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Fabian Lysell

Is Fabian Lysell Poised For A Breakout Season?

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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.

Ian Mitchell Clears Waivers, Bruins Reassign Six To AHL

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Thursday: Mitchell has cleared waivers, relays Mark Divver of the New England Hockey Journal.  He has been returned to Providence as well.

Wednesday: The Boston Bruins have made a wave of roster moves after playing their final game of the season on Tuesday. Most notably, defenseman Ian Mitchell has been placed on waivers for the purpose of assignment to the minor leagues. If he clears, he’ll join five other Bruins headed to Providence: forwards Fabian Lysell, Fraser Minten, John Farinacci, and Vinni Lettieri; and defenseman Frederic Brunet. All six players have spent time in the minor leagues this season.

Mitchell will be available to all teams in the league, though post-Trade Deadline roster rules would require a claiming team to assign him to their own AHL squad. In returning to the minors, Mitchell will return to the productive 27 points he scored in 46 games with Providence earlier this season. That mark led all Providence defensemen in scoring this season, even despite the rest of the blue-line playing upwards of 20 more games. Mitchell’s two-way impact and stout scoring earned him the role of extra defenseman after Boston traded top-four defender Brandon Carlo to the Toronto Maple Leafs at the deadline.

Mitchell stepped into 15 games with the Bruins this season but only managed one point, two penalty minutes, and a minus-two. His appearances were quiet once again, lining up with the two points and 10 PIMs he recorded in 13 games with Boston last season – though he did manage a stronger plus-six that year. Mitchell has rotated between major and minor rosters for the last five NHL seasons. He has six points in nine career Calder Cup Playoff games, and would be an impactful addition to either Providence’s – or another squad’s – postseason run.

This wave of roster moves also features Boston’s top two prospects in Minten and Lysell. Both forwards rotated into the NHL lineup through the latter half of this season, but struggled to find much scoring. Minten scored just one goal in six appearances with the Bruins. Lysell recorded three points in 12 games, though they were all scored within his last four appearances. Both rookies seemed to become more-and-more comfortable in the NHL lineup as the season went on. Lysell ended the season on an impressive hot-streak that saw him actively seeking out the puck and making long-stretches of plays. Minten seemed to adjust well to a move to Boston, after being acquired in the aforementioned Carlo trade.

Both prospects have been productive in the minors. Lysell has 34 points in 51 AHL games this season – a mark he outscored with 50 points in 56 games last season. Minten has scored 30 points in 36 combined AHL games this season, including seven points in 10 games with Providence. The duo will look to carve out top roles and meaningful impacts as Providence enters the postseason.

They’ll be backed by a wave of veteran depth in Farinacci, Lettieri, and Brunet. All three have found top-end roles in Providence, led by Lettieri, whose 48 points in 46 games this season leads the AHL Bruins in point-per-game scoring. Farinacci is scoring at a career-high pace from behind Lettieri in the lineup, netting 37 points in 57 AHL games – just shy of his 38 points in 71 games last season. Even Brunet has found production from the blue-line, with 24 points in 68 games the second-best on the Providence defense behind Mitchell. All three players carved out their roles in Providence early in the season and will reassume them with this move – Lettieri and Farinacci headed back to the top-six on offense, and Brunet headed for a clear top-four role on the defense.

Bruins Recall Fabian Lysell, Michael Callahan

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The Bruins announced they’ve recalled 2021 first-round pick Fabian Lysell from AHL Providence. Depth defenseman Michael Callahan is joining him on the track up to Boston, both under emergency conditions, Conor Ryan of the Boston Globe reports.

The Bruins weren’t carrying any extra skaters on their roster, so they wouldn’t have had available players to enter the lineup for Thursday’s game against the Golden Knights if injuries struck. It’s clear Boston anticipates there being a couple of questionable players, but it’s unclear who those are. No player departed yesterday’s overtime loss to the Sabres early.

