NHL News: Bruins first-round selection James Hagens casts doubts on his future with sincere admission after Draft

The Boston Bruins are gearing up for a crucial NHL season after a disheartening 2024-25 campaign. Now, with Marco Sturm taking over behind the bench, the Spoked B is hoping to leave that troubling image in the past. However, they might be in for a rude awakening, as seventh overall pick James Hagens has dropped a sincere confession about his plans.

The Bruins are still recovering from a grueling NHL campaign in which the organization moved on from key pieces. Brad Marchand, Brandon Carlo, Charlie Coyle, and Trent Frederic are just some of the names headlining the departures.

Though not a total rebuild, it’s clear the Bruins are making a considerable restructure to their lineup. Aiming to become a younger side, the Bruins have re-signed players such as Mason Lohrei (24), Marat Khusnutdinov (22), and Michael Callahan (25).

Obviously, there’s no better way to inject young talent into a team than through the NHL Entry Draft. Boston selected one of the players it had highest on its draft board when it took Hagens with the seventh overall pick. However, the Bruins might not see the 18-year-old at TD Garden right away.

James Hagens poses with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman after being drafted by the Boston Bruins with the number seven overall pick during the first round of the 2025 Upper Deck NHL Draft at the Peacock Theater on June 27, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.

Back to college

Hagens was once considered the top prospect in the 2025 class, but his stock fell while other talents like Matthew Schaefer and Michael Misa continued to rise. Regardless, Hagens didn’t slip past the top 10, as the Bruins took him off the board. While he’s excited to don the Spoked B, Hagens acknowledged having some doubts about his next step.

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NHL News: General manager Don Sweeney breaks silence on Brad Marchand’s possible return to Bruins

“James Hagens said he’s still undecided about a return to [Boston College] but feels he’s ‘ready’ for the NHL,” The Boston Globe’s Jim McBride reported.

One phone call away

While Hagens might return to the Boston College Eagles for the 2025-26 NCAA season, the Bruins could still sign him to his entry-level contract and add him to the roster at any point in the season if they feel it’s the best move for both sides.

In that sense, it’s certainly convenient that Hagens attends school in Chestnut Hill, just 10 miles from TD Garden. Regardless, it seems more likely than not that the 18-year-old won’t be on the Bruins’ opening night roster.