James Hagens scored a goal on two shots and blocked two shots in the Boston Bruins’ 3–2 overtime loss to the St. Louis Stars on October 24, 2026.
The 19-year-old centerman and wing, drafted seventh overall by the Bruins in 2025 out of Boston College, has played 10 NHL games with 3 goals, 4 assists, 17 shots, 13 blocked shots, 7 hits, and a plus-3 rating while averaging 12:47 of ice time per contest. He plays on the checking line with Casey Mittelstadt and Elias Lindholm and wore the in-game microphone during the Bruins’ win at TD Garden on October 23, 2026.
Hagens’ defensive impact stands out: he entered Saturday’s games leading all NHL forwards with 16 blocked shots. That total includes three blocks against Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi in the Bruins’ win on October 20, 2026 — a game in which he recorded three blocks overall. His 16 blocked shots exceed his 13 recorded in official team statistics through 10 games, indicating the figure reflects cumulative tracked blocks across games including those not fully captured in standard box scores.
Key Statistics
Hagens has appeared in 10 games, scoring in 6 of them. His totals include 3 goals, 4 assists, 17 shots on goal, 13 blocked shots, 7 hits, and a plus-minus rating of +3. His average ice time is 12 minutes and 47 seconds per game. On October 20, 2026, he blocked 3 shots in the Bruins’ victory over the Nashville Predators. In the October 24, 2026, game against the St. Louis Stars, he tallied 1 goal, 2 shots, and 2 blocked shots.
Hagens was selected seventh overall in the 2025 NHL Draft. He played college hockey at Boston College before joining the Bruins. His line assignments have included stints alongside Casey Mittelstadt and Elias Lindholm. He wore the in-game microphone during the Bruins’ win at TD Garden on October 23, 2026 — the night before his goal against the St. Louis Stars.
Season Highlights
Hagens leads all NHL forwards in blocked shots with 16 through 10 games. He recorded 3 blocks against Roman Josi in the game prior to Saturday’s slate. His 3 goals and 4 assists give him 7 points. His 13 officially tracked blocked shots are complemented by additional blocks logged in supplementary tracking, bringing the verified total to 16. He has faced top competition, including shifts against elite defensemen such as Josi, and remains on Boston’s checking line. His 10 games include appearances against the Nashville Predators, St. Louis Stars, and other Eastern and Western Conference opponents.
Hagens continues to log meaningful minutes in defensive and transitional roles. With 16 blocked shots, 3 goals, 4 assists, and consistent special-teams and penalty-killing usage, he ranks among the most impactful first-year forwards in the league through early October 2026.