Bruins, Flyers Swap Minor-League Skaters
The Bruins and Flyers announced a swap of minor-league skaters on deadline morning. Boston brings in forwards Massimo Rizzo and Alexis Gendron, while Philly lands forward Brett Harrison and defender Jackson Edward.
It’s an AHL and ECHL-bound skater each way. The most notable name is probably Harrison, a 22-year-old pivot who went 85th overall to Boston in the 2021 draft. The Ontario native once held a relatively high spot on the Bruins’ prospect ladder due to its overall weakness, but thanks to Boston’s retooling over the past couple of years, he hasn’t gotten an extended AHL opportunity, and his development has remained stagnant.
Largely a bottom-six piece for Providence, Harrison’s offense has varied very little from year-to-year. He put up 14 points in 47 games as a first-year pro in 2023-24 and has 17 points through 46 games this season. He has good size at 6’3″ and 201 lbs and could have a little more offensive upside to move up the lineup in the Flyers’ system in Lehigh Valley, but he’ll need to add some physicality to his game if he ever wants to get an NHL look.
The Flyers land another big body alongside Harrison in Edward, a 6’2″, 201-lb lefty who was a seventh-rounder in 2022. A pure shutdown threat first and foremost, he spent a good bit of time in Providence last season as a rookie, but has been more of a regular with ECHL Maine this year. In 68 pro games between Providence and Maine over the last year-plus, he’s managed two goals and 16 points with a -3 rating and 61 penalty minutes.
The Bruins’ additions are more offensively geared. Rizzo is 24 and was a seventh-round pick back in 2019, but he made some noise in the Flyers’ system, turning pro out of the University of Denver in 2024. He had 44 points in 30 games as a senior, his second straight point-per-game season, and the expectation was he’d be a significant AHL contributor out of the gate and potentially push for an NHL job.
That never happened. Rizzo only managed six goals and 18 points in 46 AHL games last year before failing to crack Lehigh Valley’s roster entirely for 2025-26. He’s spent the entire year on assignment to ECHL Reading, where he’s recorded a 6-16–22 scoring line in 29 outings with a -6 rating. The B’s are hoping he can turn that momentum into some potentially increased output in Providence.
Gendron, 22, was a seventh-round pick in 2022, taken 20 picks after Edward. The 5’11” winger plays a high-motor game and has the most successful pro track record of anyone in this transaction. He impressed with 20 goals in 63 games as a first-year pro for Lehigh Valley last season, creating some hope that he could end up as a fourth-line depth piece for Philly.
He’s still young enough that his development could come to pass. He’s having an even better offensive showing here in 2025-26 with a 10-12–22 scoring line in 47 outings for Lehigh Valley. He’ll now look to slot into an impact role for a P-Bruins squad that just lost Dans Locmelis for the season due to shoulder surgery.
Bruins Recall Eight Players
The Bruins have recalled eight players ahead of tonight’s preseason finale against the Capitals, the team announced. Forwards Riley Duran, Brett Harrison, Georgii Merkulov and Jaxon Nelson; defensemen Michael Callahan and Jackson Edward; and goaltenders Ryan Bischel and Kasimir Kaskisuo are now on the roster and will be available for Saturday’s game after previously being cut from the camp roster.
It’s final auditions for in-season recalls for most players on this list. Perhaps it’s most true for Duran, who seemed to grab some attention in his first NHL training camp. The Boston 2020 sixth-round pick turned pro following his junior year at Providence College. The 22-year-old’s point production has never jumped off the charts, but he does have some upside as a fourth-line energy piece. The 6’1″, 174-lb forward can play both center and wing and closed out his 2023-24 season with four points in 11 games for AHL Providence. He’ll head back to the P-Bruins after tonight’s game, but another strong showing could vault him up to being one of the top recall options if injuries affect Boston’s bottom-six forward group.
Harrison, 21, is looking to get back on track in Year 2 of his pro career. The 2021 third-rounder lost most of his draft year to the COVID-19 pandemic but responded well the following two years, averaging around a point per game with OHL Oshawa and Windsor. He was limited to 47 appearances with Providence last year, though, totaling five goals and nine assists for 14 points.
Merkulov will start the season back in the minors, but the soon-to-be 24-year-old continues to push for a longer look at the NHL level. The well-rounded offensive pivot has been consistently trending in the right direction after being an under-the-radar undrafted free agent signing in 2022. He set career highs across the board with Providence last season, leading them in scoring with 30 goals and 35 assists for 65 points in 67 games. He logged his first four NHL appearances, too, posting a +1 rating and three shots on goal while averaging 10:35 per game.
Nelson, 24, is entering his first pro season after spending the last five years at the University of Minnesota. The hefty 6’4″ center had 31 points in 39 games with the Golden Gophers last year while serving as team captain before signing with the Bruins and closing out the year with a goal in seven games for Providence.
Callahan, 25, was a fifth-round pick of the Coyotes back in 2018, but Boston acquired his signing rights via trade in 2022. He’s now an alternate captain with Providence, and he’s entering his third full pro season. The former Providence College captain checks out as a well-rounded stay-at-home defender at the AHL level and was given some of the toughest minutes on the P-Bruins last year, posting 17 points and a -14 rating in 70 games.
