Woburn’s Riley Duran ready to earn his shot with Bruins Thursday

Bruins

“It will be a good opportunity for him, he’s a local boy. I’m sure he’s excited.”

By Conor Ryan

April 10, 2025 | 6:16 PM

3 minutes to read

Riley Duran couldn’t even make an educated guess as to how many friends and family will be present at TD Garden on Thursday night. 

His father Jim — the longtime hockey coach and athletic director at Woburn High School — is responsible for wrangling together tickets ahead of his son’s NHL debut. 

Fair to say, Riley is expecting plenty of hometown support when the Bruins take on the Blackhawks.

“I’m not handling it,” Duran said of how many friends and family will be present on Causeway Street. “My dad’s gonna deal with it. Probably a lot, I’d have to say a lot of Woburn [will be there].” 

After spending a majority of his first full pro season with the Providence Bruins, Duran received his call up to the NHL ranks ahead of Thursday’s game. The Woburn product is expected to skate in a bottom-six role with his hometown team. 

“The reports from Providence have been that he’s been a dependable player down there,” Bruins interim head coach Joe Sacco said of Duran. “He’s got some pace to his game, he’s got some size, he’s got a good shot. He’s done a lot of penalty killing down there for them, so that’s something that we may involve him in here tonight as well.

“Apparently, he can get to the inside of the ice, too, which is a good thing. It will be a good opportunity for him, he’s a local boy. I’m sure he’s excited. His family, as well, will be excited.”

A sixth-round pick by Boston in the 2020 NHL Draft, Duran raised his stock as a hard-nosed, north-south skater over three years at Providence College, scoring 27 goals and 55 points over 102 career games with the Friars. 

The 6-foot-2 forward projects as more of a bottom-six, high-motor forward at the NHL level — capable of doling out hits on the forecheck while generating offense due to a knack for hanging around Grade-A ice. 

While there were some initial growing pains adjusting to the competition and workload present in the AHL, Duran (16 points in 58 games with Providence) feels as though he’s playing his best hockey at this stage of the year. 

“I’ve learned a lot, definitely missing some parts of my game that the Providence coaches down there stayed on me [about] and ended up working out,” Duran said. “Been playing good the last couple weeks.

“Just playing more physical, using my speed. I can skate but sometimes I don’t use it in the right ways all the time. Just using my speed, being physical, winning puck battles goes a long way.”

Duran received the call of his promotion to the NHL on Wednesday night, giving him ample time to drive back to Woburn to celebrate with his family. 

 “It’s just a jump for joy, I’m super excited,” Duran said. “Just honestly a dream come true. … I called my dad first and then worked it down to my mom and sister and then all the texts came in. He was shocked. He was pumped though.  

“I ended up going home for dinner last night and eating with my family. They were all shocked too, but hard work pays off. Excited to play.”

With just three games left on the regular-season docket, Duran has a window to make a compelling case for a roster spot in 2025-26 — especially given the number of vacancies across the depth chart that could be available this summer. 

“I mean, it’s a little weird being a B’s fan my whole life, and finally being here — that they’re not in the playoffs, it’s different,” Duran said. “But I mean jobs are up, and just looking to play hard and see what happens.”