James Hagens and Bruins youngsters ready for playoff hockey

Boston Bruins

“I think you never really know what it’s going to be like ‘till you’re actually in it.”

James Hagens could be an X-factor in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. AP Photo/Charles Krupa

By Conor Ryan

April 15, 2026 | 6:35 PM

5 minutes to read

In a season where franchise stalwarts like David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy, and Jeremy Swayman helped push the Bruins back into the playoffs, it was a promising sign for the state of the Original Six franchise that a pair of rookies drew most of the headlines on Tuesday night.

Boston’s regular-season finale had plenty of juice for a sleepy midweek matchup for a Bruins team already locked into the playoff field.

But, Boston’s bout with the New Jersey Devils marked the first home game for Bruins’ blue-chip prospect James Hagens — fresh off an encouraging debut Sunday evening in Columbus. 

The 19-year-old Hagens was introduced in Boston’s starting lineup, taking in the applause from Boston’s barn while skating on a line with 21-year-old Fraser Minten and 23-year-old Marat Khusnutdinov.

“Growing up, I was wearing players in this league’s jerseys,” Hagens said of seeing his No. 44 sweater in the stands on Tuesday. “I still have them in my closet. When [I’m] playing some pond hockey, I’ll throw someone’s jersey on. It’s really cool to see.”

Minten, who played in all 82 of Boston’s games this season, took home some hardware before Tuesday’s game began.

The young center — plucked from Toronto at last year’s trade deadline — took home the 7th Player Award, which is handed out annually to the player who exceeded the expectations of Bruins fans over the course of the season.

Once viewed as a high-floor prospect who could slot into a regular bottom-six role in due time, Minten instead spent a hefty portion of the 2025-26 campaign in Boston’s top-six grouping — scoring 17 goals and 35 total points while averaging 15:33 of ice time.

“I think I believe in myself, believe that I could be a player like this, and I believe I can be a lot better still, too,” Minten said of taking home the award. “So I don’t know if I necessarily exceeded [expectations], but I’m happy with the year I had.”

The arrival of Hagens and the promise showcased by Minten bodes well for a Bruins team seemingly well ahead of schedule from what was once thought to be a multi-year rebuild in Boston.

Now, as the calendar flips to the postseason, it’s to be expected that established veterans like Pastrnak, Swayman, McAvoy, Morgan Geekie, Nikita Zadorov, and others will hold a significant amount of sway over Boston’s playoff hopes.

But, just how far Boston goes this spring might hinge on just how much unproven youngsters like Hagens, Minten, and a large crop of rookies can elevate an already overachieving core.

One of the expected storylines that has already percolated out of the upcoming first-round matchup between the Bruins and Sabres is the dearth of postseason experience in Buffalo’s locker room.

Just 12 players on Buffalo’s roster have played a game under the bright lights of the postseason, with franchise stalwarts like Rasmus Dahlin and Tage Thompson previously shut out of those reps during Buffalo’s extended playoff purgatory.

Boston certainly isn’t lacking in that department, headlined by a duo of Pastrnak and McAvoy who have logged a combined 181 games in the playoffs.

​But as the Bruins brace for the postseason, a hefty segment of their own roster is also prepping for their first taste of high-stakes hockey in the NHL ranks — including Minten, Khusnutdinov, Hagens, and blueliner Jonathan Aspirot.

All four of those players figure to be key contributors against the Sabres in the coming days.

“I love working with them,” Marco Sturm said Tuesday of incorporating younger players into the lineup. “It was nice to see that we put some kids in there, and also some draft picks [that] have success here in Boston.”

Minten and the fleet-footed Khusnutdinov have brought pace wherever Sturm has stapled them into the lineup.

In the 326 minutes of 5-on-5 ice time where that duo has been out on the ice, the Bruins have outscored opponents, 18-9.

Khusnutdinov’s ability to hound pucks and force turnovers is often the match that sparks fruitful O-zone sequences, while Minten’s steady two-way game presents Sturm with a Swiss Army Knife that can be used in a variety of roles up and down the depth chart.​

“He was one of the guys we actually talked about, maybe put him in the minors to start [the season]. … And look at him now, like he went from that to playing with David Pastrnak,” Sturm said of Minten. “It’s hard to do, and that’s why he’s a special player.”

Hagens — a late addition to that line — offers the home-run potential that could put Buffalo’s blueliners on their collective heels when the former Boston College standout has the puck on his stick.

Boston’s top prospect has been as advertised with his skating ability and playmaking creativity, even if that hasn’t been reflected in a stuffed stat line (one assist in two games).

But, it’s Hagens’ details and often overlooked skillset when it comes to winning pucks and generating clean breakouts that have caught the eye of some of his new teammates.

“The skill amount is amazing,” Pastrnak said of Hagens. “Even the wall plays. … I remember coming into the league, I had a really tough time with wall plays and winning those battles around the wall as a winger. And he’s made a bunch of really good breakout plays.”

Hagens could be a potential X-factor for the Bruins if those smart, sound plays help get Boston moving in transition, while his playmaking capabilities in the offensive zone could create matchup issues for Lindy Ruff and his staff if Boston’s third line starts landing punches.

The lack of any power-play reps in the last two games hasn’t given Sturm any sort of preview of how Hagens could help spark that unit — especially when it comes to ferrying the puck through the neutral zone in order to generate clean entries.

“Played well again today,” Sturm said of Hagens after Tuesday’s 4-0 win. “He felt way more comfortable, I felt like. He will be a good one. I think everyone could see it. Did a lot of good things and yeah, I like what I saw in the last two games, that’s for sure.”

Aspirot has oftentimes been an unheralded cog in Boston’s success this season. A career AHLer looking for his shot in the NHL ranks, the 26-year-old blueliner’s no-frills, low-risk approach steadied Boston’s uneven defensive structure.

In just 61 games this season, Aspirot boasted a team-leading plus-30 rating. In those 61 games that Aspirot took to the ice, Boston posted a record of 38-13-10. Without the rugged D-man on the ice, Boston’s record was a lackluster 7-14-0.

There’s no guarantee that Boston’s next wave of young talent will see their contributions translate to the playoffs. The stakes are raised, the competition is fierce, and the real estate afforded to puck carriers is significantly shrunk. ​

It’s a challenge that Minten welcomes ahead of the most meaningful games of his fledgling career.  

“I think you never really know what it’s going to be like ‘till you’re actually in it,” Minten said of playoff hockey.  “Just try to have some good games … play hard, play the right way, and yeah, mentally, physically, [I] feel ready for Game 1.”

 

Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.

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