2 top Bruins prospects up for Hobey Baker Award

Arguably the top-2 prospects in the Boston Bruins system are in the running for the most prestigious award in college hockey.

Boston College announced on Wednesday that forwards James Hagens and Dean Letourneau are both among the initial nominees for the Hobey Baker Award, annually given to the nation's best college hockey player. Hagens is leading B.C. as a freshman with 21 points in 18 games (10 goals, 11 assists) so far in the 2025-26 season, while Letourneau is right behind him, enjoying a breakout year as a sophomore with 20 points in 20 games himself (11 goals, 9 assists). Hagens is tied for 26th in the nation with 1.17 points per game. Letourneau is tied for 47th at exactly 1.00 points per contest.

The first batch of Hobey Baker nominees are selected according to a list of four basic criteria, according to the official website: Strength of character, on and off the ice; contribution to the integrity of the team and outstanding skills in all phases of the game; scholastic achievement and sportsmanship; and compliance with all NCAA rules, including being a full-time student in an accredited college or university and completing 50% or more of the season. Fans can vote during this stage, while Division I head coaches also submit their top-3 players in both their own conference and the nation. Votes are collectively tabulated to determine 10 initial finalists, which is then whittled down to three.

So, there's still a long way to go in the process for this trophy. All the nominees will have to stay healthy and remain in good academic standing to give themselves chances to advance and/or win.

The Hobey Baker Award is no guarantee of future success in the NHL. Bruins fans should hope that Hagens and/or Letourneau, should they end up winning, end up on the same career trajectory as 2024 winner Macklin Celebrini. The Boston University alum is fourth in the NHL in points in just his second season for the San Jose Sharks.

Hagens, the seventh overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, projects as a skilled offensive producer at the NHL level, but he'll have to prove it. Letourneau was considered a boom-or-bust prospect when the Bruins took him 26th overall in the 2024 draft, but for him to bounce back from a rough freshman year is an encouraging sign for his development.