"The bad news? Even if Hagens realizes his potential in due time as an offensive conduit on the ice, the uber-skilled pivot's presence alone won't be enough to completely shift the fortunes of a Boston roster in the midst of an overhaul. As the Bruins trudge ahead in what could be a bridge season in 2025-26, the focus for Marco Sturm, Don Sweeney, and the rest of Boston's top brass"
"As evidenced by other teams like the Panthers, Oilers, Penguins, Lightning, and even the Golden Knights, one of the hallmarks of an elite roster is boasting a pair of impact centers atop the depth chart. Beyond the generational talents like Connor McDavid / Leon Draisaitl or Sidney Crosby / Evgeni Malkin, even poised 2Cs like Sam Bennett, William Karlsson, Anthony Cirelli, and David Krejci play vital roles when it comes to driving play, creating matchup woes for the opposition,"
James Hagens, selected in the 2025 NHL Draft, could become a top-line center if he develops into an offensive conduit. Hagens would join a core with David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy, and Jeremy Swayman. One emerging center will not be sufficient during an organizational overhaul. Elite rosters commonly feature a pair of impact centers atop the depth chart. Teams such as the Panthers, Oilers, Penguins, Lightning, and Golden Knights use complementary pivots and effective 2Cs like Sam Bennett and William Karlsson. Boston must add another center to form a one-two punch with Hagens, especially as Elias Lindholm moves toward a 3C role.
Read at Boston.com
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