Boston Bruins: 10 Future Stars Already in the Bruins' System

The Boston Bruins have a roster that is pretty much set for the opening of the 2012-13 season, but that does not mean that the cupboards are bare when it comes to young talent in their system.

The Bruins and their scouting staff have done a good job in keeping the prospect pipeline loaded with talent. Talent that is spread across all positions.

Many of these players still have some developing to do, but there are a select few that could be wearing the black and gold come next season.

With out further wait, here are 10 players in the Bruins system that could one day become future stars on the team.

10. Micheal Hutchinson

Micheal Hutchinson was the Boston Bruins third round selection (77th overall) in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. Last season was his first full attempt at playing strictly in the AHL, and he was able to put together a decent season.

He had 13 wins, and 14 losses and sported a 2.36 goals against average. His save percentage was .927. He played well, but left a lot of space for improvement.

In his last year of junior with the London Knights of the OHL, Hutchinson was able to show why he was picked up by the Bruins. He put together a 32-12 season, but if he ever wants a shot at playing in the NHL for the Bruins, he will have to learn how to translate that game to higher levels.

He has the right size but needs to add some more weight to his 6'3" frame. After this year's draft however, he finds himself in a tough place after the Bruins picked up another good young goalie in Malcolm Subban.

9. Max Sauve

Max Sauve was the Bruins second pick in the 2008 NHL draft (47th overall) and has some good hockey blood that could help him bring his game to the next level.

Sauve has been with Providence of the AHL consistently for two seasons. He has been able to put up some fairly good offensive numbers, including 26 points in 39 games last season.

His first NHL game came last year as well, but if Sauve looks to stay with the big club in the future he will need to bulk up his frame.

Sauve's father also played in the NHL, so he has learned the game from someone who has been there, and it shows in his thinking on the ice. He can skate well and is a skillful playmaker. He could one day provide the Bruins with a skilled scoring forward.

8. Matthew Grzelcyk

The Bruins third round pick of this years NHL Entry Draft, Matthew Grzelcyk is a local Boston kid the Bruins really like.

Last season, he played for the USA U-18 team that competed in the USHL and was able to put up good numbers. He had 22 points in 56 games and is considered to be a skilled, scoring d-man.

He does not possess great size, being only 5'9", but he does have time to add some muscle to that frame to be able to handle NHL forwards. He will be attending Boston University next season so he will be a few years away from the Bruins, at the very least.

Nonetheless, as James Murphy of ESPN reports, the Bruins are very keen on him as a player. Wayne Smith, the Bruins director of amateur scouting talks about Grzelcyk:

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'He's the type of kid that plays much bigger than he is. He's got a Bruins mentality,' Smith said. 'He plays to win. He plays hard. He's tough to play against. He plays a virtually mistake-free game, and his decision-making and ability to move the puck are second to none in this draft.'

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7. Carter Camper

Signed by Boston as an undrafted free agent last year, Camper played all of last season with the Providence Bruins. He was fortunate enough however, to get three games with the big club during the year as well.

In those three games he was able to record his first career NHL goal. In the 69 games he played with Providence through the season he was able to tally up a point total of 48, which was good for the team lead.

Although he is undersized when it comes to NHL forwards, he counters it with great instincts and his natural ability to be involved in scoring.

He has put up points everywhere he has played and if the Bruins can get him to bulk up a little, he could become a valued piece to the puzzle. He is starting his career late but does have some upside as a nifty center.

6. Torey Krug

The Boston Bruins were able to sign undrafted free agent defenceman Torey Krug last year, and were only able to get a short glimpse of him playing at the NHL level. He only made it into two games. But next year, hopefully, Krug will be pushing hard for a roster spot.

Krug made it clear what his goal is for next year after getting his first taste of the NHL. He told Alex Prewitt of the Boston Globe:

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'It makes you hungrier,' Krug said. 'It’s been my dream my whole life, as a little kid. You change, you grow, you become a better person and you work toward your goals. My goal is to play in the NHL. I played two games there, but now I want to make a career out of it and be an impact player. It gives me a lot of incentive to come back.'

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Krug played three seasons at Michigan State University, and was the captain of the team for the last two seasons. Throughout his time there he showed his offensive upside, scoring 83 points in 113 total games.

He is a good puck mover and has strong offensive talents (as evidenced by his shootout video above) but will need to to prove his defense is up to par against NHL forwards. Including, if his 5'9" frame can handle much bigger players.

