The Boston Bruins have tapped into the collegiate free-agent market. Boston announced they’ve signed forward Dalton Bancroft to a one-year entry-level contract starting in the 2025-26 NHL season and that he’ll finish the remainder of the 2024-25 campaign on an ATO with their AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins.
Bancroft recently finished his junior campaign with the Cornell University Big Red hockey program. The 6’3″, 207 lbs winger finished his collegiate career with 36 goals and 79 points in 103 games, helping Cornell to its most successful three-year run in program history.
Cornell won back-to-back ECAC Hockey Conference championships, first beating St. Lawrence University in 2023-24 and then defeating Clarkson University in 2024-25. In the national tournament, Bancroft helped Cornell reach the Regional Final in three consecutive campaigns, this year usurping the heavily favored Michigan State University in their first game of the tournament.
Fortunately, Bancroft will have more meaningful hockey to play. The AHL’s Providence Bruins have already qualified for a spot in the 2025 Calder Cup playoffs, and Bancfort will be allowed the opportunity to test his NHL readiness down the stretch.
He likely couldn’t have found a better situation for his playstyle, either. It’s difficult to place Bancroft into an archetype as a two-way forward, power forward, etc, because he excels in a unique aspect. He can play physically, move the puck well, play soundly defensively, and chip in for goals when needed. The best way to articulate Bancroft’s value is calling him a jack-of-all-trades, master of none.
Still, he should fit in nicely for AHL Providence down the stretch. The team has one of the best goal differentials in the AHL due to their intelligent playstyle, and Bancroft should benefit from this down the stretch in his first taste of professional hockey.