#james-hagens

#james-hagens

Several high-level Bruins prospects showed out in the first semifinal of the 73rd Annual Beanpot at TD Garden on Monday night, helping No. 11 Boston College (15-8-1) topple Harvard, 5-1, to get back to the championship game for a second straight year. Perhaps no outing was bigger than those of Boston's two most recent first-round selections, as 2025 seventh-over-all pick James Hagens (two goals, assist) and 2024 25th-overall pick Dean Letourneau (goal, assist) combined to anchor an early offensive eruption. Paired with Boston's 2021 seventh-round selection Andre Gasseau's two assists to help him surpass 100 career points, fans saw a glimpse at the possible future in the Bruins' home arena.

Ultimately, if the Bruins are middling and aren't staring at a potential playoff run, Boston likely wouldn't have to worry about burning Hagens' first year of team control. An 18/19-year-old player can avoid burning the first year of his entry-level deal by playing 10 or fewer games in his first pro season - allowing that contract to slide forward a year. So, if the Bruins are closing out the year without a playoff berth and Hagens is ready to go pro in late March/early April, Boston could give him 8-10 games to dip his toe in the water without worrying about his contract.

Hagens was noticeable in just about every shift during the four-day camp, and made a good first impression by opting to take part in Monday's on-ice session while operating on just two hours of sleep.

People have their own opinion, that's just the way it is. I know that I want to be the first person off the board.