Bruins prospect James Hagens has made it known that he wants to be playing for Boston and in the NHL as soon as possible.
But Hagens, just over a month removed from being selected by the Bruins with the seventh overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, still has some other goals to accomplish before he jumps to the pros. And the Long Island native’s latest outlining of those goals has essentially delivered the confirmation that he will be returning to Boston College for his sophomore season in 2025-26.
“I want to be able to win a Beanpot, be able to win a national championship,” Hagens told NHL.com this week live from the World Junior Summer Showcase in Minnesota. “Everyone has their roles, but our team goal is winning. That’s what we want to do. We fell short last year, but it’s hopefully going to happen this year.”
Next steps for the Boston Bruins Draftee
In a way, this is simply Hagens confirming what we all believed would be the case for him. But the “unofficially official” confirmation comes almost a month after Hagens added a little bit of uncertainty to his future. The player said that he was going to meet with Bruins brass after development camp and go over their next steps together. The Bruins, even with the excitement of Hagens leading their development camp, have always done their part to preach patience.
“There will be no hurry to try and fast-track James [but] I’d say that about every player,” Bruins general manager Don Sweeney said following the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft back in June. “If somewhere between now and then that changes, and we feel differently about it as we’re evaluating, we may make that decision. I know he’d like to play right away. I’m sure every guy that was drafted [in round one] thinks they might be able to play in the National Hockey League. But we’ll allow that to take a more natural course and make the right decision for James and the organization.”
Hagens wants a happier sophomore ending
A true freshman at BC a season ago, Hagens was given top-line minutes despite his lack of experience at the NCAA level. He posted 11 goals and 37 points in 37 games for the Eagles. But the Eagles lost to rival Boston University in the Beanpot championship game and were eliminated by Denver in the regional final. The loss denied BC a spot in the Frozen Four and knocked them out of the national championship picture.
Given how strong of a club the Eagles were in 2024-25 (they were the No. 1 ranked team in the country throughout much of the season), it’s no wonder that Hagens and the other returning members of last year’s team feel that they have some unfinished business, locally and nationally.
From a Bruins (and BC) point of view, the goal for Hagens as an individual in 2025-26 is to have more nights where he outright dominates play like he’s shown he can against his peers. Especially now that he’s not deferring to linemates like Ryan Leonard and Gabe Perreault, both of whom ended their collegiate careers with that loss to Denver and have since jumped to the NHL.
If that happens, there’s a good to strong chance that the 18-year-old Hagens makes the jump to the pro game in the spring, potentially ending his season in Boston, and as a member of the Bruins. That’s probably the best case scenario for Hagens himself, too, with the Long Island native repeatedly noting during the post-draft process that he’d like to be in the NHL as soon as possible.
But not before Hagens gives himself and the Eagles another crack at redemption.
