Hauppauge's James Hagens still focused on college hockey with Bruins' tenure on deck
James Hagens poses with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman after being drafted by the Boston Bruins with the seventh overall pick during the 2025 NHL Draft at the Peacock Theater on June 27 in Los Angeles. Credit: Getty Images
Hauppauge’s James Hagens watched both games the Islanders played against the Bruins on the last two Tuesdays. Except now his loyalties have switched.
“I was rooting for the Bruins,” Hagens said in a phone interview with Newsday on Wednesday. “I was hoping they won both times.”
Getting drafted seventh overall by the Bruins in June will do that. Perhaps next season the playmaking center, seven games into his sophomore season at Boston College, will be skating against the team he grew up cheering for while wearing a “Spoked B.”
“Definitely being able to watch all the [Bruins’] games, it’s been cool just keying in on it,” Hagens said. “To be able to see the way they play, it’s helpful.”
The Bruins earned a 4-3 shootout win at UBS Arena on Tuesday night after a 5-2 victory at TD Garden on Oct. 28.
It could have been different. After selecting defenseman Matthew Schaefer first overall, Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche made no secret that he tried to trade up with Hagens still available at No. 7. The Bruins weren’t interested. They wanted Hagens.
Still, Hagens' priority is Boston College’s season. The 5-11, 193-pounder has three goals and four assists in the Eagles’ 2-4-1 start.
Any decision on turning professional when the Bruins eventually offer Hagens an entry-level contract is not a focus right now.
“I’m super-grateful that I was able to get that opportunity [to be drafted], and to be able to stay in Boston was a dream come true,” Hagens said. “Being back at school now, it’s just focusing on the season, focusing day by day. [A contract] is not something I’m worried about right now at all. My head’s here at school. That’s a decision we’ll talk about later.”
But Boston College coach Greg Brown, a Rangers assistant from 2018-21, knows Hagens is working on an accelerated timeline. Typically, an 18-year-old who gets drafted and chooses to play NCAA hockey is entering his freshman season.
Boston College forward James Hagens reacts after scoring a goal during the third period of an NCAA hockey regionals game against Bentley on March 28 in Manchester, N.H. Credit: AP
Hagens came to Boston College as a 17-year-old and notched 11 goals and 26 assists in 37 games as a freshman before the Bruins selected him.
“He’s not going to be a four-year student here,” Brown said in a separate phone interview with Newsday on Wednesday. “His whole clock has been on a bit of fast-forward. So the adjustment period to get used to college, get used to being a student-athlete, all that stuff for him has had to have been sped up. When the Bruins are going to want him is going to be sooner rather than later.”
A key to making the jump from NCAA hockey to the NHL is earning a coach’s trust through responsible defensive play. Hagens has natural offensive instincts and on-ice vision. His defense remains a work in progress, though Brown said it is improved.
Hagens has gotten stronger physically — another must for the NHL — with Brown estimating that he has gained about 10 pounds from his freshman season.
“He’s able to generate offense very well,” Brown said. “He’s so dangerous when he’s carrying the puck, whether it’s through the neutral zone or he does a great job of being able to find space in the offensive zone and play with his head up and look for opportunities to generate scoring chances. That’s going to be his bread-and-butter when he does go to the NHL. We keep pushing him in that direction, but also trying to help him round out his game because you have to be reliable defensively in the NHL, too.
“He’s developing that. You can see it’s much further along this year than it was last year at this time. He acknowledges it and he’s done a good job of focusing on it during video sessions. Asking questions.”
Hagens said attending the Bruins' summer prospect development camp immediately after the draft gave him a foundation of how he needed to play defensively.
“Make sure you can be trusted in the defensive zone, it’s a huge factor,” Hagens said. “You want to be a player that’s trusted in all areas.”
Hagens made no secret leading up to the draft that he wanted to be selected first overall. He matched West Islip’s Mike Komisarek, taken seventh overall by the Canadiens in 2001, as the highest-selected Long Islander.
He has been impressed with Schaefer, who did go No. 1.
“He’s a great player,” Hagens said. “Just seeing how comfortable he feels, he’s doing great.”
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
