James Hagens' numbers at Boston College have been a bit concerning for some Boston Bruins fans and prospect analysts. The belief is that he should be dominating the NCAA ranks, but he is still around a point per game in his sophomore season. Despite those concerns, the skill that Hagens will bring to the Bruins should be exciting for fans.
The Bruins don't have a game-breaking player when it comes to skating and skill. David Pastrnak will occassionaly wow hockey fans with a slick move around a defender or a blistering shot, but there aren't many times where he will blow an opponent away with speed. Hagens hasn't translated that skill to an elite point-output, but there is still plenty of time for him to figure that out.
James Hagens is just what Geekie and Pasta need in a center. Fast, tenacious, highly skilled and sees the ice. Going to be a great line for a long time 🔥🔥
— jason demers (@jasondemers5) December 27, 2025
Former NHLer Jason Demers put it best while watching Hagens play against Team Germany in Team USA's tournament-opening game. Pastrnak has never been able to play with a fast and highly-skilled center, and it'll be interesting to see what they can do together. Meanwhile, if you add Morgan Geekie to that line in the future, Hagens will be able to find him in the quiet zones for plenty of scoring opportunities.
James Hagens is showing off his moves. pic.twitter.com/jT0WQevwcd
— Jamie Gatlin (@JamieGatlin17) December 27, 2025
Bruins fans need to stop reading the social media scouts and look forward to the skill they're going to see from Hagens. The only worry is that Don Sweeney tries to slow-play his development like he has done in the past and mute his skill. If Hagens signs his entry-level deal at the end of this NCAA season, they should throw him right into the fire and let him learn alongside Pastrnak.
The recent winning streak shows that the Bruins need some high-end scoring. Hagens' Team USA teammate Will Zellers is showing that he has the potential to be another scorer in the future, and the duo could potentially be linemates down the road. While it goes against the team-first, defensively sound culture, Boston needs to put a further emphasis on individual talent to keep up with the rest of the league, and those two players are a great start.