James Hagens is only 19, but the Bruins are already leaning on him like a player well beyond his rookie label.
Through 12 games of the 2026-27 season, Boston’s youngest player has been one of its most valuable. He’s tied for the NHL rookie scoring lead with nine points, piling up four goals and five assists while working mostly in third-line minutes and without a spot on the top power-play unit.
His latest impact came Saturday at TD Garden against the San Jose Sharks. Hagens set up Casey Mittelstadt’s opening goal, then later snapped in the go-ahead score in the third period after pouncing on a loose puck in the crease. That winner came just 40 seconds after David Pastrnak tied the game, and it sent the Garden into a frenzy.
The offense has been the headliner, and for good reason. Hagens has scored in seven of his 12 games, giving Boston a much-needed shot of high-end skill. The Bruins were desperate for more punch after managing just 1.25 goals over the final four games of their first-round playoff series loss to the Buffalo Sabres last season, and Hagens is helping fill that void in a way that doesn’t look typical for a teenage forward.
He’s doing a lot of his damage in the hard areas. Three of his four goals have come from within seven feet of the net, and he’s shown no hesitation going straight into traffic and fighting bigger defensemen for space. That willingness showed up again in last week’s overtime loss to the Dallas Stars, when Hagens beat Miro Heiskanen to the front of the net and redirected a Mittelstadt feed past Jake Oettinger to give Boston a second-period lead.
“He’s smart. He’s obviously not a big guy, but for his age, he’s very smart around the net, and even the goal in Dallas, that’s even more impressive than today, I feel like, with outmuscling the D over there," David Pastrnak told reporters after Saturday's win. "Like I said, fun to watch and seeing him every game being more comfortable and it’s up to us to push him and be here for him and help him every day.”
Bruins coach Marco Sturm pointed to the same trait after the win over San Jose, saying the team has been encouraging Hagens to attack the inside more often.
“We're pushing him pretty hard, getting more to the paint and getting more to the inside," Bruins head coach Marco Sturm said after the win vs. the Sharks. "That’s where you score the goals.
Good for him that he realized that. Look at his four goals he scored, right?
Good for him just listening and taking it really seriously.”
Hagens has also made his presence felt away from the puck. He leads all NHL forwards, rookies included, with 16 blocked shots, a sign of how committed he’s been to the defensive side as well. It’s another part of his game that’s helping Boston feel his presence every night.
“It’s definitely something that I try to take pride in," Hagens told reporters last week when asked about blocking shots. "It’s just the d-zone, and when a guy is getting ready to shoot, if that’s your guy, you’re going to make sure that you’re in the shooting lane.”
There’s still a long way to go in the season, and rookie slumps are part of the deal. But what Hagens has delivered so far has been exactly what the Bruins hoped for - and probably more.
Boston had no luck in the 2025 or 2026 draft lotteries. But Hagens tumbling to No. 7 in 2025, after being projected as the No. 1 pick early in his draft year, has already started to look like a major break for the franchise.
In Other News...
Will Borgen Is Giving The Bruins Something They Desperately Needed
The Bruins knew they needed help on the back end when they sent backup goalie Joonas Korpisalo to the Rangers for Will Borgen on July 1, and so far the move has given them exactly the kind of steady presence they were looking for. Borgen has fit in quickly, bringing a calmer, more reliable edge to a blue line that has had to absorb the absence of Charlie McAvoy while trying to keep the team organized in its own zone.
Through his first stretch in Boston, Borgen has stood out for the way he has handled his minutes and simplified things for the rest of the defense corps. Marco Sturm has liked what he has seen from the newcomer, and the early returns suggest the Bruins may have found a useful piece for a group that badly needed one. [Read more 🡒]
James Hagens Is Giving Bruins Fans A Reason To Dream Early
James Hagens has given the Bruins an early jolt of optimism in his first stretch of the 2026-27 season. The 19-year-old forward, taken seventh overall in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, has settled into a third-line role alongside Casey Mittlestadt and Elias Lindholm, and he has already shown enough poise to look comfortable in NHL minutes. Through 12 games, he has supplied a steady mix of offense and quick decision-making that has fit neatly into Bostons lineup.
David Pastrnak has noticed the way Hagens plays around the crease, where patience and touch can matter just as much as speed. For a young player still carving out his place, the encouraging part is not only the production but the way he is finding important moments without forcing the issue. The Bruins have plenty of season left to sort out, but Hagens is already giving the fan base a reason to think the future might arrive sooner than expected. [Read more 🡒]
Bruins Suddenly Have New Roster Momentum Heading Into Tough Trip
The Bruins returned to practice with a little more stability around the roster just as the schedule starts to get tougher. Boston heads out on a two-game road trip carrying a three-point lead in the Atlantic Division, and the timing of the latest developments could hardly be better for a team trying to keep its footing in a crowded race.
Marat Khusnutdinov is now locked in for the long haul after signing a three-year contract extension, giving the Bruins one less item to worry about as they move deeper into the season. The last game also offered a boost in net, where Michael DiPietro picked up his first NHL shutout, the kind of performance that can quiet a few questions and give a club some extra confidence before heading on the road. [Read more 🡒]