When the Boston Bruins landed the seventh overall pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, it felt like they had lost the NHL Draft Lottery in May that year. Seventh was the lowest they could have dropped, and lo and behold, they fell to that spot.
However, fast forward to the Draft, and somehow, general manager Don Sweeney and his staff had the ability to make a no-brainer decision. James Hagens, once seen as one of the top picks in the entire draft, fell to them at No. 7. The decision was a quick one as soon as they landed on the clock.
Hagens returned to Boston College for the 2025-26 season, but after the Eagles were eliminated in the Hockey East semifinals, he signed a PTO to play for the Providence Bruins in the American Hockey League (AHL). He signed his entry-level contract in Boston in April and made his NHL debut and playoff debut all in less than a month. Now he is looking for bigger things this upcoming season. Hannah Stuart of Bleacher Report said what all Bruins fans knew, going back to college would be a waste of time.
Bleacher Report says the quiet part out loud about James Hagens' future in Boston
Hagens is ready to take on a full-time role in Boston next season. There is just one question. Where? Will it be at center or on the wing? Those are things that are going to need to be ironed out by second-year head coach Marco Sturm and his staff.
"Since he signed his NHL contract, he won't be returning to college hockey. That's a good thing; Hagens is at the point where he needs the challenge of the grind of a professional season and tougher opponents to further sharpen his own game. While we expect to see him on the NHL roster, it remains to be seen whether the team starts him on the wing or keeps him at center. There will definitely be growing pains, but they'll be the kind that serve him well,'' Stuart wrote.
All young players go through growing pains. Hagens will certainly do that, but Stuart is right, it'll serve him well. He played a lot of hockey last season between Boston College, Providence, Boston, and Team USA. He grinded through 57 games, and they will serve him well when it's time to play 84 NHL games. Now, games are going to spread a lot more this upcoming season than it has been the last couple of years.
It's going to be an interesting training camp for Hagens with the Bruins to see where he fits on the 2026-27 roster.
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