James Hagens has already given the Bruins something unexpected this season, and it has nothing to do with the scoring totals people usually attach to a seventh overall pick.
The 19-year-old forward led all NHL forwards in blocked shots going into Saturday’s games with 16, including three against the Nashville Predators. That number even caught Hagens off guard.
“I don’t think that was on my bingo card at all,” said Hagens with a laugh. “But when it’s your turn, you’ve got to be ready and willing to get in front of it.”
Around him, the reaction has been the same: surprise, then appreciation. Casey Mittelstadt, who skates on Hagens’ line, pointed to the willingness Hagens has shown to put his body in shooting lanes.
“That’s a surprising one for a lot of us, I think,” said his linemate Casey Mittelstadt. “Obviously kudos to him.
He’s getting in the way. In the last game, I think he had three on (Roman) Josi alone, which is not an easy one to block.
Impressive, for sure.”
Hagens arrived with plenty of buzz, not only because of where he was drafted in 2025, but because fans in the area had already watched him for two seasons at Boston College. Still, the early-season twist has been his work in the less glamorous parts of the game.
A natural centerman, Hagens has been used on the wing this season, and he’s doing that work on what has essentially been a checking line with Mittelstadt and Elias Lindholm. For a player who has been known as a big point producer at every level, it’s been a different kind of assignment, and he sounds like he’s embracing it.
“Every day, whether it’s another practice or a game, you can always learn,” he said. “For me, it’s just being able to go out there, talk with my linemates and the guys on the team, also being able to learn from the other guys what they’re doing. The coaches are talking, making sure you’re listening, so that’s been something that’s been really helpful for me.”
Hagens also said he enjoys the test of going up against the league’s best while trying to hold up defensively and create offense when the chances come.
“It’s crazy to be able to go out there against some of the best players in the world. It’s an honor,” said Hagens. “But at the same time, you really have to be able to take responsibility in defense and try to generate offense when you get the chance.”
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Morgan Geekie's Bruins Drought Is Becoming Hard To Ignore
Morgan Geekie was one of the Bruins most productive finishers a year ago, leading the club with 39 goals and quickly becoming one of the more reliable sources of offense in the lineup. This season has looked very different so far, though, with the winger still contributing in other ways through seven assists while his goal total has lagged behind what Boston expected from him.
Geekie has been measured about the dry spell, sticking to a selective shooting approach while also acknowledging the need to be more active in generating offense. The next step is finding more of those chances on his own, particularly when turnovers open the ice, because the Bruins would like their top scorer from last season to start turning looks into goals again. [Read more 🡒]
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Marco Sturm has noticed the difference, praising Mittelstadts pace and consistency while crediting the work he put in over the summer. Mittelstadt has sounded pleased with where his game is headed, too, and the growing chemistry hes building with James Hagens and Elias Lindholm gives the Bruins another useful layer as they continue sorting out their lineup options. [Read more 🡒]
Bruins Hot Start Faces A Real Test As Geekie Pressure Builds
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Morgan Geekie is part of the subplots worth watching as the Bruins try to keep the streak alive. He has picked up seven assists in 11 games and has talked about the frustration of a scoring slump, leaving Boston with one more layer to monitor as the schedule tightens and the spotlight stays on whether the start is sustainable. [Read more 🡒]