5 observations from final day of Bruins Development Camp
James Hagens and several other Bruins prospects stood out during the camp.
The Bruins closed out the fourth and final day of the team’s annual Development Camp with plenty of skill-centric sessions and scrimmages at Warrior Ice Arena on Thursday afternoon.
Even though Boston’s three-period scrimmage — which also featured 4-on-4 and 3-on-3 sequences — had to end with a shootout after neither team lit the lamp, several prospects stood out during both Thursday’s session and the previous three days in Brighton.
Here are some highlights from Thursday’s camp:
James Hagens is elite … and would benefit from another year at BC
Most of the fans in attendance at a packed Warrior Ice Arena on Thursday were there to see Boston’s top 2025 draft pick James Hagens — a dynamic playmaking center who has the means to be a future franchise stalwart down the middle for the Bruins.
Even though the 18-year-old pivot didn’t light the lamp during Thursday’s scrimmage, it’s easy to see why the Boston College product entered this past season as the projected top pick in his draft class.
Hagens was noticeable in just about every shift during the four-day camp, and made a good first impression by opting to take part in Monday’s on-ice session while operating on just two hours of sleep.
Hagens’ ability to dominate in the NHL ranks will largely depend on just how the 5-foot-11 skater can withstand the punishment at the pro level.
But even at his floor, Hagens should be a dynamic, playmaking top-six talent. The edge work and hands are elite, and he’s always operating with his head up while carrying the puck into the offensive zone.
He’s the type of talent who — just by relying on his strengths alone — is going to make things happen offensively at the NHL level with the puck on his stick.
What remains to be seen is just how high his ceiling can be with the Bruins (an offensive-first 2C? A legitimate franchise center?), as well as when Hagens will make the jump to the NHL ranks.
“I want to be a Boston Bruin,” Hagens said earlier this week. “I want to be a Boston Bruin really bad. That’s the conversation that I have to have with the staff and management. …. But, just to be able to get the draft over and know what team that you’re putting your heart and soul into, it’s a lot better.”
Hagens noted on Thursday that he was set to meet with Boston’s management once camp wrapped to discuss his plans for next year — namely, whether he plans to return to BC or make the jump up to the pro game.
Even if Hagens’ offensive skillset is already impressive, the wise choice would be for Hagens to return to the Eagles as a sophomore. Another year at Chesnut Hill would give him more time to both build up some muscle and his confidence — while also earning heavy minutes as the Eagles’ top player.
Even with his two BC linemates in Ryan Leonard and Gabe Perreault now up in the NHL ranks, Hagens will likely be tasked with being more of a puck-dominant, assertive player as a sophomore, while his talents alone should have him primed for a standout year.
“I think in some ways it’s going to benefit him,” Bruins player development coordinator Adam McQuaid said of Hagens playing with new linemates next season. “Continuing to ramp up the compete level and the consistent impact that he’s capable of having. I think that’s the big thing for a lot of young players, is just bringing consistency night in, night out.
It’s not always going to be perfect, but just bringing the effort and wanting to be a driver and a difference maker, like he wants to be — and [we’re] just going to help him along in that process.”
For the Bruins, the best-case scenario for Hagens likely involves him returning to BC in 2025-26, dominating in his second go-around in Hockey East, and then join Boston for the final stretch of the year after the Eagles’ season wraps.
Blanár is a project worth investing in for Bruins
Next to Hagens, the other standout 2025 NHL Draft pick during Dev Camp was fourth-round pick Vashek Blanar.
Considering a reach at that stage of the draft, the 6-foot-4 defenseman wasn’t listed on many scouting lists over the past season — spending most of the year in the Swedish junior leagues.
But Boston banked on Blanar’s mix of size and playmaking capabilities from the blue line as a worthwhile flier in the fourth round.
And even though Blanar is a few years away from the NHL, one can see why the Bruins were enamored with a prospect with such a unique skillset.
Blanar’s frame might be the first thing that stands out when he’s on the ice, but his offensive game is similar to Mason Lohrei — with the Czech product more than willing to activate off the blue line and drive down low in search of a quality chance.
He had arguably the best scoring chance of the scrimmage on Thursday, as he spun off Ethan Whitcomb at the blue line, slipped past Ty Gallagher and drove all the way down the slot before lofting a puck that hit off the cross bar and nearly past the goal line.
Blanar is going to need a few more years of development before he becomes a viable pro option. He needs to put on some weight, his processing ability with the puck was a bit behind on some passes, while his defensive game will have to be ironed out.
But it’s hard to ignore the upside.
“A kid at his age that can move as well as he does at his size,” McQuaid said of Blanar. “He’s pretty raw, like even in talking to him, but he has good instincts as a D man for for defending.
