Subscribe
Follow Us
The Boston Bruins are looking to rebound after failing to make the playoffs last season and falling all the way to last place in the Atlantic Division. It was a shocking turn of events for a team that regularly finds itself in the postseason mix and set the NHL record for wins and points just two seasons earlier.
General manager Don Sweeney does not say the Bruins are rebuilding, and the team's management is hoping for a quick turnaround in the 2025-26 season. However, the Bruins traded captain Brad Marchand at last season's trade deadline and it is clear that the team needs significant help on the offensive end if it is going to threaten the Florida Panthers, Toronto Maple Leafs and the other playoff contenders in the division.
The Bruins still have leading scorer David Pastrnak, but they did not hit any home runs during free agency. They also did not make any huge trades that are likely to make opponents fear the team that new head coach Marco Sturm will have at his disposal. The Bruins made several decent moves, including trading for Viktor Arvidsson and signing free agents Sean Kuraly, Mikey Eyssimont and Tanner Jeannot.
Bruins make key move in the draft
The 32-year-old Arvidsson has scored as many as 34 goals in a season and has topped the 20-goal mark five times in his career. He scored 15 goals in 67 games last season for the Edmonton Oilers last season.
Kuraly returns to the Bruins after spending the last four seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He is a solid defensive center who can kill penalties and get the job done in the face-off circle. He has never scored more than 14 goals in a season. Eyssimont is another defensive center who can annoy opponents. He has played for four teams and has four years of NHL experience, including three with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The Bruins appear to have made a huge move with their selection of Boston College center James Hagens in the first round of the NHL Draft.
The Bruins had the No. 7 pick in the opening round, and many draft observers expected him to be selected before Sweeney had a chance to call his name. He was the third-ranked skater by the Central Scouting Bureau because he is a talented scorer, playmaker and leader.
Hagens scored 11 goals and 26 assists for 37 points in 37 games for the Eagles. He appears to have enough size to withstand contact and continue to make plays.
“We’re really excited, the skillset that James brings, the competitiveness, his ability to excel on the big stage against his peer group has really been excellent,” Sweeney said. “He’s a driven kid. He wants to play in those situations.”
Hagens shows off skills at Bruins development camp
The 5-11, 190-pound Hagens has already added some weight and strength to his frame. He made a strong impression at the Bruins development camp with his skating, puck handling and playmaking.
Former Bruins defenseman Adam McQuaid serves as the team's Player Development Coordinator. He was impressed with what he saw from Hagens at the team's player development camp.
” I think the biggest thing, the biggest takeaway, is he didn’t seem to miss a beat after going through a busy couple days,” McQuaid said. “You can tell how smooth he is out there, confident with the puck.
“He came down one end and got to shoot on a goalie and it was like, ‘Alright, here we go.’ He’s driven to score some goals. A great first day and a great first impression as far as on and off the ice.”
The likelihood is that the youngster will continue his college career at Boston College next season. But he could get a chance to compete in training camp and show the team's coaching staff and management all of his capabilities. He may not be far away from winning a spot on the team in the not-too-distant future.
