Boston Bruins
“He was wonderful, beginning to really feel it a bit bit.”
James Hagens seems to be settling in to his new environment down in Windfall.
After going scoreless in his pro debut with the P-Bruins on Wednesday, the Bruins’ prime prospect scored a purpose and added an help in back-to-back video games towards AHL competitors over the weekend.
The 19-year-old ahead lit the lamp for the primary time as a professional on Saturday in Windfall’s 6-4 win over the Bridgeport Islanders on the Amica Mutual Pavilion. He took a feed from Riley Tufte and rifled the puck into the twine on the ability play.
Hagens continued his level streak on Sunday, recording the first help on a Georgii Merkulov purpose in an eventual 4-2 loss to the Springfield Thunderbirds.
Hagens showcased his skating potential en path to that helper on Merkulov’s purpose, weaving by way of the impartial zone and gaining a clear entry over the blue line earlier than hitting Merkulov on the tape for the tally.
After opening his AHL profession on Windfall’s prime line with Patrick Brown and Matej Blumel, Hagens was shifted to a talented second line alongside Matthew Poitras and Merkulov. P-Bruins head coach Ryan Mougenel was impressed with how Hagens’ skating and playmaking potential complemented that ahead grouping.
“I don’t assume anyone was significantly nice at the moment, however I actually preferred 12’s [Hagens] second and third interval,” Mougenel mentioned, per Providence hockey scribe Mark Divver. “He was wonderful, beginning to really feel it a bit bit. I moved him up with [Merkulov] & [Poitras] and noticed the ability, put that collectively and see what it regarded like.”
Hagens and the Windfall Bruins will resume play pn Wednesday once they tackle the Utica Comets on the highway. They’ll then battle the Syracuse Crunch on Friday earlier than taking over Rochester on Saturday.
Hagens — at the moment taking part in on an AHL novice tryout contract in Windfall after closing out his sophomore season at Boston School — might be part of the Bruins sooner or later this season if he indicators his entry-level contract.
A powerful stretch towards AHL competitors might put Hagens within the combine for a late-season promotion. However for now, the Bruins have the luxurious of letting Hagens earn some expertise in Windfall — particularly with the NHL membership successful 5 out of its final six video games.
“James believes in his ability set,” Don Sweeney said of Hagens’ NHL timeline last week. “Marco has even pointed it out, the velocity and ability that we determine can add to our lineup and complement our lineup, and we wish to. But it surely must be at a stage the place you may 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, after 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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