Bruins
“I think he’s a little bit of a coach’s binky in the fact that he does a lot of a lot of things well and he’s got a real good future.”
September 17 will mark the start of Dans Locmelis’ first pro camp as a member of the Bruins.
But, the intriguing prospect is already well-versed when it comes to battling against some of hockey’s brightest stars.
What Locmelis lacks in terms of pro reps in North America, he has made up for as a key cog on Latvia’s international team, closing out a run during the 2025 IIHF World Championships where he scored four goals and six points over seven games — most of them matched up against NHL talent.
Locmelis’ play on the international stage even drew praise from Sidney Crosby, who complimented his performance for Latvia after he set up Latvia’s lone goal in a 7-1 loss to Canada during the tournament.
“I just realized I can play at this level, and now you play against a Canadian team full of NHL players, and I felt like I can keep up with them,” Locmelis said Wednesday at Warrior Ice Arena. “Maybe not dominate them yet, but I just feel I can play at their level.”
Not too bad for a 2022 fourth-round pick — one who has seen his stock soar in recent months as he tries to punch his ticket to the NHL ranks. On Wednesday at Warrior Ice Arena, he skated on a line with 2025 third-round pick Cooper Simpson and Woburn product Riley Duran.
Providence head coach Ryan Mougenel believes Locmelis could make some noise as soon as this fall as one of the rising stars in Boston’s improving prospect pipeline.
“He’s super responsible, and he’s one of those names — I think he’s going to push,” Mougenel said of Locmelis. “I think he’s a little bit of a coach’s binky in the fact that he does a lot of a lot of things well and he’s got a real good future.”
While most of the discourse regarding Boston’s next wave of forwards in training camp will revolve around names like Matt Poitras, Fraser Minten, and Fabian Lysell, Locmelis has put himself on the radar of Boston’s development personnel in short order given his quick transition to the pro game.
Initially projected as more of a two-way, bottom-six skater, Locmelis had a knack for stuffing the stat sheet in 2024-25 with both the UMass Minutemen and Providence Bruins.
After posting 14 points over 30 games as a freshman in 2023-24, the 21-year-old forward broke through with 33 points (eight goals, 25 assists) over 40 games with UMass this past season.
He then turned pro by signing an entry-level deal with Boston in the spring — joining Providence ahead of their Calder Cup playoff run and recording 12 points (three goals, nine assists) over just six games with Boston’s AHL team.
Making the jump from Hockey East to the pros often presents its fair share of growing pains for even the most skilled forwards — especially a skater who doesn’t boast the most imposing profile like Locmelis (6 feet, 170 pounds).
But Locmelis — who formed plenty of chemistry with Poitras in Providence — spent a majority of his O-zone shifts operating in Grade-A ice, even with the punishment that awaited around the netfront.
“It surprised me how quickly he got acclimated to the American Hockey League and the physicality of it,” Mougenel said of Locemelis. “And he embraced that, and he played with a ton of courage. And that’s something that you can’t teach.
“It’s a foundation of being a Bruin. We want guys with courage and sometimes that courage comes in different ways: the ability to make a play and get inside and not be shy. Yeah, I was really impressed with Dans. I’m excited about his camp. He seems like he’s super excited, and I think he’s going to be a real good pro.”
Locmelis may not boast a blistering one-timer like David Pastrnak, nor does he have the straight-line speed of Lysell. But Locmelis’ hockey sense and creativity made him a regular scoring threat both in the AHL and on the international level.
“I feel like my strongest side is my IQ and my head,” Locmelis said. “I feel like I’m a smart player. I know where to be and just try to read the game.”
Locmelis’ play at Worlds served as the ideal springboard into the fall, with the center set to take part in the 2025 Prospects Challenge in Buffalo over the weekend with an array of other Bruins’ youngsters.
Locmelis believes that a strong showing in Buffalo could help him carry momentum into training camp the following week.
“I feel like there’s couple spots that a lot of players are fighting for, and my goal is to make the team,” he said of Boston’s roster. “And like I said, I’ll do whatever I have in my power to make it.”
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