The last time the Boston Bruins had a top-10 draft pick before 2025 was all the way back in 2011, when they selected Dougie Hamilton No. 9 overall. Hamilton had three decent years with Boston before being shipped to Calgary.
15 years later, the Bruins are hoping their most recent top-10 pick will create a more significant impact than Hamilton could.
James Hagens was selected No. 7 overall in 2025, falling a few spots after there were projections that he could go No. 1 overall heading into his draft year. The New York native posted a stellar collegiate season just a few miles away from TD Garden at Boston College in the 2025-26 season, and signed his entry-level deal with Boston in April.
Now, the Bruins are hoping Hagens can step into a big role this season as he gets ready for his rookie season in the NHL.
Hagens Scores Twice at Bruins Prospect Showcase
The Bruins sent their prospect core to take on the Buffalo Sabres prospects on Sunday, Sept. 13. Hagens potted two goals in Boston’s 6-2 victory over Buffalo.
Obviously a prospect showcase is not the NHL by any means at all, but it is a setting where Hagens was up against his developmental peers. And he didn’t just look like he belonged: he dominated. A fleet-footed, complete offensive threat, Hagens success has always come from his creativity and his hockey IQ, and that is what was on display in the showcase.
Both goals were bonafide snipes, and both came from the slot with no one around him. For the novice hockey fan, the slot is where the defense typically pack their players to keep the goalie from facing point blank shots. You don’t get open in the slot without speed, quickness, and an exceptional read of the defense.
Hagens got a chance to skate in five NHL games at the end of the 2026 season, two in the regular season and three in the playoffs against Buffalo. He only put up one assist in that time, but his presence was certainly felt.
Hagens Hoping to Crack Bruins Lineup to Start Season
James Hagens has dominated every level of hockey he’s ever played. He scored 115 points in 54 games at Mount St. Charles Academy as a 15-year-old, put up 102 points in 58 games with the U-18 NTDP team, and notched 84 points in 71 collegiate games in Hockey East.
All of that success came as he played against his peers, developmentally. Now, Hagens is still just 19-years-old, so if he plays for the Bruins this season, he’ll be going up against players far older and more experienced than him.
This prospect showcase and the Bruins’ preseason slate are the biggest obstacle standing in his way from making the opening night roster. If, for some reason, the speed and size of the game seems overwhelming for him, there is a chance Boston sends him to AHL Providence to start the season.
That seems unlikely though. Hagens has always been undersized and found a way to use his skill to work around that. He certainly has the speed and skill to compete at the NHL level, and Boston absolutely needs more players like him to compete in a competitive Atlantic Division this season.
Bruins’ Top Prospect Makes Statement at Prospect Showcase