In this latest edition of Boston Bruins News & Rumors, Trent Frederic has been named the Bruins’ top breakout candidate for the 2023-24 campaign. In other news, Bruins prospect Mason Lohrei is playing well at training camp, and head coach Jim Montgomery is noticing. Lastly, have the Bruins struck gold with another goalie prospect in Brandon Bussi? After his excellent 2022-23 season with the Providence Bruins and 29-save shutout against the New York Rangers on Sunday night (Sep. 24), it is hard not to feel excitement about the New York native’s future. Let’s discuss all of this in today’s Bruins News & Rumors column.
Frederic Named Bruins’ Biggest Breakout Candidate
Heading into the 2023-24 season, the Bruins have a handful of breakout candidates to watch. Some include Morgan Geekie, Jakub Lauko, and Lohrei. However, in a recent article for The Athletic, Fluto Shinzawa argued that Frederic is the team’s biggest breakout candidate for the 2023-24 campaign. Here’s exactly what he had to say on the matter:
The 25-year-old, a 2016 first-rounder, should get his best opportunity yet with Patrice Bergeron, Taylor Hall and David Krejci departed from last season’s lineup. The Bruins will start Frederic on the wing, possibly in a top-six role. He is in the first season of a two-year, $4.6 million extension. The Bruins like the way he shoots and protects pucks. He is under consideration for special-teams play for the first time in his NHL career.
From ‘Each NHL team’s biggest breakout candidate for 2023-24,’ Fluto Shinzawa, The Athletic, 9/23/23
Frederic, 25, took a notable step forward in 2022-23, posting new career highs in goals (17), assists (14), and points (31). It was a strong season for the St. Louis native, but Shinzawa believes that the former first-rounder has more in the tank. It certainly is possible that he will have more chances this campaign due to the Bruins’ several offseason forward departures, but time will tell if he can emerge as a consistent, say, 20-goal scorer and 45-point producer.
The Bruins will be hoping that Frederic can take another step forward in his development, especially with all of the offseason losses that they had this summer.
Lohrei Impressing at Training Camp
Heading into training camp, one of the Bruins who most fans were most excited to watch was Lohrei. It makes sense, as he is the club’s top defenseman prospect, and he should receive consideration for an opening night roster spot because of it. He has also gotten the attention of Montgomery, as the reigning Jack Adams Trophy winner recently told reporters that he has been a “pleasant surprise” at camp.
Lohrei, 22, finished his collegiate career last season with Ohio State University, posting four goals and 32 points in 40 games. He also played in five American Hockey League (AHL) games with the Providence Bruins, recording one assist. Overall, the 2020 second-round pick has been praised by scouts for his offensive production, steady defensive play, and physicality. Let’s see if these elements are enough for him to win a job on the Bruins’ roster for the start of the season. Clearly, he has made a good impression with Montgomery thus far.
Related: 1 Trade Candidate From Each Atlantic Team in 2023-24
Lohrei is set to make his preseason debut against the Buffalo Sabres tonight (Sep. 26). Naturally, he’s a player to watch very closely during the contest.
Future Is Bright for Bussi
The Bruins have had a lot of success with goaltending for quite some time. At this time, they sport the NHL’s top goaltending tandem in Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman. However, after seeing how well Bussi played last season with Providence and his preseason dominance, one has to wonder if he has a long-term future with the Bruins.
Bussi, 25, appeared in 32 games last season with Providence, posting a 22-5-4 record, a .922 save percentage (SV%), and a 2.40 goals-against average (GAA). After an excellent first full professional season like this, he naturally gained plenty of attention from fans.
With Ullmark and Swayman set to be the Bruins’ tandem yet again this season, Bussi will of course start the season in the AHL, barring any sudden injuries, of course. It will be interesting to see how he follows up his strong 2022-23 season with Providence from here. Yet, when looking at how well his preseason start went, one has to feel optimistic about the prospect.
