Bruins' First-Rounder Makes Top Young Players List

At the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, the Boston Bruins selected forward James Hagens in the first round with the seventh-overall pick. When noting that the 19-year-old center was expected to go earlier in the draft, the Bruins were lucky that he was still available once they were on the clock.

Hagens is viewed as having high potential, and it has landed him some praise. This is because the Bruins prospect was given the No. 41 spot on Ryan Kennedy's top 100 players 21-and-under list for The Hockey News.

When noting that Hagens has the skill to blossom into a top-six NHL center, it is understandable that he has made Kennedy's list of top young players. There is no question that Hagens has a lot of potential and should be a big part of the Bruins' future because of it.

Hagens has appeared in 13 games so far this season with Boston College, where he has recorded six goals, seven assists, 13 points, and an even plus/minus rating. This is after he had 11 goals, 26 assists, 37 points, and a plus-21 rating in 37 games with BC during the 2024-25 season as a freshman.

With numbers like these, it is clear that Hagens is a prospect who Bruins fans should be excited about.