Bruins keep pick, draft James Hagens with 7th overall pick
The Bruins have drafted Boston College star James Hagens with the seventh overall pick.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 27: James Hagens poses with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman after being drafted by the Boston Bruins with the number seven overall pick during the first round of the 2025 Upper Deck NHL Draft at the Peacock Theater on June 27, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Don Sweeney and the Bruins explored their options, but ultimately decided to keep the seventh overall pick, and welcomed James Hagens to the organization with their selection Friday night in Los Angeles.
Hagens, at one point considered a frontrunner to be the No. 1 overall pick in this year's class, is coming off a point-per-game season at Boston College, with 11 goals and 37 points in 37 games for the Eagles in 2024-25.
Hagens' 37 points ranked third among Boston College skaters and fourth among NCAA freshmen in points, which earned him a spot on the Hockey East All-Rookie Team.
In addition to his success at BC, Hagens thrived for Team USA at the World Juniors, with five goals and nine points in seven games on the way to gold.
At just 5-foot-10, Hagens is going to face countless questions about his size until he arrives to the NHL (and they will still be there even when that day comes), but the Bruins are banking on Hagens' puck skills and overall all-world talent to make the difference for their club as a center option.
"He has a dynamic combination of skating and skill reminiscent of American centers like Logan Cooley and Jack Hughes," The Athletic's Corey Pronman wrote earlier this month. "Hagens' edge work is high-end and he’s extremely elusive in open ice. He makes a ton of difficult plays on the move and is a high-end playmaker. Hagens isn’t that big or physical, and can stay on the outside too much, but he gives a decent effort and coaches tend to lean on him. He has the potential to be a play-driving top two line center in the NHL."
Hagens is Boston's highest pick since the Bruins selected Tyler Seguin with the second overall pick in 2010, and is the Black and Gold's highest natural draft pick (meaning that it originally belonged to the Bruins and not another team) since the club took Zach Hamill with the 8th overall pick in 2007.
Barring a trade by the end of the first round or early tomorrow, the Bruins will not be back on the clock until the 51st overall pick in the second round. The 51st overall pick, which the Bruins picked up from the Oilers in the Trent Frederic trade, is one of six day two selections on tap for the B's.
