Prospects for the Boston Bruins have had difficulty finding NHL roster places during the past few seasons. While it has been tough for most of the other younger players to break into the Boston squad, players like John Beecher, Mason Lohrei, and Matthew Poitras have been able to do so.
Some of the younger players have been traded away, like Jakub Lauko, or have departed in free agency to join other teams in the last few off-seasons. Teams, including the Bruins, place players on waivers as opening night approaches, with the option to assign them to the AHL if no one claims them. A team in the Metropolitan Division placed one former Boston prospect on waivers.
Joona Koppanen placed on waivers by Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins placed former Bruins forward and prospect Joona Koppanen on waivers so he could join their AHL affiliate, the Wilkes/Barre Scranton Penguins. For that reason, Boston placed Jordan Oesterle, Vinni Lettieri, and Michael DiPietro on waivers on Friday.
During the record-breaking 2022–23 regular season, Koppanen did participate in five games for the Bruins. He picked up an assist and used his 6-foot-5 stature to hand out eight hits, while averaging 10:50 a night. He only participated in four Penguins games last season, averaging just 7:49 each night.
He was selected by the Boston franchise with the 135th pick overall in the 2016 Entry Draft, and he had his two best seasons of hockey there. He finished 2021–22 with 11 goals and 19 assists for Providence; a year later, he finished 35 games with 12 goals and 23 assists. His stats for the Wilkes/Barre Scranton Penguins last season were somewhat down, with six goals and fifteen assists in 58 games.
Koppanen is unlikely to be claimed, therefore he will likely return to the Penguins affiliate in the AHL for the next campaign, and he might even receive another chance in Pittsburgh.
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