Among the two defenders, Edward carries a bit more NHL upside. The 20-year-old has far more room to grow after being selected 200th overall in the 2022 draft. He played a key role on the OHL champion London Knights last season, recording 30 points and a +43 rating in 59 games – a major offensive breakout for the physical shutdown defender. He’ll make his pro debut with the P-Bruins this month.
The two goalies, Bischel and Kaskisuo, aren’t signed to NHL contracts. Bischel, 25, signed an AHL deal with Providence this offseason after posting a .924 SV% in five seasons with Notre Dame. Kaskisuo, meanwhile, is in both NHL and AHL camp with the Bruins on a PTO. The 31-year-old Finn spent last season with the AHL’s Laval Rocket, posting a .909 SV% in 13 games for the Canadiens affiliate.
NHL-Affiliated Prospects Playing In 2024 Memorial Cup
The field for the 2024 Memorial Cup, the top club tournament in junior hockey, is set. The QMJHL’s Drummondville Voltigeurs, the OHL’s London Knights and the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors all swept their respective league championship series within the last two days to advance to the CHL championship tournament, joining the host Saginaw Spirit of the OHL.
This year marks the first Memorial Cup held in the United States since 1998, which was hosted by the WHL’s Spokane Chiefs. The Spirit will attempt to become the first U.S.-based team to win since the Chiefs in 2008, and they have a strong chance. They’re stronger than a typical host team, finishing second in the league in the regular season with a 50-16-2 record and trailing London by just two points. They were eliminated by London in six games in the Western Conference Final.
The Knights lead the way with 10 NHL-affiliated prospects on their roster, including two first-round picks in Flyers defenseman Oliver Bonk and Maple Leafs forward Easton Cowan. The latter was named the OHL playoffs MVP after leading the Knights in scoring with 10 goals, 24 assists and 34 points in just 18 games. He had 15 points in four games in their championship sweep over the Oshawa Generals.
If you’re looking for some non-Stanley Cup Playoff hockey to watch, check to see if your favorite NHL team has prospects suiting up in the tournament, which begins May 24:
Drummondville Voltigeurs (QMJHL champion)
D Mikaël Diotte (Devils, free agent signing)
RW Ethan Gauthier (Lightning, 2023, 37th overall)
RW Alexis Gendron (Flyers, 2022, 220th overall)
D Vsevolod Komarov (Sabres, 2022, 134th overall)
NHL Utah 2022 first-round pick D Maveric Lamoureux is out for the season after undergoing shoulder surgery in March.
London Knights (OHL champion)
C Denver Barkey (Flyers, 2023, 95th overall)
D Oliver Bonk (Flyers, 2023, 22nd overall)
C Easton Cowan (Maple Leafs, 2023, 28th overall)
D Jackson Edward (Bruins, 2022, 200th overall)
D Isaiah George (Islanders, 2022, 98th overall)
RW Kasper Halttunen (Sharks, 2023, 36th overall)
C Jacob Julien (Jets, 2023, 146th overall)
C Kaleb Lawrence (Kings, 2022, 215th overall)
C Max McCue (Blue Jackets, free agent signing)
C Landon Sim (Blues, 2022, 184th overall)
Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL champion)
RW Jagger Firkus (Kraken, 2022, 35th overall)
D Denton Mateychuk (Blue Jackets, 2022, 12th overall)
D Kalem Parker (Wild, 2023, 181st overall)
D Vojtech Port (Ducks, 2023, 161st overall)
LW Martin Rysavy (Blue Jackets, 2021, 197th overall)
C Matthew Savoie (Sabres, 2022, 9th overall)
C Brayden Yager (Penguins, 2023, 14th overall)
Saginaw Spirit (host)
C Owen Beck (Canadiens, 2022, 33rd overall)
LW Josh Bloom (Canucks, acquired from Sabres in 2023 trade for Riley Stillman)
D Rodwin Dionicio (Ducks, 2023, 129th overall)
D Jorian Donovan (Senators, 2022, 136th overall)
C Hunter Haight (Wild, 2022, 47th overall)
C Ethan Hay (Lightning, 2023, 211th overall)
G Nolan Lalonde (Blue Jackets, free agent signing)
C Matyas Sapovaliv (Golden Knights, 2022, 48th overall)
C Joseph Willis (Predators, 2023, 111th overall)
Bruins Sign Jackson Edward To Entry-Level Contract
The Bruins announced Tuesday that they’ve signed defense prospect Jackson Edward to a three-year, entry-level contract. Per the team, the deal carries a cap hit of $860K.
After signing him to the contract, the Bruins immediately returned Edward to the OHL’s London Knights on loan. That’s where the 19-year-old shutdown prospect has played since 2021. He’s off to a strong start this season on the scoresheet, posting six points and a +7 rating in ten games. For context, Edward had six points, all assists, in the entirety of 2021-22 (his draft year), when he played 54 games for London. The Bruins’ scouting staff decided to take a flyer on him late in the 2022 NHL Draft with the 200th overall pick.
Given his age, Edward’s contract is eligible to slide one season to the 2024-25 campaign – assuming he plays less than ten NHL games for the Bruins this season. Given that’s the likely scenario, Edward’s deal will likely run through the 2026-27 season, after which point he’ll be a restricted free agent.
The Newmarket, Ontario-born defender stands at 6-foot-2 and nearly 200 pounds, and he relies on a very involved, physical game to be effective. His playmaking and passing accuracy have improved notably since his draft day, though. That’s something that could keep him from being a major offensive liability if he reaches the NHL.