James Hagens named finalist for 2025-26 Hockey East Player of the Year

The Bruins are still waiting to find out if and when they can add Boston College standout James Hagens to their roster this season.

But while they wait — the Eagles advanced in the Hockey East tournament with a win over Maine last weekend will play UConn this Friday — Hagens has picked up another Hockey East honor. This time with the sophomore named among the three finalists for the Hockey East Player of the Year Award for the 2025-26 season.

The Hockey East scoring champ this past season, Hagens posted 13 goals and 28 points in 24 games of Hockey East action for the Eagles, giving him a three-point edge on Maine’s Josh Nadeau as the conference’s top scorer.

Overall, Hagens finished with 21 goals and 42 points in 32 games, and his 21 goals were the eighth-most among all NCAA scorers while his 42 points ranked 14th.

On Comm. Ave, Boston University's Cole Hutson posted seven goals and 21 points in 23 conference games, with his 21 points tied for the seventh-most in Hockey East. Overall, Hutson finished his season with 10 goals and 32 points in 35 games for the Terriers, and was one of the lone bright spots in an undeniable down year for BU.

And out in Amherst, UMass goaltender Michael Hrabal just might be the favorite for the award given his outright absurd junior season.

The Hockey East Goaltender of the Year and a unanimous All-First Team selection, Hrabal is up for Player of the Year honors in the conference after posting a downright disgusting .952 save percentage and 1.55 goals against average in league play.

Overall, Hrabal, who was a second-round pick of the now-Utah Mammoth in 2023, has posted a 19-8-1 record along with a .936 save percentage and 1.98 goals against average in 28 games for the Minutemen. 

The Bruins have not had a prospect take home Hockey East Player of the Year honors since Jeremy Swayman did so for Maine during the 2019-20 season.