Prospects Report: Farinacci Off to Fast Start

BostonBruins.com – Take a look through the Boston Bruins system from Providence to the NCAA to Europe.

Providence

John Farinacci is off to an incredible start to his professional career after signing with the Boston Bruins this past offseason. The 5-foot-11, 197-pound forward leads the Providence Bruins with 17 points through his first 22 contests. The Red Bank, N.J., native also leads the team with 11 assists and has recorded six goals, good for second on the team.

Head Coach Ryan Mougenel has been impressed with multiple aspects of Farinacci’s game so far.

“He is a highly intelligent player that completes a lot of plays and has an offensive gift,” said Mougenel. “Something that gets overlooked a little bit, however, is his attention to detail defensively. He has been someone who has come into a new system and grasped it exceptionally well.”

Justin Brazeau, a powerful 6-foot-5, 245-pound forward, has also found his scoring touch, leading the Providence Bruins with seven goals through his first 22 games. The New Liskeard, Ontario, native has 13 points so far this season, ranking fifth on the team.

Mougenel believes Brazeau’s physical play is an important element in the lineup.

“You saw it this weekend, how hard and strong Braz is on pucks,” said Mougenel. “His ability to get inside the paint and play in tight and tough areas separates him from most players. He’s a unique player; he has size, strength, and intelligence around the net.”

Trevor Kuntar, meanwhile, has contributed to the team’s success in ways other than what you might see on the stat sheet. The 6-foot, 200-pound forward has skill but also the ability to play in between the dots, which has played a major role this season for the P-Bruins. The Williamsville, N.Y., native has seven points to start his professional hockey career.

Mougenel knows that there is a lot to like about Kuntar’s game.

“His ability to have a certain hardness of skill is a needed element in our lineup,” said Mougenel. “He’s got a lot of skill and he’s got a lot of inside play. He is difficult to play against and he creates anxieties. He’s another guy that wants to get better every day. He is the epitome of what it takes to be a Bruin.”

NCAA

Oskar Jellvik helped the Boston College men’s hockey team to a fantastic 12-3-1 start to the 2023-24 season. The 5-foot-10, 178-pound forward has recorded 15 points on seven goals and eight assists through his first 16 games, boosting the Eagles to a national ranking of No. 2.

Philip Svedebäck has backboned the Providence College men’s hockey team to a 9-4-2 record this season, starting all 15 games in net for the Friars. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound goaltender has posted a 1.94 goals against average and a .914 save percentage to start the 2023-24 season.

Svedebäck, a native of Växjö, Sweden, has helped boaster the Friars to a national ranking of No. 9.

Juniors

Chris Pelosi, Boston’s third round draft pick (92nd overall) in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, is off to a fantastic start in his second year with the Sioux Falls Stampede of the USHL. The 6-foot-1, 181-pound forward has 21 points on 11 goals through his first 22 games of the season. The Sewell, N.J., native posted 19 points in his first 43 USHL games last season.

Europe

In his second season with Vastra Frolunda Jr. of the Sweedish Junior League, Kristian Kostadinski has recorded two goals and nine assists in his first 29 games of the 2023-24 season. The 6-foot-3, 198-pound defenseman was Boston’s seventh round draft pick (220th overall) in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft