Fabian Lysell wasn’t expecting the call Saturday morning. He expected to be on a bus to Hartford with the Providence Bruins later in the day, playing in front of his parents and sister one last time before their holiday visit came to an end and they flew back to Sweden on Sunday.
Lysell’s family didn’t get to watch another AHL game Saturday night. Instead, they got to drive up to Boston and watch his NHL debut, and a 4-0 Bruins win over the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The timing could not have been any better for Lysell. At just about any other time in the season, the 21-year-old’s family would not have been in the area. Even a couple days from now, they would have already been back home.
To have mom Maria, dad Henrik and sister Frida in the building for the moment they’ve all been dreaming of for years meant everything.
“That's what it's all about,” Lysell said of having his family in attendance. “They've been my biggest supporters throughout all the years I've been playing, and helping me with everything, driving me to the rink, cooking, all that stuff, late nights. So, it's more so for them, honestly, than it is for me. It's special.”
Lysell’s debut got off to a perfect start. On his first NHL shift, he sliced through the Columbus defense to chase down a puck that Justin Brazeau had chipped into the offensive zone. Lysell protected the puck down low before giving it back to Brazeau, then went to the front of the net, where he helped create some chaos that allowed Brazeau to poke in a rebound to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead. Lysell did not get an assist, but he certainly played a key role in making the goal happen.
The rest of Lysell’s debut was solid, if unspectacular. Playing on the third line with Brazeau and Trent Frederic, his speed did provide a bit of a spark to that line that had been missing the last three games when it was Oliver Wahlstrom playing there. He helped create a couple other decent chances. He was mostly responsible with and without the puck, with a learning moment mixed in late in the second period when he got his pocket picked on the breakout.
“I thought he handled himself well,” Bruins interim head coach Joe Sacco said of Lysell. “It's obviously an exciting night for him, his family. He was on the ice for the first goal, which is always a good feeling. And then, he did some good things. He was very responsible. He was trying to be very responsible away from the puck. You could see he was making a conscious effort to be good without the puck, and those are the things that he needs to continue to build into his game. But I thought that he handled himself fine here tonight for his first game.”
That play away from the puck could very well be what determines how long Lysell sticks around. His speed and skill with the puck on his stick are evident. That is what made him a first-round pick in 2021. Rounding out the rest of his game is what has taken time – too much time in the eyes of some of the more impatient Bruins fans.
Lysell had a chance to make the Bruins out of training camp this year, especially with a wide-open spot at second-line right wing. He got off to a slow start before showing some improvement as the preseason went on, but it ultimately wasn’t enough to make the team.
“I thought that his offensive game looked like it was coming into form,” Sacco said pregame Saturday while reflecting on Lysell’s camp. “I thought that you could see he was getting more confidence, especially off the rush with the puck, attacking, making plays. His play away from the puck, still, I thought needed some work.”
While some fans and media were ready to completely write off one of the organization’s top prospects, Lysell wasn’t giving up. His push to make the NHL didn’t get off to the strongest start, as he had just four points in his first 11 games down in Providence this season. Then the offense started to come, with 13 points in his last 15 games, including a three-point effort Friday night in Bridgeport. So, too, did the improvements away from the puck.
“I think from all reports, he's making a conscious effort to be more responsible away from the puck,” Sacco said. “Obviously, that's not the strength of his game. His strength is probably going to be more tilted towards the offensive side, but when you come up here, you have to be able to play both with the puck and without the puck.”
The Bruins have needed an injection of offensive talent and creativity. It’s why they took a chance on Wahlstrom with a waiver claim. With Lysell, Matt Poitras and Georgii Merkulov all playing well down in Providence, it felt like only a matter of time before at least one of them got the call.
On Saturday morning, it was Lysell who did. As of Saturday night, he didn’t know if the Bruins planned to give him a second game on Tuesday down in Washington. He also didn’t know if his family was now going to try to extend their stay a little longer if he does stick with the big club.
“Take it as it comes and see what happens,” he said.
UPDATE: The Bruins sent Lysell back to Providence on Sunday. In theory, they could call him back up before Tuesday's game in Washington if they want. We'll see at Monday's practice if it's a temporary or more permanent move.