The Boston Bruins retooled their farm system on the fly. It went from one of the worst to one built to allow prospects to take steps forward and not steps back.
Part of that is credit to the culture that the Providence Bruins have in place. A forward like Dans Locmelis has taken significant strides as a scorer because of the winning environment and the veteran presence that’s allowed him to learn the game at the American Hockey League (AHL) level. The other layer to their improvements goes to their approach, where they’ve patiently developed players in college.
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The college prospects particularly stand out, and a handful of them are at Boston College. After a 2-1 overtime win over the UConn Huskies, Eagles head coach Greg Brown talked about the steps forward that some of the big names in the Bruins system have taken this season and the optimism they provide for the NHL team.
James Hagens is Rounding Out His Game
The latest game was a forgettable one for James Hagens, the top prospect in the Bruins system. He has 20 goals and 17 assists in B.C., yet the UConn defense smothered him in a low-scoring defensive battle. “On the ice, both teams played like it was a playoff game,” Brown noted in a conversation with Hockey Hot Stove.
Hagens scored a hat trick the night before to lead the Eagles to a 5-2 victory. “He’s elevated his game the last couple of nights,” Brown added. Then, he looked slow and was a non-factor. It’s the second game of a back-to-back, which in some ways is a greater test for the intensity of the next levels.
In the big picture, Hagens has played well and, noticeably, has taken off on the wing. What’s stood out is his defense and how he’s rounded out his game. “He’s more in command of his game, more detailed. Now he’s backchecking, defending, he’s stomping on pucks, all the little things. I think he’s getting more points because of it; the defensive work is leading to offense,” Brown noted. Against UConn, he stood out defensively, and it helped them win the game. Brown added, “Now he’s able to create more turnovers, get under more pucks and lead to offense.”
The Bruins hope Hagens will be a franchise cornerstone, a star to build around and take the torch from David Pastrnak as the leader of the team. It’s still too early to say whether he’s that type of player and his move to the wing raises more questions as he’s not the number–one center that many expected he’d become when he was drafted. Yet, so far, his tenure in B.C. has proven that he’s a good player and will be in the future.
Dean Letourneau is Another Sleeper Prospect
Dean Letourneau is the classic work-in-progress draft selection. The Bruins selected him with the 25th pick in the first round, hoping he’d become an elite player. He showed flashes as a 6-foot-7, 228-pound center but needed to get into shape.
“He’s a different player than he was last season, he got stronger physically, he understands the game, mentally because he’s a year older,” Brown noted of the Sophomore center. Letourneau has 17 goals and 15 assists while providing a power forward presence to the Eagles lineup, which they needed in a physical game against the Huskies. He stepped up in the middle of the ice and scored the only regulation goal in the 2-1 overtime win, showing off his shot in the process.
Letourneau will still take time to develop. Many people who have watched him closely mentioned that his best route is to stay in college at least one more season before moving to the AHL or the NHL. However, the Bruins are starting to see his upside and someone who can fill a void at center. “Last year was a challenge. What we saw in glimpses last year is translating,” Brown added.
How Boston College Prepares Players for the Pros
An underlying question is how college prepares players for the NHL or even the AHL. A criticism of the college game is the lack of games. College hockey is a weekend game while junior hockey is set up like an NHL schedule. Players who came over from college to the AHL have talked about the adjustment and how the grind is a lot tougher on the players.
Brown discussed the intensity of the games. The B.C. against UConn matchup felt like a playoff game and the atmosphere in college hockey is different. There’s an intense feeling in the crowd, the games matter more, and the players play with a greater effort. The Penn State against Michigan State game in Beaver Stadium was the prime example that the national audience got to see but there are plenty of games with high stakes.
The plus for Boston College is that they play an intense schedule as well. The prospects are going up against older players every night, and it’s allowed them to adjust. Hagens, Letourneau, and the other younger players are learning how to play a physical pro-style of hockey that will prepare them for the Bruins and the NHL.
