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Bruins Keep James Hagens on AHL Tryout, Hold Off on NHL Deal

The move preserves flexibility on his entry-level timeline.

Overview

  • Hagens is skating with AHL Providence on an amateur tryout, a short-term deal that lets him play pro games without starting his NHL contract.
  • The Bruins have no immediate plan to sign him to an NHL deal as they evaluate whether a late-season or playoff look makes sense.
  • Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports a return to Boston College is unlikely for Hagens, despite some advisors wanting to test the NCAA’s murky eligibility rules after an AHL appearance.
  • Contract timing is a key factor, with Boston weighing whether to avoid burning the first year of his entry-level deal and to keep leverage in future negotiations.
  • Roster needs could shape the call, with recent power-play struggles and newcomer Lukas Reichel’s steady third-line play both part of the calculus.