The Boston Bruins didn't make a pick in the first round of the NHL Draft on Friday, as they traded away the 23rd overall pick along with Florida's 2028 first-round pick to acquire 24-year-old winger JJ Peterka from the Utah Mammoth.
They are scheduled to make seven picks on Saturday, though, starting in the second round with 56 overall. We'll be tracking all their picks and/or trades throughout the day:
Round 2, 56 Overall: Yuri Ivanov, G, MHK Spartak Moskva (MHL)
Well then! Talk about a surprise. Ivanov was not even ranked by most outlets. NHL Central Scouting had him as the 10th-ranked international goalie in the class, but the Bruins made him the second goalie taken in the entire draft.
Ivanov is one of the youngest players in the draft, as he won't turn 18 until Sept. 12. He started this past season as a backup for Spartak Moskva in the MHL (Russia's top junior league), but took over the starting job after an injury and ran with it, posting a 13-3-1 record and .924 save percentage down the stretch. In the playoffs, he went 6-5-1 with a .928 save percentage to lead his team to the finals.
Ivanov is listed at 6-foot-2, 165 pounds, so he is almost certainly going to have some beefing up to do. There was no immediate word on where Ivanov will play next season, but the expectation would be that he'll spend more time in Russia - perhaps several years - before coming to North America.
Ivanov becomes the Bruins' highest-drafted goalie prospect since Malcolm Subban, whom they took 24th overall in 2012.
Round 3, 88 Overall: Nils Bartholdsson, RW, Rogle BK (U20 Nationell)
This pick was much more on the board, as Bartholdsson was ranked as a top-75 prospect by many outlets. He had a very productive season in the U20 Nationell, Sweden's top junior league, posting 42 points (23g, 19a) in 32 regular-season games, followed by 17 points (9g, 8a) in nine playoff games. He also scored four goals in seven games at the U18 World Championships this spring, tying for the team lead as he helped lead Sweden to gold.
Bartholdsson is considered a highly creative offensive player with a high-end shot who plays with a good motor. He has some penalty-killing experience and can play a 200-foot game. The biggest drawbacks are that he's 5-foot-10, can get knocked off pucks, and is just an average skater.
This marks the sixth straight year that the Bruins have drafted a player out of Sweden, as they continue to show faith in their European scouting team, led by former Bruin PJ Axelsson.
Round 4, 104 Overall: Matvei Kotkov, RW, Loko Yaroslavl (MHL)
Back to Russia! For the first time since 2002, the Bruins have taken multiple Russians in a draft. Kotkov is a 6-foot-1, 185-pound left shot who, like Bartholdsson, is a creative offensive player with a high-end shot.
Kotkov was teammates with Bruins 2025 sixth-round pick Kirill Yemelyanov this season on a Yaroslavl team that won the MHL championship (beating second-round pick Ivanov in the final, for what it's worth). Kotkov, who is listed at 6-foot-1, 185 pounds, had 31 points (14g, 17a) in 36 regular-season games, plus 15 points (9g, 6a) in 18 playoff games to earn playoff MVP honors. He was the youngest playoff MVP in MHL history.
The biggest questions for Kotkov are his skating and his strength to win battles, both of which will need to be areas of improvement if he's going to eventually be a pro.
Round 4, 111 Overall: Traded to Pittsburgh for a 2026 sixth (170 overall) and 2027 fourth
Round 4, 122 Overall: Oscar Olsson, LW, Orebro (U20 Nationell)
Russia. Sweden. Russia again. Now Sweden again. Olsson is a bigger body than Bartholdsson and Kotkov, measuring 6-foot-4. He's a bit lanky at 187 pounds and will have some bulking up to do.
Olsson had 30 points (14g, 16a) in 32 games this season while playing on an Orebro team that also included Devils first-rounder Alexander Command and Canucks second-rounder Niklas Aaram-Olsen.
Olsson projects to be a power forward if he hits his ceiling, as he already has the speed and physicality. However, he is considered a pretty raw prospect who will have to improve his decision-making and consistency.
Round 5, 157 Overall: Jacob Vandeven, LHD, London Knights (OHL)
The Bruins finally take a defenseman, and Vandeven is a big one, measuring in at 6-foot-6, 207 pounds. Vandeven spent most of last season in the Greater Ontario Hockey League with the Komoka Kings, where he had 32 points (13g, 19a) in 47 games. He joined the OHL's London Knights late in the season, playing eight regular-season games and four playoff games, with one goal.
Vandeven is a good skater for his size and has some offensive ability, including a hard shot. He's a project for sure, so the Bruins will give him plenty of time to round out his game and learn how to better leverage his size.
