‘I want to be able to win a Beanpot’: Bruins prospect James Hagens confirms he’s headed back to BC

Despite impressing during Boston’s Development Camp earlier this month, Bruins prospect James Hagens seemingly signaled this week that he intends on returning to Boston College for his sophomore season this fall.

In an interview with NHL.com’s Mike G. Morreale, Hagens didn’t mince words when asked about his goals for this upcoming season.

“I want to be able to win a Beanpot, be able to win a national championship,” Hagens, who is currently playing for Team USA at the World Junior Summer Showcase in Minnesota, told Morreale. “Everyone has their roles, but our team goal is winning. That’s what we want to do. We fell short last year, but it’s hopefully going to happen this year.”

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Hagens’s career path after getting selected No. 7 overall in the 2025 NHL Draft offered plenty of intrigue after his impressive showing at Warrior Ice Arena during camp.

Speaking to reporters earlier this month, the 18-year-old Hagens was candid about his hopes of playing NHL hockey this upcoming season.

“I want to be a Boston Bruin,” Hagens said. “I want to be a Boston Bruin really bad. That’s the conversation that I have to have with the staff and management. … But, just to be able to get the draft over and know what team that you’re putting your heart and soul into, it’s a lot better.”

There stands a chance that Hagens might still don a black-and-gold sweater in 2025-26. Granted, it will now come in March or April 2026, after the Eagles’ season wraps up.

As tempting as it might be to roll out Hagens on Oct. 8 to kick off a new season, the Bruins are opting for a more cautious approach by watching the center play out his sophomore season at Chestnut Hill.

Rather than go through growing pains against bruising NHL competition during a potential bridge season in Boston, Hagens should have the opportunity to build off the promise he showcased last season (11 goals, 26 assists in 37 games) as the Eagles’ go-to offensive threat.

With former BC standouts Ryan Leonard and Gabe Perreault now in the pros, Hagens will be tasked with being more assertive as the Eagles’ top scoring conduit in 2025-26 — giving the New York native a prime opportunity to build up his confidence and stuff the stat sheet in Hockey East.

If Hagens makes that progression as a dominant player in the college ranks this season, an entry-level deal with Boston may not be far behind once the Eagles’ season comes to a close.

“There will be no hurry to try and fast-track James [but] I’d say that about every player,” Don Sweeney said in June of the timeline of Hagens’ arrival to the pro game. “If somewhere between now and then that changes, and we feel differently about it as we’re evaluating, we may make that decision. I know he’d like to play right away.

“I’m sure every guy that was drafted [in the first round] thinks they might be able to play in the National Hockey League, but we’ll allow that to take a more natural course and make the right decision for James and the organization.”