Last Season: After some early-season line shuffling, Hagens eventually settled in as the first-line center between Gabe Perreault and Ryan Leonard. He was undoubtedly productive — scoring a point-per-game as one of the youngest players in NCAA hockey. But after an offseason in which he was billed as the favorite to go first overall in the 2025 NHL Draft, the 11 goals and 26 assists he posted were a bit disappointing for some, and — fairly or not — likely contributed to his “fall” to 7th overall. Despite all of that pressure and noise, Hagens produced a lot of excellent moments in his freshman year — most notably his buzzer-beating assist to Leonard against Maine and his game-winner against Bentley.
Season Outlook: Hagens will be one of — if not the — most important player for BC this season. He will center the team’s best line again, although who his linemates will be is still a question. After spending last season somewhat deferring to the more established stars in Perreault and Leonard, Hagens will need to drive play and be more assertive with the puck. He’s put on weight this off-season, going from 177 pounds to 194 in an effort to be able to hang against bigger, older opponents. With the pressure of the draft immediately behind him, I expect Hagens to have a major sophomore year.
Fun Fact: Hagens has a sponsorship offer with Chipotle.
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