5. Alexander Khokhlachev

Alexander Khokhlachev was drafted last year in the second round (40th overall) by the Bruins. He still has a lot of developing to do, but he has showed both at the World Juniors and playing in the OHL with the Windsor Spitfires, that he can put up points.

Last season for the Spitfires, he was able to tally 69 points in only 56 games.

He was the youngest player drafted in the 2011 class, and coming into this years camp with the Bruins Khokhlachev will still be 17-years-old.

He is an astounding player with the puck, not only being able to score but also having an amazing ability to distribute a pass to the open player. He plays a tough game and battles very hard for the puck.

Although his commitment was questioned about playing in the NHL, he signed an entry level deal with the Bruins and looks primed to take a shot in their organization.

With a little more time and development spent on the defensive aspects of his game and his skating, Khokhlachev could be a regular one day on the Bruins top lines.

4. Ryan Spooner

Ryan Spooner has shown that he is a very consistent point producer during his time in the OHL. He has managed to put up around 60 points every year. Last year, with time split between the Kingston Frontenacs and the Sarnia Sting, Spooner was able to total 66 points in 57 games.

The Bruins drafted the center in the second round (45th overall) of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

Spooner knows that opportunities to make the big club next year are few and far between. However, he knows that the worst that could happen would be playing in the AHL, and honing his skills before taking that next step, reports Kevin Dillion of WEEI Sports Radio:

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“Hopefully one day I can make it to the National Hockey League,” Spooner said. “Right now I am just focusing on doing all the little things that are going to get me there. I think skill-wise I could keep up. But I think the little things, like I said, my strength, how to adjust to that type of game, [I need to improve on].”

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Spooner is a very offensive minded player who has great puck control. To make the Bruins this year however, he will have to show that the defensive side of his game is at the same level.

3. Jared Knight

Jared Knight was the Bruins second round pick (32nd overall) in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. He brings to the ice a game that matches up to what the Bruins are known for, rough and hard-nosed. Because of that, the Boston fans love what Jared Knight will bring to the team once he makes it.

Which he will, in the very near future.

Last year, in the OHL, Knight was able to put up 52 point in 52 games with the London Knights.

He is by no means a natural scorer, but he plays a gritty game. He attacks from the wing and plays a complete game in all three zones. He will not be a first line scorer on the Bruins, but will be a player that has offensive upside to go with every other aspect of his game. He is not afraid to get into the dirty areas and has the size to play in the NHL already.

Although Knight is coming into training camp with the Bruins with all the expectations a young player like him should, he realizes that the task at hand will be tough, reports Douglas Flynn of NESN:

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'There's always opportunities,' said Knight. 'It's just about going into camp and making a really good impression and doing your best. I have seven to eight weeks to really buckle down and get in tip-top shape. Any training camp you go into, it's going to be tough to crack [the lineup]. That's the name of the game: competition.'

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2. Malcolm Subban

Malcolm Subban is still plenty of time away from becoming a No. 1 goalie in the Bruins system, but that seems to be the plan.

Subban was drafted in this year's NHL Entry Draft with the Bruins first round selection (24th overall).

His talent level in net is extremely high, but also really raw. He has incredible athleticism in the net and with time he should develop to be a great NHL goalie. Remember, he only started playing goalie at the age of 12. If he can keep up the pace he has already set for himself, he should be a top notch NHL goaltender in a few years.

Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli stresses that Subban is not going to walk into the Bruins net next year, reports Michael Traikos of the National Post:

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'Tremendous athlete,' Chiarelli said. 'This draft is more long-term. Goalies take a little bit longer to develop. Happy to get him. We had him high. We’re happy to get him.'

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Although goalies generally do not go very high in the draft, for the Bruins to grab Subban at the spot they did was very fortunate for them. He now becomes their goalie for the future.

1. Dougie Hamilton

There is no questioning that Dougie Hamilton is the Bruins best prospect in the system and one of the best in all of hockey. There is no doubt Hamilton is a future star.

He was the Bruins' first round pick in the 2011 draft (ninth overall) and will be looking to step into the lineup for this upcoming season.

The Toronto, Ontario native has played three seasons for the Niagara Ice Dogs in the OHL, and has improved drastically each and every one. His first year he put up 16 points and then improved to 58 the next season.

Last year he was able to contribute 72 points in 50 games to lead all defencemen in the league in scoring by 12 points.

Hamilton will one day be a top pair defender with the Bruins and most likely an all-star. He is that talented of a player. There is nothing, in either zone, that he can not do and excel at.

He will need some time to fill out his frame to reach his full potential, but the talent is there and could easily be on display next season in a Bruins jersey.