Wilkes-Barre Scranton goalie Tyler Gauthier was halfway to Olneyville after Fabian Lysell faked him out and deposited the puck in the net in a February shootout. (Photo courtesy of Providence Bruins)

I’ll be at the Prospects Challenge in Buffalo again this year. It’s one of my favorite events on the hockey calender. Here are five Boston prospects that I’ll be taking an up-close look at.

FABIAN LYSELL

Coming off an up-and-down rookie year in Providence, Lysell says he is fully recovered from a concussion that knocked him out of the AHL playoffs in May. It’s a good sign that in dealing with the media on Wednesday, he appeared to be more confident and comfortable than he was at times last season. No Boston prospect can match his combination of speed and skill. A strong showing at the Prospects Challenge should give him a lift heading into Boston’s training camp.

MATTHEW POITRAS

Poitras, 19, was a pleasant surprise in Buffalo a year ago. Though his chances of making the NHL team this year look to be slim, he’s approaching training camp the right way. “I’m gonna try and do my best to make it hard to send me back to juniors,” he said on Wednesday. If Poitras, a second round draft pick, does return to the OHL, another big year in Guelph and maybe a trip to the World Juniors with Canada’s team should set him up to turn pro in 2024.

LUKE TOPOROWSKI

Toporowski, signed as a free agent in 2022, plays the right way. He has a quick release and a hard shot, which he uses at every opportunity. He’ll be looking to build on a strong rookie year in Providence, as he finished with 15 goals in 47 games and would have scored over 20 if not for a midseason knee injury. After playing on an AHL contract last season, he was rewarded with a well-deserved NHL deal over the summer, so he’ll be eligible for an NHL callup this season.

BRETT HARRISON

Harrison, picked in the third round, can really wire the puck and is very dangerous from the tops of the faceoff circles in. Whether his skating measures up is a question heading into his first pro season in Providence. A strong showing in Buffalo would be a confidence-builder.

FREDERIC BRUNET

Brunet, an offensive defenseman drafted in the fifth round, was in over his head a bit in Buffalo a year ago. I’m curious to see how he looks this time around now that he’s a year older. He had a big year in the QMJHL last year and made a splash in his only game in Providence near the end of the season. All signs point to him turning pro, but he hasn’t signed either an AHL or NHL contract yet.