Amid a disappointing season in the minors, Lysell remains the best winger prospect in one of the league’s worst pools, as opined by Scott Wheeler of The Athletic. He’s likely dropped to the No. 3 talent in Boston’s system overall, with Matthew Poitras still splitting time between the NHL and AHL and 2022 second-rounder Fraser Minten posting four points in three games for Providence since they acquired him from the Maple Leafs in the Brandon Carlo deadline trade, though.

Now 22, the 5’11” Lysell has taken a considerable step back in his third season with Providence. His 11-23–34 scoring line through 51 games is a lower rate of production than his rookie AHL season in 2022-23 and a sharp decline from last year’s 50-point breakout in 56 games. It’s not for a lack of offensive support, either. Providence has had multiple forwards show up and show out this year, namely Vinni Lettieri (48 points in 46 GP), Georgii Merkulov (48 points in 52 GP), and Patrick Brown (44 points in 52 GP). That makes Lysell’s regression all the more disappointing.

Nonetheless, he’ll now get another look on the NHL roster after recording a plus-one rating in his debut against the Blue Jackets on Dec. 28. How long his stint in Boston lasts remains to be seen – if his presence isn’t necessary for the B’s to have 12 healthy forwards against Vegas this week, they’ll need to either send him back to Providence or convert his emergency recall into a standard one and burn one of their four post-deadline recalls.

Callahan, 25, returns to the roster after spending most of January and February up with the big club. The 6’2″ lefty had a minus-two rating with four shots and four hits during 11 games over those recalls, the first of his NHL career. He averaged 13:08 per game as he remains in search of his first NHL point.

A standout defensive presence with the P-Bruins, the Massachusetts native has 1-7–8 in 43 appearances in what’s now his fourth season in Providence. He’s set to become a Group VI unrestricted free agent this summer.

Boston Bruins Reassign Fabian Lysell

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Dec 29th: The Bruins organization announced they’ve reassigned Lysell to their AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins. There’s no indication it’s a paper transaction for Lysell but the Bruins don’t play again for a few days. It’s uncommon for a team to make a formal announcement for a paper transaction so Boston will likely fill the open roster spot with someone over the next two days. Lysell skated in 11:32 of last night’s action but failed to find the scoresheet outside of a +1 rating.

Dec 28th: The Boston Bruins have recalled top prospect Fabian Lysell from the minor leagues. It’s the first in-season call-up of his pro career. Lysell has been a top scorer in the AHL since joining the Providence Bruins in 2022-23. He totaled 14 goals and 37 points in 54 games as an AHL rookie, good for fifth on Providence in scoring. Lysell followed that with 50 points in 56 games last year but has slowed down a bit with 17 points in 26 games this year.

Lysell is a high-skill, high-speed winger who’s grown substantially in his ability to play through pro-level physicality. He worked his way into a hardy top-line role for parts of last season and performed well in the role, setting him up for an exciting 2024-25 campaign. Lysell seemed to be taking full advantage of the momentum at training camp but was surprisingly one of the first cuts of camp. He’s since returned to a top-line role in Providence, and even maintained his production through a three-game injury in November, though Boston has still made a habit of opting for other call-ups over their productive top winger.

Now, Lysell will finally get his chance – potentially soon to make his NHL debut after scoring three points in Providence’s 4-1 win over Bridgeport on Friday. If he does, Lysell will become the first Bruins first-round pick to debut with the team since John Beecher – 2019’s 30th-overall pick, who is currently fighting for minutes on the Bruins’ fourth-line.

Lysell recorded three points in Providence’s 4-1 win over Bridgeport on Friday. Now, less than 24 hours later, head coach Joe Sacco has confirmed that Lysell will make his NHL debut, per Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald. Conroy adds that Lysell will take Oliver Wahlstrom’s spot between Trent Frederic and Justin Brazeau. Lysell will become the first Bruins first-round pick to debut since 2019 30th-overall pick John Beecher, who is currently fighting for a role on the team’s fourth line.

