James Hagens Is A Boston Bruin

James Hagens Is A Boston Bruin

james Higgins is a Boston Bruin he falls to Boston at number seventh overall and the Bruins seem to have had a successful day one at the NHL entry draft all this and more in the latest episode of Bruins Die Hards so buckle up Bruins fans i’m here to give you the latest info on your beloved Boston Bruins if you’ve been liking my Bruins content please leave me a like and subscribe if you’ve already done so thank you and let’s get into it he scores i’m going to do a full recap of the draft in another video but couldn’t wait to talk about the Boston Bruins not going off the board and taking who everyone thought they should take at number seven and that’s James Hagens hagens before the start of the season was rated by most scouts one or two in the central draft rankings but some thought he had a disappointing season in Boston College and that brought him down in the past the scouts look past his physicality weakness and size because his pure offensive talent saying a player though is small at 5’11 is a bit much for me but that’s the age of hockey we’re in and even though the game has quickly transitioned from clutch and grab with punishing hits into a more speed and skill game with some physicality over the years fans still clamor for the punch in the face type hockey florida Panthers though didn’t just outmuscle the Edmonton Oilers they suffocated them defensively and outscored them by a wide margin so why is it everybody says you need to be tough the Panthers had offensive weapons on almost every line and made it impossible for the Oilers to check and overcome anything they threw at them last season we saw the Bruins get bigger and meaner than they’ve have since the 70s yet they looked terrible out of the gate and they had no transition game and no pace yes the Bruins were big and tough but no one in the NHL cared and outscored them almost every night yes size and toughness is still needed but you need a mix of speed and skill as well i saw many on social media and in my comments screaming from the rooftops the Bruins need to draft either Brady Martin or Roger McQueen martin was already selected by the Predators and I think when a player like Hagens falls into your lap you can’t pass on him at Boston College Hagens played in all 37 games scoring 11 goals and adding 26 assists for a point per game pace that wasn’t the breakout season like Mlin Celibbrini had the year previously but it was still impressive hagens addressed the so-called down year last year at Boston College after he was drafted by saying “Yeah I think next year you’ll be able to hopefully see what I’ve got i thought this year was really good just got to go out there next year and prove everyone that passed on me wrong but I’m in a spot where I want to be i want to be a Boston Bruin and I’m really excited to get things going.” Even Sweeney was asked about it by reporters after the draft and immediately denied the notion he had a bad year and said “You look at James track record he’s been a terrific point producer hagens has elite skating creativity and a two-way play that make him dangerous every time he steps on the ice he’s able to slow the game down and has a tendency to be a pass first player but still drives the play when he’s on the ice dominic Tiano said “Hagens is widely regarded as one of the most cerebral and dynamic playmakers of his draft class his hockey sense is off the charts he reads the ice with levels of anticipation that will allow him to see plays unfolding well before they materialize this foresight enables him to execute passes through tight seams or deliver pinpoint setups that catch defenders flat-footed whether threading a soft touch pass through traffic or launching a crisp feed across multiple layers of defense Hagens consistently elevates the play of those around him leading up to the draft there was a chatter that the Bruins look to move the seventh overall pick because the New York Islanders wanted their hometown boy in James Hagen but I’m certainly glad the Bruins didn’t trade that pick i was a bit nervous when they said the Bruins were on the clock but glad in the end the Bruins made the pick i would love to know if the Islanders offered Boston anything for the pick but if it was just the first two picks that they acquired from the Montreal deal and the Dobson trade then the Bruins choice was a no-brainer hagens mentioned he didn’t pay attention to the chatter leading up to the draft but I’m sure it was hard to ignore it has been reported though by Elliot Freeman that the Islanders did in fact call Boston when Higgins was available at 7 and the answer was no it’s great to hear the Bruins saw something in Hagens enough to turn down the Islanders and whatever their offer was there was stipulation everywhere some people saying throw Barcel in just those two first regardless I truly think the Bruins made the right call here hagens mentioned he was speaking with the Bruins a lot throughout the season but it did give the