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Feb 28, 2025; Chestnut Hill, MA, USA; Boston College forward James Hagens (10) shoots the puck against the University of New Hampshire Wildcats during the third period at Conte Forum. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images
James Hagens is playing in the AHL for the Providence Bruins, but there's some wondering as to whether he could return to the NCAA level next season and continue playing college hockey for Boston College.
Would the Boston Bruins, or Hagens, want that? And would it be allowed? Those all may be moot points.
Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported in his latest 32 Thoughts column that it may not be something Hagens goes for, regardless of whether he can or not.
"We’ll see how things progress with James Hagens, but I don’t believe returning to Boston College is a realistic outcome," Friedman writes. "What’s interesting is that several advisors and executives wanted him to try if he doesn't sign this spring with the Bruins, just to see how the NCAA handles it. While there is educated guesswork Hagens wouldn’t be eligible now that he’s appeared in the AHL, the fact a couple of players have returned to college after playing professional hockey has others wondering if he could be stopped. In this case, however, the question appears moot."
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There are always going to be competing motivations in a situation like this, from contract future to player and team preference.
Each organization will handle things differently in a situation like this one, too.
"Someone asked me if the Bruins don’t want to burn the first year of his contract so a new one is needed in three years instead of two," Friedman writes. "Only Boston can answer that, but one thing I’ve learned is some clubs aren’t scared of this because it can actually hurt a player’s comparables due to lower counting stats. I mean, if Hagens does what he can do, it’s not going to matter. But some agents and teams will tell you burning a year with no huge numbers can help a club’s negotiation/arbitration case."
At the end of the day, Hagens is an extremely talented forward. The Bruins just want to figure out the best path to him reaching his potential while wearing their uniform.
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