Will Manchuso grew up in Concord, graduated from Concord-Carlisle High School in June and skated Sept. 11-14 with NHL prospects at the Boston Bruins' rookie camp.

The 18-year-old left-shot forward was one of seven undrafted, unsigned players the Bruins invited to their 2026-27 rookie camp, which opened Friday, Sept. 11, at Warrior Ice Arena in Brighton, The Athletic reported. Manchuso went undrafted in the 2026 NHL Draft despite being ranked No. 104 among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting.

His numbers earned attention.

Providence Bruins head coach Trent Whitfield, who oversaw the camp, evaluated Manchuso after the first practice on Sept. 11. "The Manchuso kid's a really good shooter. He can score," Whitfield told The Athletic. He added that the camp would be a measuring stick for whether Manchuso can get to the hard areas near the net at the next level.

Manchuso's path to the Bruins' camp ran through St. Mark's School in Southborough, where he played two seasons under head coach Carl Corazzini, a former NHL player who skated in 19 games for the Bruins and Chicago Blackhawks. In 2025-26, Manchuso posted 32 goals and 27 assists in 30 games for St. Mark's.

After that season ended in March, Manchuso transferred to CCHS to accelerate his coursework and graduate early. The move cleared his path to join the QMJHL's Moncton Wildcats, where he reported to training camp on Aug. 17. He scored two goals in three preseason games for Moncton before leaving for the Bruins' rookie camp.

The camp included prospect showcase games against the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday, Sept. 13, and Monday, Sept. 14, at LECOM Harborcenter in Buffalo, according to Sports Illustrated. The Bruins' main training camp opened Wednesday, Sept. 16, at TD Garden.

Manchuso told The Athletic the invitation was easy to accept, given that the Bruins are his hometown team. His goal remains getting drafted in the 2027 NHL Draft after missing out this year. He has committed to Dartmouth and is expected to enroll as a freshman in 2027-28.

Asked whether making the Bruins as a rookie camp invitee was realistic, Manchuso smiled.

"Imagine that! That would be awesome. Maybe in a couple years from now," he said.

Manchuso heads back to Moncton for the QMJHL regular season. Whether any rookie camp invitees advanced to the Bruins' main training camp had not been announced as of Sept. 14.