Bruins pending UFA announces retirement at age 23

Boston Bruins prospect Mason Langenbrunner announced his retirement from hockey at age 23, ending his playing career before signing an NHL entry-level contract, Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe reported on Saturday. The defenseman was selected by Boston in the fifth round (151st overall) of the 2020 NHL Draft and was eligible to sign with the Bruins until the Aug. 15 deadline after completing his senior season at Harvard.

Instead of pursuing a professional career, Langenbrunner has chosen to enter the business world. He is already reportedly working as a partner in a pair of startup companies, putting his Harvard business degree to use.

The 6-foot-3 right-shot defenseman spent four seasons at Harvard, where he became the team’s captain during the 2025-26 campaign. He appeared in 130 career games for the Crimson, racking up nine goals and 17 assists for 26 points. During his senior season, Langenbrunner collected two goals and eight assists for 10 points in 32 games as Harvard finished with a 16-16-2 record before being eliminated by Cornell in the ECAC Tournament quarterfinals.

Before joining Harvard, Langenbrunner played one season with the Fargo Force in the USHL after finishing his high school career at Eden Prairie High School in Minnesota. Although he showed offensive ability in high school, he primarily served as a depth defenseman during his collegiate career while remaining a regular in Harvard’s lineup throughout all four seasons.

Langenbrunner is the son of longtime NHL player Jamie Langenbrunner, who recently departed the Bruins after 11 years in the team’s front office to become a special assistant to Nashville Predators general manager Chris MacFarland.

Langenbrunner’s retirement also affects Boston’s remaining unsigned college draft picks from 2020 and 2021. Forward Oskar Jellvik is also not expected to sign after joining Rogle BK in Sweden following his senior season at Boston College, while goaltender Philip Svedeback remains in negotiations with the Bruins after helping Providence College capture the Hockey East regular-season championship.

Langenbrunner was one of four Boston selections in the 2020 draft alongside Mason Lohrei, Trevor Kuntar, and Riley Duran. Lohrei and Duran remain in the Bruins organization, while Kuntar is now with the Buffalo Sabres after signing there as a free agent in December 2025.