Boston College will open the season against ECAC regional rival Quinnipiac on Oct. 3 under close scrutiny from the Boston Bruins.
BC coach Greg Brown has six Bruins’ draft picks on the roster including sophomore forward James Hagens, their No. 1 selection (seventh overall) in the 2025 NHL Draft. Hagens was the 27th BC player drafted in the first round, second most in NCAA history.
Hagens was an impact player as a freshman skating alongside a pair of 2023 first round draft picks, Ryan Leonard (Capitals) and Gabe Perrault (Rangers), both of whom bolted to the NHL after BC’s 3-1 loss to Denver in the Manchester Regional final on March 30.
A combined loss of 97 points, 46 goals and 58 assists departed Chestnut Hill when Leonard and Perrault left to seek fame and fortune in the pros. Hagens made significant contributions on a team that ranked No. 1 in the nation at the end of the season. He played in 37 games with 11 goals and 26 assists and was named to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team.
There were stretches of the season where Hagens was considered the No. 1 prospect in the NHL Draft, a considerable pressure-fueled distraction for a first-year player.
“James does a great job of not being caught up in all that stuff,” Brown said. “I think last year was probably tougher than he ever let on in terms of having that draft hanging over his head the whole time.
“He was playing for the most part with two other great players so he had, whether it was real or perceived, a lot riding on everything last season. I think this year it should be and, so far, he looks like he doesn’t have all that weight hanging over him.
“Of course, he matured very well just like all freshmen moving into sophomores do. He has taken on a little more vocal, a little assertive as far as leadership and wants to be a big part of it so, we are excited for him. All the attention he had last year it would be hard for anybody to go through. It is good to have all that, the draft, behind him and he can focus a little more on just being a hockey player.”
The Bruins invested previous draft capital to obtain senior forward Andre Gasseau (2021), senior forward Oskar Jellvik (2021), sophomore forward Dean Letourneau (2024) and freshman defenseman Kristain Kostadinski (2023). Joining Hagens in the 2025 draft was freshman forward Will Moore, who was taken in the second round (51st) overall.
Five of the six Bruins prospects participated in the club’s summer developmental program, an endeavor in team building that Brown encouraged.
“I think it is certainly valuable for everyone if they can get to do it,” said Brown. “To see what pro hockey is all about, get a feel for it and see the intensity needed and see some of the detail that goes into pro hockey and get a taste of it that way so it is not all foreign and new when they come to college.
“So much of hockey is detailed, but not as much as pro hockey. To hear the coaches talk and learn the expectations and how you learn to be effective is a great introduction for them when they make the step up.”
BC has six incoming freshmen, a good number that Brown will count on to replace the six seniors and any departing players to the NHL. The surest sign of a successful recruiting system is not having to use the transfer portal to fill the vacancies.
But with so many points lost to graduation and the NHL, Brown felt the need to secure an established scorer and he found one with a sizable Hockey East resume.
After an extensive vetting process, Brown welcomed former New Hampshire Wildcats forward Ryan Conmy into the nest. Conmy was a sixth-round pick of the LA Kings in 2023 who played in 68 games for UNH and logged 29 goals and 35 assists.
“You do your homework and you talk to a lot of people who know him and have been with him and who coached him and all the responses were very positive,” said Brown. “Then of course you notice when playing against guys that they are problematic for your team and can do a lot of things very well.
“Between those two things we felt very comfortable that once Ryan did enter the portal, he was a kid that could add to our team. We lost some scoring so to add a guy that is an experienced point producer in Hockey East is valuable. “
The Eagles play a murderous slate of games in October. BC is ranked No. 6 on the USCHO preseason poll and they open against No. 16 Quinnipiac before hitting the road for a pair at No. 9 Minnesota.
On Oct. 24 the Eagles will host No. 4 Denver, the team that beat BC in last year’s Manchester Regional and in the 2024 NCAA championship game. BC closes out the month with a home and home against Northeastern.
“I think we will learn a lot about ourselves early in the season,” said Brown. “It is great to see early on a high level of college hockey and the learning curve will be fast when you have a tough schedule like that right out of the gate.”
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
