Three Bruins Players to Watch at 2026 Rookie Camp
The Boston Bruins open Rookie Camp on Friday morning at Warrior Ice Arena in Brighton, Mass.
In total, the roster has 14 forwards, seven defensemen, and two goalies. Seven of the players are attending on an invite basis.
The 14 forwards are Attilio Biasca, Cole Chandler, Jordan Duguay, Riley Duran, James Hagens, Dans Locmelis, Will Manchuso, Nolan Renwick, Jake Schmaltz, Ryan Tattle, Niko Tournas, Kalle Vaisanen, Jaxsin Vaughan, and Thomas Zocco.
The defenseman include Ty Gallagher, Nolen Geerdes, Loke Johansson, Dylan Mackinnon, Cullen McCrate, Jacob Vandeven, and Max Wanner while the goalies consist of Max Lundgren and Jan Larys.
Duguay, Manchuso, Tournas, Vaughan, Zocco, Geerdes, and Larys were all camp invites.
With camp starting up, below are three players to watch throughout the weekend.
James Hagens, F
James Hagens is the top prospect in the Bruins system currently.
The 19-year-old first signed an AHL amateur tryout agreement on March 23 after his two-year collegiate career with Boston College came to a close, but inked his entry level deal weeks later after playing six games in Providence. He skated in five games for Boston between the regular season and playoffs and posted one assist for one point.
If Hagens has a strong showing during Rookie Camp and the Prospects Showcase this week, he could easily cement his place on the Bruins roster for Opening Night.
Dans Locmelis, C
Dans Locmelis is one of the Bruins’ fast-rising prospects. As a 2022 fourth-round pick by Boston, Locmelis signed his entry level deal with the organization on April 1, 2025, after spending two years at UMass.
As a rookie, Locmelis skated in 42 games for Providence in 2025-26 and tallied 15 goals and 13 assists for 28 points as well as posted a plus-14 rating. His season ended early after he aggravated a shoulder injury in the Olympics in February and had season-ending surgery in March which had a six-month recovery time.
Locmelis is one of a couple Providence players that are on the cusp of making their NHL debuts, but his timeline could shift depending on how he looks coming off his injury.
Riley Duran, F
Riley Duran is coming off his career-best season in the AHL. During the 2025-26 season in Providence, the 24-year-old appeared in 72 games and tallied seven goals and 12 assists for 19 points. He also boasted a plus-19 rating which was the sixth-highest among the team and the fourth-highest among skaters.
Although not the top prospect in the system, Duran has shown growth since joining the organization and has gained a little NHL experience. The Woburn, Mass., native made his league debut on April 10, 2025, and has skated in a pair of games for Boston where he did not record a stat.
During the offseason, he was issued a qualifying offer prior to the start of Free Agency and signed a one-year, two-way contract extension with a cap hit of $850,000 shortly after receiving his offer.
Duran is expected to play in Providence for most of the 2026-27 season, but could be on the rise if he continues to show improvement.
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Kim Rankin is a lead writer for Boston Bruins on SI and Boston College On SI. A 2020 graduate of the University of Alabama. she joined Alabama Crimson Tide On SI in February 2024 covering baseball, softball, football, men’s basketball, and more for BamaCentral, but has also contributed to Missouri Tigers On SI. She previously worked as the brand manager at Tide 100.9 FM in Tuscaloosa, Ala. She has covered a wide variety of events including SEC Championships, NCAA Regionals, and bowl games.