Bruins Recall Fabian Lysell

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The Bruins have recalled right-winger Fabian Lysell from AHL Providence, the team announced. It’s not an indication that their top forward prospect will make the opening night roster, rather, it allows them to give him another viewing in exhibition action, likely this weekend’s preseason finale against the Capitals, although he could also suit up tonight in Quebec City against the Kings.

Boston cut Lysell from its training camp roster last weekend, so unless an injury gives him an opening to land a job, he’ll be returned to Providence before rosters are due on Oct. 7. Lysell, 21, has yet to make his NHL debut since the B’s drafted him 21st overall in 2021. He’s impressed in AHL action, though, scoring 29 goals and 58 assists for 87 points in 110 appearances with the P-Bruins over the last two seasons.

While he took a step forward last year with 50 points in 56 games and had a goal in three preseason contests for Boston last month, it wasn’t enough to convince the Bruins he’s ready for NHL minutes. There was an opportunity for him to capture a middle-six wing role, potentially on the second line alongside Charlie Coyle and Brad Marchand, but all indications point toward Morgan Geekie filling that role with PTO camp invite Tyler Johnson trending toward landing a contract.

Lysell should still be near the top of Boston’s list for in-season recalls, so he shouldn’t have to go much longer before making his NHL debut. He’s still got two seasons left or 160 NHL appearances, whichever comes first, before he requires waivers to head to the minors.

Bruins Cut Top Prospect Fabian Lysell From Camp

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The Boston Bruins have announced that star prospect Fabian Lysell has been reassigned to the AHL’s Providence Bruins, as part of 18 training camp cuts made today. A full list of cuts can be viewed here. Lysell was perhaps the single most anticipated player at Boston’s camp this year, looking to finally vindicate his first-round selection in the 2021 NHL Draft. He is one of 11 first-rounders taken that year yet to make his debut, though peers like Fedor Svechkov and Sebastian Cossa could shift that tide in their own training camp battles.

Lysell has been the focal piece of Providence’s offense over the last few seasons, working his way into a top-line role after a turbulent start to his career in North American pros. The Swedish national moved to the AHL in 2022-23, following one season in Sweden’s SHL and one with the WHL’s Vancouver Giants. He came out of the gates on fire, scoring nine points through his first six AHL games, and 19 points in 20 games across the year’s first half. That scoring made him an easy choice for Sweden’s 2022 World Juniors team, but he’d end up without any scoring (and 29 penalty minutes) in seven tournament games. Even worse, he brought the bug back with him – taking a hit to his production with only 18 points across Providence’s final 34 games.

But the flashy forward flung the monkey off his back last season, proudly taking on top-end minutes and scoring consistently. He ended up with 50 points in 56 games, a boost from the 37 points in 54 games he totaled as an AHL rookie. That return to scoring form seemed to give Lysell all of the momentum needed to finally earn an NHL debut this season, but it seems that’s not the early plan in Boston, as they instead opt to keep bruiser presences like Mark Kastelic, Justin Brazeau, and John Beecher. Boston sat perfectly average in terms of penalty minutes last season, with 780 total PIMs tied with the Rangers and Oilers for the league’s median. They, perhaps consequently, were quickly eliminated by the eventual-champion Florida Panthers in last year’s Second Round – and could be looking to spur that precedent with a preference of size over skill in this year’s roster building.

This certainly won’t be the last that Bruins fans hear about Lysell, one of only two first-round picks Boston has made since 2020. A move back to the minors should provide him an instant smash-role, and may even give him a chance to rival the league-leading scoring previously set by the likes of Logan Stankoven and Cole Perfetti. All three are undersized players who punch above their weightclass – and the latter two have each clawed their way up NHL depth charts. Lysell is preparing for that clawing this year, though could be a lucrative trade candidate if Boston continues to struggle to fit him in.

