The good news? The Boston Bruins might have a future top-line center in their pipeline after adding Boston College standout James Hagens in the 2025 NHL Draft.

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 should be identifying the building blocks that could help build the Original Six franchise back up as a legitimate contender in the coming years.

If Hagens — long considered to be the crown jewel of the 2025 NHL Draft class before his late slide down t

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