Getting to know Fabian Lysell and the 2021 Bruins draft class

The Bruins badly needed an infusion of young talent coming into this season as experts generally were down on their prospect pool as an organization.

They’re hoping their latest draft class helps turn that around.

The Bruins added a sprinkle of everything in the 2021 NHL Draft: a few multi-talented defensemen, a speedy, skilled scorer, and another young netminder as the team prepares for life without Tuukka Rask.

Here are a few things to know about the newest members of the Bruins organization.

Fabian Lysell (Round 1, Pick 21)

The speedy winger was thought of as one of the skilled players in this year’s draft class, showing he could blow by defenders or outmaneuver them with the puck. He ranked as the ninth-overall European skater in the class.

“I think I’m a dynamic player,” Lysell told reporters after being selected by the Bruins. “I like to challenge opponents with pace — I try to use my skating to create separation from myself and to be in those dangerous scoring areas.” 

Boston reportedly had the 18-year-old Swede on their radar for more than two years and got some help in scouting Lysell through European Scouting Coordinator P.J. Axelsson, a former Bruin himself.

Brett Harrison (Round 3, Pick 85)

As Boston.com’s Trevor Hass wrote this weekend, the 6-foot-2 center from Ontario, Canada has had strong ties to the Bruins throughout his life.

“His grandfather, Ed Harrison, was best friends with Gary Doak, who played 14 seasons for the Bruins and was a member of the 1970 Stanley Cup championship team,” Hass wrote. “Harrison added that his father and 2017 Bruins second-round draft Jack Studnicka’s father are friends as well. He also got to shoot on Bruins prospect Kyle Keyser at training camp.”

Harrison also admires fellow Canadian Patrice Bergeron, calling him a “reliable player…and someone that I would like to play like.”

Philip Svedeback (Round 4, Pick 117)

Another Swedish prospect, the lefty-catching goaltender skated for the Växjö Lakers Under-20 team in 2020, logging a .912 save percentage in 12 games. The 19-year-old will be the Bruins’ fourth goaltending prospect under the age of 25 behind Jeremy Swayman, Daniel Vladar, and Kyle Keyser.

He also won a Swedish national championship with the Lakers last season as the third goaltender on the squad.

Svedeback’s first stateside stop will be to Dubuque, Iowa to man the crease for the Fighting Saints this season.

Oskar Jellvik (Round 5, Pick 149)

Jellvik, like the first-round pick Lysell, hails from Sweden and played in Sweden’s J20 Nationell League for Djurgårdens IF’s Under-20 team last year. The two players have even faced each other several times, with Jellvik calling his new Bruins teammate a “great player” with “unbelievable skills” on offense.

As for himself?

“I would describe my game as an offensive player with an edge in the offensive zone,” he said. “My best ability, I would say, is my skill with the puck and my hockey sense in the offensive zone to find my teammates.”

Like Harrison, Jellvik says Bergeron is his favorite Bruin to watch.

Ryan Mast (Round 6, Pick 181)

The Bloomfield, Michigan defenseman spent his first two professional seasons with the Sarnia Sting of Ontario, Canada, though his team didn’t play in 2020 due to the pandemic.

His rookie year, however, was a smashing success: he set a defenseman record by scoring 11 points (goal, 10 assists).

The big 6-foot-4, 215-pounder sees himself as a force on both ends of the ice and even has one Bruin, in particular, he’d like to model his game after.

“There’s definitely a lot of guys I like to watch and learn from,” Mast said. “A Bruin that I think is a good one is Brandon Carlo. Similar body types and he’s definitely someone I can learn from by watching him.”

Andre Gasseau (Round 7, Pick 213)

The seventh-round forward logged 27 points (12 goals and 15 assists) in 42 games with USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program’s Under-18 Team last season.

Before that, the Garden Grove, California transplant had a big season with Shattuck St. Mary’s Under-16 AAA Team in Minnesota, registering 33 goals and 29 assists.

“I think being away from home, making that transition, having to be more responsible and on my own, the transition from hockey and all that at Shattuck — it really grew my game and grew me as a person,” he said. “[That] led me to play on the National Team and be an NHL Draft pick.”

The 18-year-old Gasseau will play for the USHL Fargo Force in North Dakota this season before heading to Boston. But he won’t be joining the Bruins just then: he’ll be suiting up for Boston College next fall.

Ty Gallagher (Round 7, Pick 217)

Gallagher and Gasseau actually played together on the NTDP’s Under-18 team this past season, with Gallagher having skated two seasons with the program. His 24 goals during that time set a record for a defenseman in the program.

Gallagher also said he “loves” Boston and had a “great” phone interview with the Bruins before the draft.

But like Gasseau, the 18-year-old defenseman is putting off his professional hockey career a few seasons to play college hockey in Boston. Gallaher will be at Boston University.

“Just the tradition of BU is great,” said Gallagher. “You always hear about them. Whether it’s the national championship or the NCAA tournament or the Beanpot, it’s just a great organization. A great coaching staff and I think it’s really going to set me up for the next step in my career. it’s going to be a great time and I’m looking forward to my four years there.”