Atlantic Notes: Lysell, Lindholm, Jones, Ullmark

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Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery gave a rare public call-out today to one of the team’s young prospects. Scott McLaughlin of The Skate Pod shared a quote from Montgomery regarding forward Fabian Lysell saying, “he needs to do a little more than he’s done if he wants to make the Bruins“.

Lysell skated in 14:56 of the Bruins’ preseason loss on Sunday to the New York Rangers. The 21-year-old Swede played right wing for Boston on the team’s third line and didn’t find his name on the scoresheet as he failed to even put a shot on goal. The former 21st overall pick of the 2021 NHL Draft is looking to crack the Bruins’ roster this season after totaling 110 regular season games for the organization’s AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins.

He’s been productive in the AHL with 29 goals and 87 points over two years in Providence. The major factor working against Lysell is that Boston is again one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference heading into the 2024-25 NHL season and the top-six of their forward core is largely set in stone. Lysell doesn’t have much flexibility to his game meaning the Bruins don’t have the confidence to plug him into the team’s bottom six.

Other Atlantic notes:

  • A few new members of the Bruins are nursing mild injuries with Ty Anderson of 98.5 The Sports Hub reporting that forwards Elias Lindholm and Max Jones are both day-to-day this week and likely won’t play. Lindholm signed a long-term seven-year $54.25MM contract with Boston this summer and is expected to take over first-line minutes for the team down the middle with Pavel Zacha being moved to the wing. Jones joined the Bruins on a two-year, $2MM pact after being non-tendered by the Anaheim Ducks and is expected to be a physical player Boston can plug into their bottom six.
  • Former Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark is dealing with an ailment but he’s not expected to be out long-term. Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen reports the Ottawa Senators are being cautious with their new netminder but he is “going to be fine”. The Senators are eager for Ullmark to fill a major void on the roster this season as the 2022-23 Vezina Trophy winner posted a .924 SV% in 130 games for Boston from 2021-2024.

Atlantic Notes: Lysell, Marchand, Laine

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The Bruins opened rookie camp today without 2021 first-round pick Fabian Lysell. That’s by design, however, writes Fluto Shinzawa of The Athletic. AHL Providence head coach Ryan Mougenel told Shinzawa that the organization wants Lysell “extremely ready” when veterans report to training camp next Wednesday, signaling Boston’s front office fully intends on Lysell pushing for a spot on the opening night roster.

“He knows how well he can play,” general manager Don Sweeney told Shinzawa. “He knows how much we were proud of the steps he had taken. He had a good camp last year. He’s just still got to continue to work on his complete game. One-on-one skills stuff and some of the stuff he can do to change a game are really good.”

Lysell, 21, is entering his third professional season but has yet to make his NHL debut. He’s been tearing up the farm under Mougenel in Providence, though. He finished fourth on the team in scoring last season with 50 points (15 goals, 35 assists) in 56 games.

The 21st overall pick three years ago remains a high-upside playmaking option for Boston at right-wing – a current position of weakness after Jake DeBrusk left for the Canucks in free agency. He’ll look to push players like Justin Brazeau, Trent Frederic, or Morgan Geekie down the depth chart to start the Bruins’ season opener in a second or third-line role.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

  • Brad Marchand reaffirmed to reporters today that he expects to be ready for the Bruins’ season opener on Oct. 8 in Florida after undergoing a trio of offseason surgeries, per Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald. The captain revealed his injuries to the media early last week, disclosing that he underwent elbow, abdominal, and groin procedures over the past few months.
  • Canadiens AHL head coach Pascal Vincent told “The Sick Podcast” with Tony Marinaro that fresh trade acquisition Patrik Laine, whom he oversaw with the Blue Jackets last season, is the “most talented player he’s ever coached” (X link). It’s undoubtedly a bold assessment to make after Laine played just 18 games last season, Vincent’s only campaign at the helm in Columbus, but it gives a bit of optimism that the Habs have the internal tools to help Laine rediscover his 30-to-45-goal potential after an incredibly trying 2023-24 season for the Finnish winger.

