The Boston Bruins haven't had many first round draft picks under Don Sweeney during his tenure as general manager. After a dismal 2024-25 season that saw the Black and Gold finish tied for last place in the Eastern Conference with the Philadelphia Flyers, they had a high first-round pick.
After getting the seventh overall pick in the Draft Lottery, the Bruins had some draft luck with James Hagens falling to them in the opening round after he was projected as the first overall pick for some time leading into the draft. He returned to Boston College for another year of college hockey for the Eagles, but the future is promising for sure.
ESPN ranks Bruins prospect James Hagens as a Top 10 prospect
Rachel Kryshak of ESPN recently ranked their top 50 prospects under the age of 23 years old and that have played less than 50 NHL games. Hagens obviously has zer NHL games played and came in at No. 7 on Kryshak's list.
"The highly talented center fell to the Bruins in the 2025 draft, and no one should be surprised if a few teams regret passing on Hagens in a case of "prospect fatigue" after he entered the season in the mix at No. 1 overall,'' Kryshak wrote.
"Hagens is right up the road at Boston College, and will benefit from another year of development in college where he's already producing over a point per game. Without his linemates from last season (Ryan Leonard and Gabe Perreault), Hagens is driving play. His shot has noticeably improved in the offseason, which makes Hagens more of a scoring threat from outside the high-danger area.
"Hagens has all the potential to be Boston's top-line center, capable of driving the offense and elevating the play of his teammates."
Hagens wanted to turn pro after the draft, but after discussions, he returned to BC for another year of college before signing. The Eagles are not off to a great start this year, but Hagens is playing well.
There is no doubt that Hagens has great potential, but the Bruins need him to to be that player considering the lack of prospects in the organization. Center is a dire need not only this year, but down the line. Hagens may not be a first-line center next year, but they need him to be sooner rather than later once he turns to professional hockey. Boston needs this pick to be a home run when all is said and done.