Providence Bruins forward James Hagens skates during warmups.

James Hagens has been playing in Providence on an amateur tryout contract since leaving Boston College after his sophomore season. Jerome Davis / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

April 8, 2026Updated 4:35 pm EDT

The Boston Bruins signed James Hagens to a three-year, entry-level contract Wednesday, carrying an average annual value of $975,000.

The deal is active for 2025-26, clearing the way for the 19-year-old to make his NHL debut. The Bruins have three regular-season games remaining. Their next game is on Saturday at TD Garden against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Hagens will have two years remaining on his ELC after this season.

Hagens has been playing in Providence on an amateur tryout contract since leaving Boston College after his sophomore season. The No. 7 pick from 2025 has one goal and three assists in six AHL games.

Hagens’ most likely starting point with the Bruins could be as the No. 3 left wing next to Fraser Minten and Marat Khusnutdinov. Alex Steeves played the position in Tuesday’s 6-5 overtime loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. Steeves, a healthy scratch for the previous 11 games, had one shot and three hits in 10:13.

The Bruins have also been using Lukas Reichel and Mikey Eyssimont on the third line. Reichel was a healthy scratch in two of the last three games. 

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Apr 8, 2026

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