Morning Notes: Lysell, Quinn, Cumiskey

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Michael Derosa of The Hockey News is reporting that one of the Boston Bruins top forward prospects could miss significant time with an injury. 21-year-old Fabian Lysell suffered an apparent upper-body injury on March 23rd after he fell into the boards in a game against the Charlotte Checkers. The 2021 first-round pick has spent the season in the AHL with the Providence Bruins and has heated up recently registering seven assists in his last five games.

Lysell is in his second season of professional hockey and has posted 15 goals and 35 assists in 56 games this year with Providence. The timing of Lysell’s injury is particularly unfortunate as he was making a case for a call-up with his solid numbers this season.

In other morning notes:

  • Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News is reporting that Sabres forward Jack Quinn joined the team this morning to take part in practice as a full participant. Quinn had surgery on January 29th for a lower-body injury and was expected to miss eight weeks. The 22-year-old hasn’t played since January 27th and has five goals and seven assists in 17 games this season for the Sabres. The Cobden, Ontario native was expected to take a big step this season but has dealt with multiple injury issues in what has turned into a lost season for him and the Sabres. Buffalo has 10 games remaining this season and currently sits six points behind the Washington Capitals who for the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Capitals have 12 games left on the schedule. Quinn did not comment on when he will dress for a game, but based on reports from practice it could happen sooner than later.
  • Former Colorado Avalanche defenseman Kyle Cumiskey has reportedly signed a two-year extension with Düsseldorfer EG to continue his career in the DEL. The 37-year-old played 139 career NHL games over parts of six seasons with the Avalanche and Chicago Blackhawks and has spent the last four seasons in Germany. The Abbotsford, British Columbia native last saw action in North America during the 2019-20 season when he was a member of the AHL’s Binghamton Devils.

Sweden Announces 2023 WJC Roster

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After the U.S. and Canada released their preliminary rosters earlier this week, Sweden is the latest to announce a group of young players that will try to win gold later this month. The roster is notably without Detroit Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson, who according to Swedish reporter Uffe Bodin, turned down an invitation to the tournament. Edvinsson, selected sixth overall in 2021, is playing with the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL.

The roster:

F Fabian Wagner (WPG 175th overall, 2022)
F Fabian Lysell (BOS 21st overall, 2021)
F Noah Ostlund (BUF 16th overall, 2022)
F Filip Bystedt (SJS 27th overall, 2022)
F Isak Rosen (BUF 14th overall, 2021)
F Liam Ohgren (MIN 19th overall, 2022)
F Leo Carlsson (2023 draft eligible)
F William Stromgren (CGY 45th overall, 2021)
F Jonathan Lekkerimaki (VAN 15th overall, 2022)
F Milton Oscarson (undrafted)
F Victor Stjernborg (CHI 108th overall, 2021)
F Oskar Pettersson (OTT 72nd overall, 2022)
F Simon Robertsson (STL 71st overall, 2021)

D Elias Pettersson (VAN 80th overall, 2022)
D Hugo Jonasson (undrafted)
D Axel Sandin-Pellikka (2023 draft eligible)
D Victor Sjoholm (undrafted)
D Calle Odelius (NYI 65th overall, 2022)
D Adam Engstrom (MTL 92nd overall, 2022)
D Ludvig Jansson (FLA 125th overall, 2022)
D Jakob Noren (undrafted)

G Ian Blomquist (undrafted)
G Marcus Brannman (undrafted)
G Carl Lindbom (VGK 222nd overall, 2021)

Unlike most years, when the Swedes have a blueline made up of superstar prospects, this year’s group is forward-heavy. Six first-round picks are upfront, with Carlsson expected to be a top pick himself next year. Sweden will kick off their tournament on December 26 with a game against Austria.

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