Bruins select James Hagens at No. 7 overall in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft

(Photo credit: Boston Bruins )

The Boston Bruins entered the 2025 NHL Entry Draft with the No. 7 overall pick, and have officially selected Boston College center, James Hagens.

Hagens, 5' 10", 185lbs, recorded 11G, 26A, 37PTS in 37GP as a true freshman last season at Boston College where he centered the Eagles' top line alongside Ryan Leonard, and Gabriel Perrault - now of the Washington Capitals, and New York Rangers respectively.

The Long Island native is an elite skater, and playmaker with all the makings, and potential of a being future No. 1 center in the NHL - an organizational need that Boston has had since the retirement of Patrice Bergeron.

Hagens was a very decorated prospect heading into his draft year.

He was a USNTDP standout where he accumulated an incredible 39G, 63A, 102PTS in 58GP for the U.S. National U18 Team back in 2023-2024.

Hagens was the projected No. 1 overall draft pick as recent as December, and January during the World Junior Championships where he helped lead Team USA to their second consecutive gold medal.

Since then, his stock has fallen, while others heightened - Matthew Schaefer, and Michel Misa in particular.

Scoring a point per game pace for some reason appeared to be a knock on Hagens by many despite playing against players 2,3,4 years older than him. NCAA Division I hockey is a physically more mature, and tougher league to score in than the Canadian Hockey League where many other NHL prospects play in their draft year.

Hockey East, in particular, is arguably the best division in college hockey.

The CHL may have more pure talent, but the game is younger and less physically mature. Hagens, like other top ten draft prospects, would too have scored 85 - 100+ points had he played in the CHL last season.

So despite sliding to No. 7, make no mistake about it, Hagens has some of the highest potential among players taken in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft.

Here's a link to Hagens' highlights from this past season.

Selecting Hagens was the best scenario possible for Boston as No. 7, and Hagens has as good a chance as any to have history end up telling us that he may eventually go down as the best, or one of the best players to come from this draft.

A night to celebrate for the Boston Bruins, and their fans as the Hagens era in Boston is upon us.

Time will tell when he eventually debuts in Boston, but it will in all likelihood come at the conclusion of his sophomore season at Boston College.