“He even admitted himself, like, I haven’t spent a lot of time focused on defending. It’s been more of an offensive minded game for him, but he’s showing the willingness to want to defend, and I’m excited to work with him.”
Simpson could follow a similar trajectory as Will Zellers
Hagens might be the new crown jewel of Boston’s prospect pipeline, but winger Will Zellers is also a talent worth keeping tabs on as a shot-first offensive talent with NHL upside.
After earning USHL Player of the Year honors in 2024-25 after scoring 44 goals in 52 games with the Green Bay Gamblers, Zellers should be primed for a strong season at the University of North Dakota starting in the fall.
As the Bruins watch closely to see if Zellers can develop into a legitimate 20-plus-goal regular in the pro ranks, fellow Bruins prospect Cooper Simpson might be cut from the same cloth as a legitimate offensive threat.
A third-round pick by Boston in the 2025 NHL Draft, Simpson led all Minnesota high school players this past year by scoring 49 goals (and 83 points) in just 31 games with Shakopee High School.
It should come as little surprise for a player with pro upside to dominate at the high-school level, but Simpson also closed out the year scoring seven goals in nine games with the Tri-City Storm of the USHL.
And after a quiet start during camp, Simpson was a regular threat whenever he had the puck on his stick — peppering the net and finding soft areas of the ice to uncork shots.
“Just trying to bring a different angle, trying to push around people, and also bring it in your feet and try longer releases,” Simpson said of improving his scoring acumen moving forward. “Just stuff like that, changing the angle. I feel like it’s the main thing you have to have to score goals at the next level.”
Simpson, like Zellers, is also committed to North Dakota. But he will spend this next year playing with the Storm for a full USHL campaign.
If he can show that his solid start last year with Tri-City was far from a fluke, the Bruins could have two very promising offensive wingers developing in the system between Zellers and Simpson.
Letourneau throws his weight around
For all of the discourse regarding Bruins’ 2024 first-round pick Dean Letourneau and his difficult freshman season at Boston College, the big-bodied center had said and done all the right things to put that season in the rearview mirror.
The Ontario native spent most of the last month training in Boston before the start of development camp, and was very noticeable during Thursday’s scrimmage.
“I was really happy with Dean this week,” McQuaid said. “I think he showed how much stronger he’s gotten, more physical. He’s using his frame, wanting to get to the net, doing things quicker.
“Again, he spent the whole month here in Boston. That said a lot about what his commitment level is. So I’m excited for him. I think he’s excited as well. He’s just itching to get going.”
The production was what it was for Letournau this past season after making the sizable jump from prep to Boston College (zero goals, three assists in 36 games).
But the skill is there for Letourneau when he’s operating in tight spaces — a unique attribute for a player who also measures out at 6-foot-7.
After operating on the perimeter during extended stretches last season at BC, Letourneau was making the most of his frame on Thursday — at one point knocking over BC commit Kristian Kostadinski (6-foot-6, 220 pounds) while battling for a puck near the end boards.
If Letourneau can play to his size this upcoming season at BC and operate in Grade-A ice, his skill should allow him to be far more productive moving forward.
Once compared to another 6-foot-7 forward in Tage Thompson given his prolific scoring totals at the prep level, Letourneau might end up developing into more of a bottom-six matchup nightmare like 6-foot-7 Brian Boyle if he can continue to refine his game.
Loose pucks
– For all of the skill present on Boston’s Dev Camp roster, Boston’s group of goalies in Albin Boija, Cameron Korpi, Dylan Silverstein, and Philip Svedebäck all held their own across the four-day session — especially during Thursday’s scrimmage. It would not come as much of a surprise if the Bruins gave Boija a ring next spring after he closes out his season at Maine. He stands to be one the most coveted collegiate free agents on the market.
– The Bruins outbid several teams by signing 6-foot-3 forward Dalton Bancroft out of Cornell this past spring. Bancroft’s offensive upside remains to be seen, but he has all the makings of a punishing physical force at the pro level — be it in Providence or potentially with Boston. After three years in college, Bancroft said that he’s going to work with former scrapper Aaron Downey this summer in order to pick up some fighting tips.
– Camp invite C.J. Foley would be a nice pickup by Boston next season if he opts to turn pro after his junior year with Dartmouth. The Hanover native and Thayer Academy product is a skilled, puck-moving, right-shot D who will likely attract a long list of suitors after scoring 11 goals and posting 30 points in 33 games with the Big Green in 2024-25.
– Two-way forward Chris Pelosi should a prospect whose stock will rise this upcoming season in his second go-around with Quinnipiac, while BU commit Jonathan Morello (2024 fifth-round pick) showcased a well-rounded game during camp — ending with a spirited backcheck that broke up a 2-on-1 rush during Thursday’s scrimmage.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com