Is Fabian Lysell Poised For A Breakout Season?

Few prospects in recent memory have caught as much ire from Boston Bruins fans as Fabian Lysell. Selected with the 21st overall pick of the 2021 NHL Draft, Lysell has failed to carve out a full-time role at the NHL level and hasn’t performed well when given even a small opportunity.

To be fair to the Bruins, it was a smart pick at the time. Lysell was ranked as the 9th-best European skater by NHL Central Scouting after playing with the J20 Nationell’s Frölunda HC J20 and the SHL’s Luleå HF. Lysell had an impressive performance at the 2020-21 U18 World Junior Championships for Team Sweden, tallying three goals and nine points in seven games, which enhanced his prospect rating.

The Göteborg, Sweden native transitioned to North American hockey quickly, joining the WHL’s Vancouver Giants a year later. He excelled, validating Boston’s decision to draft him, scoring 22 goals and 62 points in 53 games, along with another four goals and 21 points in 12 playoff contests. That performance influenced Bruins management to promote him to the AHL beginning in the 2022-23 season.

He didn’t earn any All-Rookie honors, but Lysell put together a quality season, finishing fifth on the AHL’s Providence Bruins in scoring with 14 goals and 37 points in 54 games. Boston may have hoped for more scoring from Lysell, but finishing fifth in scoring on a team that won the Atlantic Division in the regular season is significant. The Bruins got what they were hoping for the following year.

Lysell finished fourth in scoring on the AHL Bruins, with nearly a point-per-game performance, netting 15 goals and accumulating 50 points in 56 games. Unfortunately, Lysell did not make the Bruins roster after training camp due to a disappointing preseason performance and the strong depth on the team at that time.

Outside of debuting in late December during the 2024-25 campaign, Lysell received a much larger opportunity after the mass exodus from Boston’s lineup at the trade deadline. Still, he didn’t make the most of that opportunity.

He finished the season with one goal and three points in 12 games, averaging 13:27 of ice time per game. His possession metrics were subpar with a 42.9% CorsiFor% at even strength, and an on-ice goals% of 35.7%. Granted, 12 games are nowhere near long enough to make an honest judgment of long-term quality at the NHL level, but the Bruins were hoping for more from a recent first-round pick.

Lysell has the tools to be an effective and even good top-six winger in the NHL. He is arguably the best pure skater from the 2021 NHL Draft and possesses good vision on the ice, making him an above-average playmaker. The Bruins added a lot of forwards this offseason, but most are destined for bottom-six roles, even on a retooling Boston team. Assuming he makes the roster out of training camp, although there are no guarantees that will be the case, Lysell has the opportunity to earn a top-six role.

The Bruins would have to remain cautious with Lysell’s deployment, and could even have him start the year at the AHL level. He’s only 22 years old, so there is still time for him to refine his skills before losing any credibility as a prospect. Still, given that Boston is in a retooling stage, they may be safe to give Lysell a top-six role out of the gate to start the 2025-26 season and see if he flourishes.