Bruins an advantage because one he plays at Boston College and two there’s a couple Bruins prospects that play on Boston College already that list includes last year’s first round selection in Dean Lerno Oscar Jelvik Andre Gassau and Christian Costadinski that will make for some easy scouting next season for the Bruins to watch these kids develop and I would think would help these kids come together as a team more knowing they’re all part of the same NHL organization hagens seems eager to play in the NHL but Don Sweeney said there’s no rush to push his development i think Hagens plays at Boston College next season but if he has a very successful year I wouldn’t rule out the Bruins doing exactly what they did with Makavoy if the Bruins are in the playoffs or if he’s eager to sign the last thing the Bruins want to do is play that game of if they won’t they and he goes and signs somewhere else i’m not saying that’s going to happen but it has happened with college players in the past it doesn’t seem like that’s going to happen with Hagens but anything’s possible so I truly think he signs with the Bruins but I don’t think he plays this year i I do think he either plays at the very end of this year but I really think he’ll be in the Bruins lineup the following season sweeney mentioned he sees him as a top center because this is where he’s played his whole life and honestly that’s news to my ears with his size in question I thought we might see a Tyler Sean situation where they tried him on the wing even though Sean’s situation was a little bit differently they wanted to get him in the top six and there was no room at center because the Bruins had such depth back then the good news for Hagens is the Bruins depth down the middle isn’t the best right now and their offensive weapons are limited after Pastnack and Geeky in the forward group i realize they have others but Pastnack and Geeki are by far the cream of the crop before we hear like the Hagens doesn’t want to be on the Bruins stuff the kids seem more than happy to be a Boston Bruin and said so himself i wanted to be a spot that wanted me the most he said “I want to be in a good spot and I’m so lucky that it ended up being the Boston Bruins it’s the best spot in the world it’s a dream come true for me and I know my whole entire family i’m just so excited right now i’m really excited to be say able to say that I’m a Boston Bruin and I take a lot of pride in that i did see some people saying Hagens wants to be an Islander because that’s what the team he grew up watching and he was a big Tavvaris fan and a Patrick Kane fan growing up wouldn’t that mean he wants to be a Leaf 2 or a Redwing like just because a kid cheers for a specific team growing up doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to play for that organization that drafts him do we not all remember when Makaoy sent out a tweet saying he hates the Boston Bruins hagggins instantly jumps to the top of the Bruins prospect pool and will be at development camp which starts on June 30th at Warrior Ice Arena as Bruins fans we don’t have to wait long to see him skate in the black and gold it would be hard to predict when and where Higgins plays in the lineup but if I had to guess he will play at Boston College this season i would think following the season is when we get to see him in the black and gold my guess is they want him to slot him in and as the 2C with hopes that he flourishes and works his way to the 1C spot i would say that with the whole Hagens thing this might spell you know Matthew Potra being expendable i’m not saying that that’s going to happen or maybe they look to moving him over to on the wing but with Lynholm as such a a long-term contract and Potra probably needing to be in that top six Hagens now in your prospect pool it either makes Potra expendable or you move him over to the wing with Hagens being the biggest profile draft pick since Charlie Makavoy it’s exciting for Bruins fans and hopefully he works out and has a bright future prospects can be anyone’s guess but a high-profile one like Hagens more likely than not will have a successful NHL career i want to hear from you though how excited were you when the Bruins got James Hagens and what do you think of the pick that’s a wrap on today’s video to stay up to date on all the news surrounding the Boston Bruins please subscribe and drop me a like if news breaks surrounding the Boston Bruins be sure to check out the channel if you’ve already subscribed to the channel thank you and I’ll see you next time

The Boston Bruins drafted James Hagens 7th overall at the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. He plays for Boston College, but what should fans expect from him, and when should they expect to see him play?

ON the latest Bruins Diehards, I try to answer those questions.

#nhlbruins #bostonbruinsnews #bostonbruins #nhldraft2025

Source

Dom – https://dom.hockey/2025/06/27/getting-to-know-bruins-first-round-pick-james-hagens/

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