James Hagens can’t wait to play for the Boston Bruins.

The No. 7 overall pick in this year’s draft made that much clear at Bruins development camp earlier this summer. Even still, Hagens will have to wait a little while longer for that to happen, with all signs pointing toward him playing another season at Boston College this fall.

Hagens, 18, had 37 points with 11 goals in 37 games during his freshman season last year at BC. But while he himself had an overall solid campaign, it was a relatively disappointing one for the Eagles as a whole.

Despite being the top-ranked team in the country, BC fell short of winning a national championship. Back for another go around in Chestnut Hill, Hagens has his eyes set on redemption.

“I want to be able to win a Beanpot, be able to win a national championship,” Hagens told Mike Morreale of NHL.com. “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.”

While Hagens is back as the pivot on the Eagles’ first line, his linemates from last season, Gabe Perreault and Ryan Leonard, are not. They’ve already graduated to playing in the pro ranks, leaving Hagens behind to shoulder more of the responsibility at BC.

“I think in some ways, it’s going to benefit him,” Bruins director of player development Adam McQuaid said during development camp. “Continuing to ramp up the commitment level and consistent impact that he’s capable of having, that’s the big thing for a lot of young players, bringing the consistency night in and night out. It’s not always going to be perfect. But just bringing the effort, and wanting to be a driver and a difference maker like he wants to be, will help him along in that process.”

It’s still possible that Hagens suits up for the Black and Gold at some point this season. Another successful run with the Eagles could very well lead to him signing an entry-level contract with the Bruins soon thereafter.

“You want to be ready,” Hagens said in June. “You want to be able to work for a roster spot with the Bruins, whether that’s going back to school or you’re doing it right away. I want to be Bruin really bad, so no matter the timeline, I’ll work towards that.”

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