“We want to build trust in our players so when they go up, the coaches have trust in them” - Ryan Mougenel.
The Boston Bruins signed James Hagens this week with the intention of sending him to the American Hockey League to finish the season. The question was whether Hagens, a standout in Boston College and the seventh overall pick in the 2025 draft, would jump straight to Boston or head to Providence first.
The fans wanted him to join the NHL team. Hagens, without question, wants to be in the NHL. The general manager (GM) Don Sweeney and the front office want him in the AHL, and that’s where he’ll be for now. It’s the right move considering where Hagens is as a prospect and how the team plans to develop him.
Providence Will Help Hagens Develop
It’s easy to look at the AHL as a punishment or a message to the player that they aren’t ready and still have work to do. With Hagens, he’s still not a finished product but this move isn’t a punishment. Instead, Hagens is being put in a spot to succeed and a situation that will get the most out of him.
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The Bruins have a handful of veterans on their AHL roster who bring out the most in the younger players. Georgii Merkulov, Matej Blumel, Patrick Brown, and Riley Tufte are not only skilled players who carry the offense. They help mentor the prospects and allow them to take steps forward in their development.
It’s why Dans Locmelis turned into an elite scorer in his rookie season at the AHL level, scoring 15 goals before an injury sidelined him for the rest of the season. It’s why Matthew Poitras suddenly looks like a two-way center who can be on the NHL team. Providence has a culture in place to allow prospects to thrive. “We want to build trust in our players so when they go up, the coaches have trust in them,” head coach Ryan Mougenel noted in a conversation with The Hockey News.
It also explains why the team has the best record in the AHL. Hagens is being put in a good spot where he can still round out his game and, more importantly, will play on a team that is set up to make a deep playoff run. The Calder Cup games will do more for his development than anything else, and he’ll have the chance to make significant strides in his short time in the AHL.
Hagens Still Has Work to Do
Hagens was the seventh pick in the latest draft and has the skill to stand out in the NHL. His production at Boston College reflected that as well, with his 23 goals and 24 assists while moving from center to the wing down the stretch.
That move to the wing is a big reason to question whether he’s ready for the NHL. Hagens was drafted as a center, yet made most of his impact this season on the wing and will likely be developed in that role. In the AHL, he can still work on his game at that position or move back to center to improve there. He can’t work on that in the NHL.
The other issue is his playstyle. Hagens stepped up in Boston College but the college level and the schedule are far less intense than the AHL or the NHL. Boston College head coach Greg Brown noted how the team tries to make up for that with intense games but the reality is that they play on the weekends and don’t have the rigid back-to-backs or three-in-threes that the next level has.
Hagens would struggle in the second game of back-to-backs and wasn’t a complete player in college either. He was scoring, and he had to work on his defensive play. Down the stretch, Hagens improved in that area. “Now he’s backchecking, defending, stomping on pucks, all the little things that go into winning hockey,” Brown mentioned following a 2-1 Feb. 21 win over UConn, a game where the star player was a non-factor on offense but stepped up on the defensive end.
Hagens has the skill to be a star in the NHL. That said, he’s not there yet, and the Bruins know that. It’s why this stretch will be key for him to work on those skills.
Where He Fits on the AHL Team?
With Locmelis out with the season-ending injury, the AHL team has a void on the wing. Hagens can slide right in and play on the same line as Poitras with Merkulov on the other wing. This gives Providence a skilled trio that can get favorable matchups and find the back of the net on any shift.
For Hagens, this allows him to find open looks on the wing and take advantage of his shot. Merkulov, particularly, can set the tone with his skill and ability to defend despite playing in a smaller frame, and it’s something Hagens can emulate.
It’s worth adding that Hagens will be put in all types of situations in Providence. There will be times when he’ll be asked to center a line. Likewise, the power play will allow him to move around, find open looks, and make the most of his playmaking. The Bruins will now see what their top prospect is truly made of and what he can bring to the next level.