Boston Bruins
“It might be Marco’s determination by way of who goes in and who comes out of the lineup.”
James Hagens made the bounce from the collegiate ranks to the professional recreation late Monday evening.
However the Bruins’ prime prospect and future top-six fixture’s arrival in Boston this season is much from a assure as Marco Sturm’s membership tries to cement its standing within the playoff image.
Hagens signed an AHL amateur tryout agreement (ATO) on Monday, with the 19-year-old ahead starting his career with the Providence Bruins.
Although the Bruins may signal Hagens to an entry-level contract at any level shifting ahead this season (together with the playoffs), Boston GM Don Sweeney acknowledged on Tuesday evening that the Bruins aren’t going to hurry their greatest prospect in over a decade if he doesn’t acclimate to the professional recreation within the coming days.
“He’s excited to have the ability to play immediately,” Sweeney mentioned of beginning Hagens’ professional reps within the AHL. “And I feel this presents that chance immediately. After which we simply get to discover choices because it goes alongside. He will get acclimated to the professional recreation. It’s a giant step coming from faculty, and it simply permits him to leap proper into the lineup.”
Hagens took one other step ahead in his growth throughout his sophomore season at Boston Faculty — posting 47 factors (23 targets, 24 assists) over 34 video games whereas serving to the Eagles win their first Beanpot title since 2016.
Hagens’ playmaking capabilities and edge work make him the kind of participant who may conceivably present a late-season jolt in Boston, particularly throughout the membership’s transition recreation and laboring energy play.
However Sweeney harassed that the Bruins’ present playoff push — with factors at a premium in these logjammed Jap Convention standings — additionally implies that Boston isn’t going to show Hagens free in these high-stakes video games immediately.
Not with out Hagens exhibiting that he can deal with the pains of the professional recreation first.
“This group, as we mentioned on the [trade] deadline, has scratched and clawed to be within the place they’re in, and in the end, it’d be Marco’s determination by way of who goes in and who comes out of the lineup, and James could or might not be a part of that.
“However deep down, this simply provides him the chance. He was prepared to depart college, he wished to depart and have the chance to play professional, and this gives the instant alternative to be within the lineup and take what lots of people suppose are crucial steps.”
Hagens, anticipated to make his professional debut on Wednesday evening when Windfall takes on the Springfield Thunderbirds on the highway, may get the call-up to the NHL if he stuffs the stat sheet with the P-Bruins.
However Sweeney harassed that the Bruins aren’t going to speed up Hagens’ timeline based mostly on simply his draft pedigree or potential as a top-six expertise.
“James believes in his ability set,” Sweeney mentioned. “Marco has even pointed it out, the velocity and ability that we determine can add to our lineup and complement our lineup, and we want to. Nevertheless it needs to be at a stage the place you’ll be able to belief a participant. And that’s what James goes to begin to undergo right here.
“He’s been doing it for the remainder of the second a part of the 12 months, specifically, once we recognized some issues, and our growth employees labored with him. And he’ll apply that whereas in video games, actual early on in professional, and see if it interprets. If it doesn’t translate this 12 months, it’ll translate subsequent 12 months, and we’ll simply go down the conventional path a participant takes. However the ability and the offensive acumen that he has are thrilling for us.
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