Boston Bruins Eyeing Two Specific Players to Add for Their Rebuild
Photo credit: Edit from NBC Sports
The Bruins are in an unusual spot this season, as they won't make the playoffs and are beginning a rebuild, with two specific players in mind from the NCAA.
With the NCAA hockey season nearing its Frozen Four conclusion in St. Louis (April 10 and 12), the Boston Bruins may be busy signing deals as early as Sunday and Monday.
Two NHL sources and an NCAA source reported that the Bruins are "very much in the mix" for Cornell winger Dalton Bancroft, 24, who completed his junior season. The Bruins had two scouts watch both of Cornell's games in Toledo.
"I know they're trying hard on both those kids," an NHL source told RG on Saturday night. "They've been on Bancroft for a while, and obviously, Walsh is one of their own that they'd like to bring into the fold. I think with [Mike] Schafer retiring, there's a really good chance that the kid decides to move on to the next level."
Many other teams are also in the mix for Bancroft
The Bruins are bidding against the Penguins, Oilers, Jets, and Lightning for Bancroft. The forward scored 15 goals and 11 assists in 34 regular-season games and then scored a goal and had two assists in five ECAC playoff games.
He helped Cornell win the ECAC title and was instrumental in their upset of Michigan State in the Toledo Regional semifinals before having an assist in the overtime loss to BU.
Boston is also reported to be fighting to get Bancroft's teammate, Ryan Walsh. Walsh, a 21-year-old forward, was selected by the Bruins in the sixth round of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft as the 188th overall pick.
The season of Cornell ended on Saturday with a loss to Boston University by a margin of 3-2 via overtime in the Toledo Regional Final. Walsh concluded his sophomore year. He played an integral part in making the team successful.
Walsh is 6-foot-1 and 188 pounds, who is a center and was a relentless force this season for Cornell.
He had 16 goals and 14 assists in 35 regular-season games, adding three goals and two assists in the ECAC playoffs as Cornell captured the conference championship.
With Saturday's loss, veteran Cornell head coach Mike Schafer officially retired after 29 seasons at the helm of the Big Red.
| POLL | ||
MARS 30 | 173 ANSWERS Boston Bruins Eyeing Two Specific Players to Add for Their Rebuild Will the Bruins make the playoffs next season? | ||
| Yes | 41 | 23.7 % |
| No | 132 | 76.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
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