No Guarantee James Hagens Plays Saturday, Marco Sturm Says
· Yahoo Sports
BRIGHTON, MA – James Hagens is here.
The Boston Bruins seventh-overall draft pick from the 2025 draft was at Warrior Ice Arena on Thursday morning, joining his new team for practice ahead of their next game on Saturday.
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“Yeah, this is a dream come true for me,” Hagens said after practice. “Something I grew up my whole life dreaming of, to be able to be here, you know, part of an NHL organization. It’s a really special moment.”
Hagens, the Long Island native, was drafted after his first year at Boston College. He stayed at school for another year, returned to the World Junior Championships, and then joined the Providence Bruins for six games.
He had four points (1-3–4) in the AHL, three coming on the power play, and he played on the left wing, similar to this season at BC.
It was his decision to start in Providence.
“First of all, having him playing games in Providence was awesome. I think he decided to go there and have that experience. As soon as I heard that, it was, this is great,” Marco Sturm said on Thursday. “I think that was the right thing for him, as a player, and I think as an organization. Now we want to get him to the next step, and that’s being with us.”
He skated on lines with Patrick Brown and Riley Tufte, as well as Georgii Merkulov and Matt Poitras. He also spent time on the top power play unit.
“It taught me a lot,” Hagens said about his time in Providence. “The guys there, just being around that type of culture as well, something we had at Boston College, it felt like, too. Just seeing a winning culture, guys that want to show up to the rink, guys that love to be there. It’s something that makes it so fun. So it was great to be around.”
The timing worked out well for the Bruins, who are off until Saturday afternoon. With a quick practice on Thursday, the team is set for a larger one on Friday, giving Hagens time to settle in.
Sturm said the call-up had nothing to do with the team’s four-game losing streak, nor the revolving door at third-line left wing.
“We want to do the right thing for that kid and for the organization,” he said. “I was lucky enough to be also a part of this in LA with having college kids coming up and junior kids coming up. They need time.”
Sturm: “Nothing, nothing. The road trip we had, nothing to do with it. Absolutely nothing.”
— Jack Studley (@jackstudley13) April 9, 2026
“We want to do the right thing for that kid and for the organization. I was lucky enough to be also a part of this in LA with having college kids coming up and junior kids coming up. They… pic.twitter.com/j3q5LzDsdf
The team skated for a short practice, so they did not take line rushes. However, Hagens is ready for wherever Sturm slots him into the lineup.
“Yeah, I just want to be able to give them my all in whatever spot they need me to,” Hagens said. “Like I said, just now, it’s a day-by-day process, but right now I’m just worried about today. Just worried about where I am right now, and I don’t want to look too far in the future.”
Sturm did not comment on his role, either, citing the team’s practice tomorrow.
But despite the excitement, Sturm did not guarantee that Hagens will make his debut on Saturday.
“That’s going back to the situation we’re in right now. If we will be out of the playoff picture, 10 points behind, that’s a no-brainer, right? To throw him in,” Sturm said. “That would be the easy one. And it wouldn’t matter how good he is or not. You want to give those kids opportunities. It’s different now for us. So again, my job is to do the right thing for this team, but also, I want to protect this kid. You know, it’s not fair sometimes either to throw players in situations where they can’t handle it or maybe they’re not ready. I don’t know. It doesn’t matter. But again, when it’s the right time, next game, the following game, whatever it is, I will do that. But I want to make sure I hit a lot of the right boxes before I do that.”
When he does suit up, Hagens will don No. 44, a pivot away from the No. 10 he wore at Boston College and with Team USA.
“I used to wear it as a kid, growing up when I played for the Long Island Royals,” Hagens said about the choice. “I talked to family, and I thought it would be really cool to go 44, just have four in the number again.”
Hagens led the Hockey East in scoring, as well as finishing as a top 10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Award.
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