Boston Bruins
“It’d be Marco’s decision in terms of who goes in and who comes out of the lineup.”
James Hagens made the jump from the collegiate ranks to the pro game late Monday night.
But the Bruins’ top prospect and future top-six fixture’s arrival in Boston this season is far from a guarantee as Marco Sturm’s club tries to cement its standing in the playoff picture.
Hagens signed an AHL amateur tryout agreement (ATO) on Monday, with the 19-year-old forward starting his career with the Providence Bruins.
Though the Bruins could sign Hagens to an entry-level contract at any point moving forward this season (including the playoffs), Boston GM Don Sweeney acknowledged on Tuesday night that the Bruins aren’t going to rush their best prospect in over a decade if he doesn’t acclimate to the pro game in the coming days.
“He’s excited to be able to play right away,” Sweeney said of starting Hagens’ pro reps in the AHL. “And I think this presents that opportunity right away. And then we just get to explore options as it goes along. He gets acclimated to the pro game. It’s a big step coming from college, and it just allows him to jump right into the lineup.”
Hagens took another step forward in his development during his sophomore season at Boston College — posting 47 points (23 goals, 24 assists) over 34 games while helping the Eagles win their first Beanpot title since 2016.
Hagens’ playmaking capabilities and edge work make him the type of player who could conceivably provide a late-season jolt in Boston, especially within the club’s transition game and laboring power play.
But Sweeney stressed that the Bruins’ current playoff push — with points at a premium in these logjammed Eastern Conference standings — also means that Boston isn’t going to turn Hagens loose in these high-stakes games right away.
Not without Hagens showing that he can handle the rigors of the pro game first.
“But deep down, this just gives him the opportunity. He was ready to leave school, he wanted to leave and have the opportunity to play pro, and this provides the immediate opportunity to be in the lineup and take what a lot of people think are necessary steps.”
Hagens, expected to make his pro debut on Wednesday night when Providence takes on the Springfield Thunderbirds on the road, could get the call-up to the NHL if he stuffs the stat sheet with the P-Bruins.
But Sweeney stressed that the Bruins aren’t going to accelerate Hagens’ timeline based on just his draft pedigree or potential as a top-six talent.
“James believes in his skill set,” Sweeney said. “Marco has even pointed it out, the speed and skill that we identify can add to our lineup and complement our lineup, and we would like to. But it has to be at a stage where you can trust a player. And that’s what James is going to start to go through here.
“He’s been doing it for the rest of the second part of the year, in particular, when we identified some things, and our development staff worked with him. And he’ll apply that while in games, real early on in pro, and see if it translates. If it doesn’t translate this year, it’ll translate next year, and we’ll just go down the normal path a player takes. But the skill and the offensive acumen that he has are exciting for us.
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