Bruins top pick James Hagens is returning to Boston College for sophomore season
Hagens, whom Boston drafted seventh overall in June, is currently in Minnesota with Team USA for the World Junior Summer Showcase. He highlighted his goals for next year with NHL.com, which include winning a Beanpot title and a national championship -- two things he won't be able to accomplish in a Bruins sweater.
"I want to be able to win a Beanpot, be able to win a national championship," Hagens told NHL.com's Mike G. 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."
Boston College was a championship favorite throughout Hagens' true freshman season last year, but lost to Denver in the regional final of the NCAA Tournament. A few months prior, the Eagles lost to rival Boston University in the annual Beanpot title game.
While the Eagles came up short on those fronts, Hagens had a solid season as Boston College's top center. He posted 11 goals and 26 assists over his 37 games, and Boston College head coach Greg Brown believes bigger things are ahead for Hagens in Year 2 at Chestnut Hill.
"Like any young player going to the NHL, you have to bring your floor up, and that means getting bigger, stronger and faster," Brown told NHL.com. "But then it's about the details you need to play with to be successful, and again, that just takes time. He has a great hockey brain. He reads things quickly and clearly, so I think just the evolution of his game will be more of that this year."
Hagens was the highest selection ever made by Bruins GM Don Sweeney, who said after the draft the team was in "no hurry" to fast-track the 18-year-old New York native to the NHL. At least the Boston brass and Bruins fans won't have to go too far to catch a look at the team's top prospect in the fall.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
9 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Braves' Austin Riley returns to IL with lower abdominal strain
Another stint on the injured list seemed inevitable for Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley after he left Sunday's MLB Speedway Classic with lower abdominal pain. That was confirmed with the team announcing that Riley is back on the IL with a strained lower abdominal muscle. Riley sustained the injury during the first inning while stretching to tag out Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz at home plate. He stayed on his knees after the play, indicating that he hurt himself and left the game. The third baseman recently returned from the IL on July 25 to recover from a lower abdominal strain, so it's possible that he re-aggravated that injury while tagging out De La Cruz. Playing 102 games this season, Riley is batting .260/.309/.428 with 16 home runs, 20 doubles and 54 RBI in 447 plate appearances. To replace him on the active roster and at third base, the Braves called up Nacho Alvarez Jr. from Triple-A Gwinnett. In an earlier stint with Atlanta, Alvarez hit .200/.250/.233 in eight games. Atlanta also demoted outfielder Jarred Kelenic to Triple-A for the second time this season. Kelenic, 26, has spent most of this season in the minors, batting .218/.289/.321 with four home runs and 23 RBI with Gwinnett. With the Braves, he hit .161/.231/.300 in 65 plate appearances. The Braves are fourth in the NL East going into Monday's play at 47-63, 15.5 games behind the first-place Philadelphia Phillies. Losing seven of its past 10 games, Atlanta is also 14 games from the NL's third wild-card playoff berth.
Yahoo
9 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Patriots to unveil Tom Brady statue this week. Here's what fans need to know
Seven-time Super Bowl Champion and three-time NFL MVP Tom Brady's playing days are finally behind him, but a statue will ensure the GOAT is always standing at Gillette Stadium. The statue will be unveiled before this Friday's preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders in a 15 to 20-minute ceremony conducted by owner Robert Kraft. The 12-foot statue will stand in the Patriot Place Plaza next to the Patiots Hall of Fame. Parking lots will open at 3:00 p.m. and gates into Gillette Stadium will open at 5:00 p.m. Although fans with tickets are allowed to watch the ceremony in the plaza, the Patriots say fans seated inside the stadium will see a video component on the video boards. The ceremony will also be live-streamed on Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
Yahoo
9 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Giannis Antetokounmpo continues to evaluate his future with Milwaukee Bucks: Report
Giannis Antetokounmpo's future with the Milwaukee Bucks remains uncertain, as fans continue to wait for his decision regarding the upcoming season. With all the movement going on around the NBA, ESPN's Shams Charania appeared on First Take on Monday to give an update on the 30-year-old Bucks star's status. While Antetokounmpo seems to be in no hurry to decide, the NBA insider claims that teams are on the prowl in case he becomes available on the trade market. "There are multiple teams I know of that are literally waiting right now on what decision Giannis Antetokounmpo makes," Charania said. "Waiting to see, does he actually hit the market? Training camps don't start till mid-September." "There have been examples in the past. Kyrie Irving was traded to the Boston Celtics in August when he got moved. Damian Lillard was actually traded to Milwaukee in September. So there are deals that happen late in summer." [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] Milwaukee bested the Phoenix Suns to win just the second title in franchise history in 2021, but has struggled to follow up on the championship campaign. The Bucks fell to the Celtics in the second round in 2022. Since then, they have been eliminated in the first round of the playoffs in each of the past three years. Rumors about the uncertainty of Antetokounmpo's future in Cream City escalated this past season following their early elimination against Indiana. Additionally, the Bucks waived point guard Damian Lillard after two seasons while he deals with an Achilles tear that he sustained against the Pacers in late April. Since then, Lillard signed a three-year deal to return to the Portland Trail Blazers, where he played for the first 11 years of his career. Charania noted that a big factor in Antetokounmpo remaining with the Bucks is the likelihood of winning a second title with the team. "There is nothing set in stone about whether or not Giannis Antetokounmpo stays in Milwaukee or whether he wants to leave elsewhere," Charania shared. "He's been evaluating his future this entire offseason. I reported way back in mid-May that he is open-minded about whether his best fit is in Milwaukee or in a trade. That process has been continuing. There's been some conversations he's having with his inner circle. "The one big question that's been surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo, surrounding his camp, is can he win another championship? Is this Bucks roster built for this upcoming season, for him to win his second championship?" With teams being linked to him, Antetokounmpo recently proclaimed his love for Milwaukee in an interview with internet personality iShowSpeed (real name Darren Watskin Jr.). "A lot of people are trying to convince me to play there," Antetokounmpo told Watkins when asked about moving teams. Watkins then asked if he plans to stay in Milwaukee, to which he replied, "Probably." "We'll see, probably. I love Milwaukee," he continued. Antetokounmpo has been in Milwaukee since the Bucks selected him with the 15th pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. Upon his arrival, the Bucks nurtured him to become a nine-time All-Star, two-time league MVP and franchise player. With suspense surrounding his time with the Bucks, Antetokounmpo remains on his three-year deal, which he signed in 2023. His $186 million contract was meant to keep Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee through the duration of Lillard's deal before his abrupt dismissal. The current deal includes a player option for the 2027-28 season, per Spotrac. Antetokounmpo averaged 30.4 points and 11.9 rebounds per game this past season as the Bucks finished fifth in the East with a 48-34 record.
