Bruins prime decide James Hagens in all probability can be again at Boston School within the fall
Good luck, every one (mentioned finest within the lamenting tone of “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen”).
James Hagens, a rising sophomore at Boston School and one of many draft’s extra gifted recent faces, came upon Friday evening that his hopes matched these of the Bruins. He went No. 7, the best decide the Bruins have made in 15 years. They’ll each start to study Monday morning, with the beginning of the Black and Gold improvement camp in Brighton, how or if these hopes actually align. Simply take into account, whereas contemplating odds, the protected guess right here is that Hagens can be again on the Heights this fall whereas the Bruins proceed to recuperate from the two-hander throughout the again that was their 2024-25 season to nowhere.
The four-day camp for Hagens primarily can be only a solution to get acquainted together with his pro-to-be environs, even when, with BC simply up the road, it gained’t appear all that new to him.
“It’ll really feel good,” Hagens mentioned late Friday evening, when requested his ideas on his Monday debut. “We skated at Warrior a bunch of occasions this 12 months for [BC] practices so it’s not prefer it’s going to be nerve-racking or something. I do know a bunch of the prospects that’ll be there.”
Now, certain, it might be one good thing if Hagens, a left-shot heart, turned out to be the franchise’s subsequent Patrice Bergeron, capable of take that humongous step from newbie hockey proper into the bigs (albeit as a winger for the then- teenaged Bergeron).
Even larger nonetheless if Hagens tracked like Ray Bourque, who made that very same junior-to-NHL bounce because the No. 8 decide in 1979, and instantly put down tracks, starting at age 18, to change into the blueliner to gather essentially the most targets (410), most assists (1,169) and most factors (1,579) in NHL historical past. Yessir, how GM Don Sweeney would like to pause, drop his menu and inform the waitress, “I’ll have what Harry Sinden had.”
What might — once more, might — be sensible for the 5-foot-11-inch Hagens, who earlier this 12 months gained World Junior gold with Crew USA, is a second season with the BC varsity through which he boosts his freshman offensive output of a point-per-game (11-26–37). Bear in mind, he had but to show 18 when he entered class at Chestnut Hill final fall. From an age perspective, he was a real freshman in Hockey East, with a number of the opposing taking part in inventory 5 and 6 years older. Such an age unfold may be unimaginable for some children.
“There’s no disgrace in the kind of 12 months he had …,” mentioned Sweeney, whereas noting that the school sport is dotted with gamers of equal age placing up greater numbers, “… taking part in on the highest line with one of many prime groups within the nation. There’s no concern on our half in pondering he took a step again [from his time with the National Team Development Program] from a manufacturing standpoint. He’ll be completely high-quality from a manufacturing standpoint — and that’s why we drafted him. We really feel he’s a man who may help generate offensively, proceed to spherical out his 200-foot sport … and he’s produced at each degree he’s been.”
Sweeney believes there’s an opportunity that Hagens, based mostly on what may very well be BC’s general offensive wants in 2025-26, will take a extra shot-first strategy his sophomore season. If that’s the case, his numbers might rise from the 11 he potted as a freshman, which ranked fifth on the Maroon and Gold and fewer than half the team-high 30 posted by Ryan Leonard, who was typically his linemate. Leonard turned professional with the Capitals instantly after BC’s season.
If Hagens beefed up his numbers, and added a little bit of dimension (180 kilos) and stamina, the following huge/logical step may very well be turning professional with AHL Windfall subsequent spring.
Sound acquainted? It’s exactly that path that fellow Lengthy Islander Charlie McAvoy adopted in 2016-17 as a sophomore at Boston College.
McAvoy, then 19, posted 5-21—26 in Yr Two as a Terrier — numbers in digital lockstep together with his freshman season — and turned professional with the WannaBs that spring. After solely 4 video games with Windfall, he joined the varsity and made his Bruins debut within the 2017 playoffs vs. the Senators. Now 595 NHL video games later, together with 91 within the playoffs, it seems just like the plan labored.
Sweeney’s mantra: “each participant in his time,” by no means adjustments. He believes, and is essentially appropriate, that the children name the tune, that their progress as amateurs is what most determines the timeline. Granted, it was many years in the past, however as an undersized Crimson defenseman, Sweeney felt he wanted all 4 years at Harvard after the Bruins made him the 166th decide within the ‘84 draft. He was proper, and it labored for him.
With out instantly saying it, or expressing it, Sweeney late Friday evening was telling Hagens to exit this 12 months at BC and present he’s prepared for the present. The Bruins certain might use a child who kicks down the door, in Bergeron and Bourque fashion. Oh, to dream.
Sweeney additionally famous that almost all, if not all, 18-year-olds determine on draft day, if not for a 12 months or two earlier than, that their time is now. In the present day. Let the video games start! Historical past reveals, and painfully in some instances, that to not be the case.
Exhibit A: of the 224 gamers chosen in final June’s draft at Las Vegas, solely six of these teeny boppers logged regular-season NHL video games this previous season. Their complete: 105 video games. Just one, San Jose’s Macklin Celebrini (70 of these 105 video games) was a bona fide common.
Hope shapes the NHL Draft. Actuality is, the present has simply begun, and the finding out begins with that first drop of the puck at Monday’s camp.
Kevin Paul Dupont may be reached at kevin.dupont@globe.com.