Prospect In Charlie Coyle Deal Sees ‘Good’ Bruins Opportunity

While being part of a trade at a young age can be deflating, Boston Bruins prospect Will Zellers sees opportunity.

Zellers was included in the trade that sent Charlie Coyle to the Colorado Avalanche, giving the Bruins Casey Mittelstadt, a 2025 second-round draft selection and the 19-year-old.

When he got the call that he was going to Boston, Zellers said he wasn’t too affected by the call, understanding that the NHL is a business at the end of the day. After a call with his agent, he saw what possibilities he could have with the Bruins.

“Talking with my agent after the fact and after everything settled down, he said, ‘Overall, I mean, that Colorado team is pretty stacked. They’ve got their guys. They have unreal players,'” Zellers told Evan Marinofsky on CLNS’ “Bruins Beat” podcast. “Of course, I’m not scared of any competition either at the same time, but also looking into it, the Bruins are kind of a little bit in a rebuild area right now, which is good for young players like me coming up and being able to make that roster sooner than I maybe thought.”

The Avalanche had a strong team during the 2024-25 season with a core of talented young guys. On the other hand, the Bruins struggled during the season, prompting them to evaluate prospects and new players.

The young prospect won’t make his professional hockey debut to start the season as he goes into his freshman season with the University of North Dakota. Once his season comes to an end, there could be an opportunity for Zellers to make the jump to the Bruins organization.