The Boston Bruins have officially signed James Hagens to an amateur tryout agreement (ATO). The news broke late Monday night. This followed a tough end to Hagens’ sophomore season at Boston College. The Eagles were upset by UConn in the Hockey East semifinals.
Shipping out to Providence
Instead of jumping straight into the NHL lineup, Hagens is heading to the Providence Bruins of the AHL. This is a pretty smart move by general manager Don Sweeney. By starting Hagens on an ATO instead of a full entry-level contract (ELC), the team avoids using up the first year of his deal right away. It also gives Hagens a chance to adjust to the pro game. He can do this without the pressure of jumping into a playoff race or dealing with contract stuff right away.
Hagens is coming off a big year where he led Hockey East in scoring with 47 points in 34 games. He was also named a top-10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Award. This just shows how good he’s been at the college level. At 5-foot-11 and close to 200 pounds, he’s handled himself well physically in the NCAA. However, the AHL will still be a step up. It will also be a new challenge for him.
Bruins Keeping All Options Open
Even though he’s starting in the AHL, Sweeney made it clear the team is keeping all options open. The Boston Bruins are right in the middle of a tight wild-card race. So if Hagens looks comfortable in Providence and they feel like they need a bit more offence or energy, they could still sign him to his ELC later this spring.
It’s a path they’ve used before. Charlie McAvoy came in the same way back in 2017, and that worked out pretty well. There’s also some flexibility here with NCAA rules. Since Hagens is only on a tryout and not a full contract, he could technically go back to Boston College for another season if he wanted. That said, with how well he’s played, it feels like he’s probably ready to make the jump.
What to Expect in the Short Term
Hagens is expected to join Providence on Tuesday and could make his debut as early as Wednesday against the Springfield Thunderbirds. Providence is already one of the better teams in the AHL. Adding a player like Hagens only makes them stronger heading into the playoffs.
Whether he stays there for the rest of the spring or ends up joining the Bruins, the 19-year-old is a huge part of the Bruins’ future. Hagens appears to have a real shot to be a very impactful player with the Bruins. He does have big shoes to fill though, he and current players like Fraser Minten will be tasked with trying to replace legends that have played there for decades like Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci. However, before he has to worry about that, he just needs to worry about getting comfortable playing at the pro level, and if he does well enough he could earn a shot at the NHL this season.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Bruins Sign 2025 First-Round Pick James Hagens To ATO appeared first on Heavy Sports.