James Hagens Makes Early Case for Bruins Roster Spot
The 19-year-old opened camp beside Fraser Minten and Marat Khusnutdinov after scoring six goals in two prospect games.
James Hagens opened Bruins training camp on a line with Fraser Minten and Marat Khusnutdinov, an early opportunity for the 19-year-old to compete for an NHL roster spot.
The trio skated together during Boston's first on-ice practice Thursday. Hagens was used at left wing, and coach Marco Sturm cautioned that combinations can change as the Bruins reduce a 49-player camp roster to 23 before the Sept. 29 opener against the Rangers.
Hagens entered camp after scoring six goals in Boston's two Prospect Showcase games against Buffalo. Four came in Monday's 4-3 overtime win, including the deciding goal.
The seventh pick in the 2025 NHL Draft signed his entry-level contract in April after a short AHL stint with Providence. He recorded one goal and three assists in six AHL games, then appeared in two NHL regular-season games and three playoff games for Boston.
The Bruins have only four preseason games before opening night, so Hagens' NHL case will be tested quickly. If he does not make Boston's roster, he remains eligible to continue his development in Providence.
- boston.com/sports/boston-bruins/2026/09/17/6-things-we-learned-from-first-practice-of-bruins-training-camp↗
- nhl.com/bruins/video/topic/b60/full-game-bos-4-buf-3-ot-prospects-showcase-6405061585112↗
- nhl.com/bruins/news/topic/playoff-news/james-hagens-bruins-prepare-for-prospects-showcase-great-opportunity-for-all-of-us↗
- nhl.com/bruins/news/topic/playoff-news/bruins-announce-roster-and-schedule-for-2026-training-camp↗
