It sounds like Buffalo Sabres forward prospect Olivers Murnieks will arrive to the campus of Boston College a year earlier than anticipated.
Robert Chalmers of Elite Prospects reported Sunday night the Eagles "expect" Murnieks, who was previously projected to play another season in the QMJHL, to join them for the 2026-27 college hockey season.
BC has yet to announce its full roster for the new campaign. The team's first game, an exhibition, is scheduled for Oct. 3 against the USA Hockey National Team Development Program. It opens the regular season Oct. 9 when it hosts Alaska.
Murnieks was selected by the Sabres in the fourth round (No. 124 overall) of the 2026 NHL Draft.
The 6-foot-1 center is coming off a solid season with the QMJHL's Saint John Sea Dogs, scoring 20 points (seven goals and 13 assists) in 31 appearances.
He was also busy at the international level, representing Latvia at the U18 and U20 World Championships along with the country's senior men's team at the 2026 IIHF World Championship.
Murnieks recorded 10 points (two goals and eight assists) across 12 games at the two junior tournaments, but failed to tally any points in five contests with the senior side.
Like fellow Sabres selection Ilia Morozov, the Latvian was one of the youngest players in this year's draft class. He didn't turn 18 until July 31.
Buffalo prospect Olivers Murnieks will face steep learning curve at Boston College
While Murnieks possesses a projectable frame and a high hockey IQ, his two-way production has yet to reach a level where he'd be considered a future NHL lock.
In fact, HockeyStats.com projects him with just a 4% chance to eventually become a full-time NHL player, which is based on reaching 200 games played.
So, what needs to happen for Murnieks defy the odds?
First, his offensive game needs to become far more polished. He's flashed the occasional moment of brilliance but the consistency has yet to arrive during recent stints with the Sea Dogs and the USHL's Sioux City Musketeers over the past two years.
It starts with becoming a constant presence in front of the opponent's net. He hasn't showcased a lethal shot, so a lot of his future offensive damage is going to come from creating those second- and third-chance opportunities around the crease.
Second, his defensive-zone reads need to get a fraction quicker. Murnieks usually does well positionally but his subsequent defensive play, whether it's a stick check or attempted body check, was often a tick late with Saint John last season.
Finally, his skating stride is pretty smooth, but he lacks the top-end burst of most high-end forward prospects. It's an area where getting into a competitive college atmosphere with elite training should help him improve quicker.
So, it's going to take some time at Boston College to see whether Murnieks can take a leap.
A lot of the raw tools are there and being one of the youngest draftees gives him a little extra development runaway, but there's a lot of work to do. He's probably heading for at least two seasons (and probably three) with BC before he makes the jump to pro hockey.
His path to success, both with the Eagles and maybe with the Sabres down the line, is becoming a hardworking net-front warrior who ultimately establishes himself as a dependable bottom-six center in the NHL.
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