Top Ten Boston Bruins Prospect Profiles: No. 9 Frederic Brunet
Boston Bruins On SI is starting a new series which will take a look at the Top 10 prospects in the organization.
No. 9 on the list is defenseman Frederic Brunet.
Quick Facts:
Position: Left-shot Defenseman
2025-26 Team: Providence Bruins (AHL)
2026-27 Team: Providence Bruins (AHL)
Draft: 2022 Round 5, #132 overall
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 198 lbs
Nationalities: Canadian
NHL ETA: 2026-2027
Age: 22
About:
While Brunet has an uphill battle to crack the Bruins’ opening day lineup, he’ll have an opportunity to see time in the NHL this season, especially if injuries start to pile up on Boston’s blue-line. He’s been a key player in the AHL for Providence the last three seasons, logging over 150 games and 70 points between regular season and Calder Cup Playoff games during the span and earned a cup of coffee in the NHL during the 2024-25 season. Prior to starting his professional career, he captained Rimouski Océanic in the QMJHL and finished as the runner-up for the Emile Bouchard Trophy, given to the league's best defenseman.
After going undrafted in 2021, Brunet blossomed into one of the most productive defenseman in the QMJHL to put himself into position to get drafted in his second year of eligibility. Despite the improvements, there were still questions whether he could develop his defensive capabilities enough to be able to stick on an NHL roster. The questions remained in the early part of his Providence tenure but after showing signs of progress in 2024-25, things finally clicked for Brunet last season. With the defenseman taking a more physical approach, he anchored a Providence defense that conceded the second least goals in the AHL.
Frederic Brunet in back to back games. Finishes off gorgeous passing play for OT winner. 10th of the season for Brunet. #NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/lBtlQU0uer
— Robert Chalmers (@IvanIvanlvan) February 15, 2026
On the offensive side, Brunet’s production has improved every season so far in his professional career, continuing a trend that started in his junior hockey career in Quebec. After posting just a pair of goals and ten assists in first full professional season, he doubled his assist output to 20 and more than doubled his goal tally to five during 2024-25. Last season was the defenseman’s best, leading all Providence blue-liners with 12 goals and tied for the lead with 24 assists. There are concerns on how his goalscoring will translate to the next level but at a minimum he projects to be an above average puck-mover who’ll find ways to provide value on the offensive end. His poise moving the puck in transition and getting the puck into high danger areas in the attacking zone stand out and should translate well even against stiffer competition.
Brunet is one of the most NHL-ready prospects in the Bruins system and has the capability to carve out a long career as a bottom pair or seventh defenseman. Look for him to be called up for stretches this season and be a full time NHL-er in 2027-28. From a special teams perspective, Brunet is a good enough puck mover to quarterback a power play but an average at best, albeit improving, shot will see his use in this role limited to only emergency situations or on the second unit of a team with a weak power play unit.
Boston Bruins Prospect Profiles:
No. 9 Frederic Brunet
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Chris Vogel contributes to both Boston College and Boston Bruins On SI, and is also play-by-play broadcaster for ACC Network Extra and Hockey East on ESPN. He’s a graduate of the University of Massachusetts and got his master's degree at Boston College, where he served as the radio voice of Boston College Women’s Hockey on WZBC 90.3; the flagship radio network of Boston College Women’s Athletics. He’s the host of the “All Things Hockey” podcast, and covers women’s college hockey for College Hockey On SI.