Bruins organization quietly adds three new names who could surprise this season

Don Sweeney isn’t done. And while the NHL roster gets most of the attention, the AHL just got three new names who might matter more than people think.

Providence adds three guys who could make noise down the road

It didn’t make headlines, and it probably won’t for most fans, but the Providence Bruins added three new names this week: Ty Cheveldayoff, Erik Middendorf, and Zachary Massicotte.

You’re not going to see their jerseys flying off shelves. That’s not the point.

These are workhorse signings. Foundation stuff. The kind of players you don’t talk about until you have to—and by then, they’re probably already logging important minutes.

Cheveldayoff has size and snarl. Middendorf’s got a bit of scoring touch. Massicotte plays it safe and steady on the back end. All three are locked in for a year, and all three know they’ve got something to prove.

Cheveldayoff doesn’t shy away from the rough stuff

Cheveldayoff played last season in the ECHL with the Jacksonville Icemen. He scored just six goals and added 13 assists in 66 games. That’s not the story though.

He also racked up 175 penalty minutes. That’s the story.

He’s 6-foot-2, plays hard, and gives Providence a guy who can make life miserable for opponents on the boards and in front of the net.

Middendorf can put the puck in the net

Middendorf’s got a bit more finesse to his game. He scored 21 goals and added 33 assists for 54 points in 67 games last year with the South Carolina Stingrays. That’s production you take seriously.

He’s been in the AHL before too—nine points in 24 games with Utica two seasons ago. At 24, he’s right in that window where players start pushing up or fizzling out. He’s got something to prove.

Massicotte is a depth guy, plain and simple

Massicotte isn’t going to wow anyone with offense. Two goals, 11 assists in 64 ECHL games with Maine last season. Four games with Belleville in the AHL? Zero points.

But he’s got 27 AHL games under his belt. He knows what the pace looks like. He’s not flashy, but he fills a spot, and teams need those too.

Sweeney’s building the bottom—and that matters

The Boston Bruins’ general manager, Don Sweeney, is not taking this offseason lightly

This isn’t just about the NHL roster. It’s about keeping the pipeline alive. These three players probably won’t be on the opening night roster in Boston. But injuries happen. Slumps happen. And when they do, teams that have guys ready in Providence usually survive better.

That’s what this is about. Depth. And who knows? Sometimes, one of these under-the-radar guys ends up sticking.