homeland in the 2026 Olympics.

Zellers Discusses Trade From Avalanche:

The Bruins acquired Will Zellers in the trade that sent Charlie Coyle to the Colorado Avalanche.

The forward was drafted by Colorado in the third round of the 2024 draft and was just as surprised to find out about the trade as everyone else.

“It was unreal,” Zellers told Kelly Hallinan of NBC26 in Wisconsin. “I haven’t been traded in my life before, and to have it happen so early in my career. I’ll forever be grateful for Colorado for selecting me and making that dream come true, but it’s also a business, too. I understand their side of it. They want to win now, and that’s totally understandable, but it’s also great to get picked up by a team that wants you this early in your career. For Boston to trade for me, it’s pretty special.”

Will Zellers leads the @USHL in goals and just set a @GamblersHockey franchise record for most goals in a single season.

Last month, the @UNDmhockey commit was part of a major trade between the @Avalanche and @NHLBruins.

I spoke with Zellers about how he found out and his… pic.twitter.com/wrlWsSYoej

— Kelly Hallinan (@kellyhals) April 2, 2025

Zellers is only 19 years old but has already shown real promise as he currently has 44 goals in 48 games for the Green Bay Gamblers and leads the USHL in scoring.

Bruins Prospects Conclude Season at BC:

Three Bruins prospects saw their seasons come to an end at Boston College as the Eagles lost to the University of Dever in the regional stage of the NCAA tournament.

Andre Gasseau finished tied for fourth on the team in scoring, totaling 30 points with 15 goals, while Oskar Jellvik had 13 points with nine goals.

However, it was an underwhelming season for Dean Letourneau. The Bruins’ first-round pick in 2024 recorded just three points in his freshman season at BC and failed to score a single goal.

Providence Bruins:

The Providence Bruins will play three games this weekend as they continue to prepare for the Calder Cup Playoffs.

Providence will host the Charlotte Checkers Friday night at Amica Mutual Pavillon at 7 p.m. They’ll then travel to visit the Utica Comets on Saturday, only to return home Sunday afternoon to face Charlotte.

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