The 2025 NHL Draft Lottery was won by the New York Islanders back in May. New York’s victory opened the door for hometown product James Hagens to remain local. Unfortunately, this did not happen. Instead, he is taking his talents to the Boston Bruins.

(Team) drafted Hagens with the (No. Pick) in the 2025 NHL Draft. It’s a bit of a fall for Hagens. He entered the season as the headlining player of this class. Still, he is a first-round talent and has a lot of potential in the NHL.

Hagens has made waves at nearly every level. Now, he prepares for his future in the NHL. He is a bit of a polarizing player to some. Overall, though, there is a lot Bruins fans will come to love about the Boston College product in the coming years.

What Bruins fans must know about James Hagens

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As mentioned, the 2025 NHL Draft process began with Hagens as the headline act. He brought a ton of intrigue to the college hockey scene after dominating against his peers on the international stage. And he lived up to the hype, producing a point-per-game freshman season in 2024-25.

Hagens is not the flashiest player in the class, though he is very skilled. He does possess the ability to leverage his playmaking to make crucial plays in clutch moments. The Long Island native is a fantastic defender, as well. In the long run, he could anchor his team’s first line and play in all situations.

There are certainly some areas for improvement in his game. For instance, scouts would love to see him improve his play off the puck. They’d also like to see him become a bit harder to knock off it. However, when he has the puck, he’s elite. And he could be the next star for the Bruins in rather short order.