{"id":553639,"date":"2026-04-16T04:25:43","date_gmt":"2026-04-16T04:25:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/553639\/"},"modified":"2026-04-16T04:25:43","modified_gmt":"2026-04-16T04:25:43","slug":"james-hagens-and-bruins-youngsters-ready-for-playoff-hockey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/553639\/","title":{"rendered":"James Hagens and Bruins youngsters ready for playoff hockey"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBoston Bruins\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t“I think you never really know what it’s going to be like \u2018till you’re actually in it.”<\/p>\n

\"Boston
\n\tJames Hagens could be an X-factor in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. AP Photo\/Charles Krupa\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBy Conor Ryan<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tApril 15, 2026 | 6:35 PM\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

5 minutes to read<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Boston\u2019s regular-season finale had plenty of juice for a sleepy midweek matchup for a Bruins team already locked into the playoff field.<\/p>\n

But, Boston\u2019s bout with the New Jersey Devils marked the first home game for Bruins\u2019 blue-chip prospect James Hagens \u2014 fresh off an encouraging debut Sunday evening in Columbus.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

The 19-year-old Hagens was introduced in Boston\u2019s starting lineup, taking in the applause from Boston\u2019s barn while skating on a line with 21-year-old Fraser Minten and 23-year-old Marat Khusnutdinov.<\/p>\n

\u201cGrowing up, I was wearing players in this league\u2019s jerseys,\u201d Hagens said of seeing his No. 44 sweater in the stands on Tuesday. \u201cI still have them in my closet. When [I\u2019m] playing some pond hockey, I\u2019ll throw someone\u2019s jersey on. It\u2019s really cool to see.\u201d<\/p>\n

Minten, who played in all 82 of Boston\u2019s games this season, took home some hardware before Tuesday\u2019s game began.<\/p>\n

The young center \u2014 plucked from Toronto at last year\u2019s trade deadline \u2014 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.<\/p>\n

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\u2019s top-six grouping \u2014 scoring 17 goals and 35 total points while averaging 15:33 of ice time.<\/p>\n

\u201cI 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,\u201d Minten said of taking home the award. \u201cSo I don\u2019t know if I necessarily exceeded [expectations], but I\u2019m happy with the year I had.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Now, as the calendar flips to the postseason, it\u2019s 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\u2019s playoff hopes.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

One of the expected storylines that has already percolated out of the upcoming first-round matchup between the Bruins and Sabres<\/a> is the dearth of postseason experience in Buffalo\u2019s locker room.<\/p>\n

Just 12 players on Buffalo\u2019s 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\u2019s extended playoff purgatory.<\/p>\n

Boston certainly isn\u2019t lacking in that department, headlined by a duo of Pastrnak and McAvoy who have logged a combined 181 games in the playoffs.<\/p>\n

\u200bBut 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 \u2014 including Minten, Khusnutdinov, Hagens, and blueliner Jonathan Aspirot.<\/p>\n

All four of those players figure to be key contributors against the Sabres in the coming days.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love working with them,\u201d Marco Sturm<\/a> said Tuesday of incorporating younger players into the lineup. \u201cIt was nice to see that we put some kids in there, and also some draft picks [that] have success here in Boston.\u201d<\/p>\n

Minten and the fleet-footed Khusnutdinov have brought pace wherever Sturm has stapled them into the lineup.<\/p>\n

In the 326 minutes of 5-on-5 ice time<\/a> where that duo has been out on the ice, the Bruins have outscored opponents, 18-9.<\/p>\n

Khusnutdinov\u2019s ability to hound pucks and force turnovers is often the match that sparks fruitful O-zone sequences, while Minten\u2019s 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.\u200b<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was one of the guys we actually talked about, maybe put him in the minors to start [the season]. \u2026 And look at him now, like he went from that to playing with David Pastrnak,\u201d Sturm said of Minten. \u201cIt\u2019s hard to do, and that\u2019s why he\u2019s a special player.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hagens \u2014 a late addition to that line \u2014 offers the home-run potential that could put Buffalo\u2019s blueliners on their collective heels when the former Boston College standout has the puck on his stick.<\/p>\n

Boston\u2019s top prospect has been as advertised with his skating ability and playmaking creativity, even if that hasn\u2019t been reflected in a stuffed stat line (one assist in two games).<\/p>\n

But, it\u2019s Hagens\u2019 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe skill amount is amazing,\u201d Pastrnak said of Hagens. \u201cEven the wall plays. \u2026\u00a0I 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\u2019s made a bunch of really good breakout plays.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u2019s third line starts landing punches.<\/p>\n

The lack of any power-play reps in the last two games hasn\u2019t given Sturm any sort of preview of how Hagens could help spark that unit \u2014 especially when it comes to ferrying the puck through the neutral zone in order to generate clean entries.<\/p>\n

\u201cPlayed well again today,\u201d Sturm said of Hagens after Tuesday\u2019s 4-0 win. \u201cHe 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\u2019s for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aspirot has oftentimes been an unheralded cog in Boston\u2019s success this season. A career AHLer looking for his shot in the NHL ranks, the 26-year-old blueliner\u2019s no-frills, low-risk approach steadied Boston\u2019s uneven defensive structure.<\/p>\n

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\u2019s record was a lackluster 7-14-0.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no guarantee that Boston\u2019s 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. \u200b<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a challenge that Minten welcomes ahead of the most meaningful games of his fledgling career. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI think you never really know what it\u2019s going to be like \u2018till you\u2019re actually in it,\u201d Minten said of playoff hockey. \u00a0\u201cJust try to have some good games \u2026 play hard, play the right way, and yeah, mentally, physically, [I] feel ready for Game 1.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Profile\t<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

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

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