The Boston Bruins pulled the trigger on their ace up their sleeve, signing James Hagens to a three-year, entry-level contract and calling him up to the NHL.
Hagens, 19, played six games with Providence, posting one goal, three assists, and four points. That came after he had 23 goals, 24 assists, 47 points, and a plus-10 rating in 34 games with Boston College this season.
The Bruins selected Hagens with the seventh overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, snagging a player who some thought could go inside the top three.
Bruins Head Coach Marco Sturm will likely plug Hagens into the third line, skating him alongside Fraser Minten and Marat Khusnutdinov, giving Boston a new kid line.
It's the best fit for Hagens and the team. Yes, it's fun to ponder how well he'd mesh with David Pastrnak, but there's time in the future for that. Morgan Geekie proved on Tuesday that the best situation is to have himself and Elias Lindholm with Pastrnak.
Hagens will immediately be a trustworthy two-way forward, with incredible playmaking and skill to go with great speed.
He should be on the second power play unit, a spot where Lukas Reichel had been earning some time on.
Hagens will still need to adjust to the physicality of the league, no doubt. Still, his arrival marks the continuing march forward for Boston, with his elite skill and talent immediately becoming one of the best of anyone wearing the Spoked B.
Calling up Hagens now was the right move. He'll make his NHL debut in front of a raucous home crowd on Saturday afternoon against the Tampa Bay Lightning, all while getting multiple practice days in to settle in.
Hagens will be a great Bruin. These are the first steps, mirroring that of Charlie McAvoy's first steps a decade ago.