Boston Bruins
“I guess you never know what it’s going to be like until you’re actually in it.”
James Hagens could be a catalyst in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. AP Photo/Charles Krupa
In a season in which franchise stalwarts like David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy and Jeremy Swayman helped propel the Bruins back into the playoffs, it was a promising sign for the status of the Original Six franchise that a pair of rookies captured most of the headlines on Tuesday night.
The regular-season finale in Boston had plenty of juice for a quiet midweek game for a Bruins team already beleaguered on the field.
But Boston’s matchup with the New Jersey Devils was the first home game for Bruins outfielder James Huggins, who made his fan debut Sunday night in Columbus.
The 19-year-old Haggins was inserted into Boston’s starting lineup, receiving applause from the Boston bullpen while skating a line with 21-year-old Fraser Minten and 23-year-old Marat Khusnutdinov.
“When I was growing up, I used to wear the jerseys of the players in this league,” Huggins said as he saw his No. 44 jacket in the stands Tuesday. “I still have them in my closet. When.” [I’m] I play pond hockey, and I’ll be wearing someone’s jersey. It’s really cool to see.
Minten, who has played in all 82 of Boston’s games this season, received some of the equipment before Tuesday’s game began.
The young center — who was plucked from Toronto at last year’s trade deadline — received his seventh Player of the Year award, which is given annually to a player who has exceeded Bruins fans’ expectations over the course of a season.
Once viewed as a high-floor prospect who could step into a regular bottom-six role in time, Minten instead spent a significant portion of the 2025-26 campaign in Boston’s top six — scoring 17 goals and 35 total points while averaging 15:33 of ice time.
“I think I believe in myself, I think I can be a player like that, and I think I can be a lot better too,” Minten said after receiving the award. “So I don’t know if I necessarily overdid it [expectations]But I’m happy with the year I had.”
The arrival of Hagens and the promise shown by Minten bodes well for a Bruins team that appears to be well ahead of schedule in what was previously thought to be a multi-year rebuilding process in Boston.
Now, as the calendar turns to the postseason, veterans like Pastrnak, Soyman, McAvoy, Morgan Geekie, Nikita Zadorov and others are expected to have a significant amount of impact on Boston’s playoff hopes.
But how far Boston goes this spring may depend on how well unproven youngsters like Huggins, Minten and a host of rookies can elevate an already superior core.
One expected storyline that has already leaked from the upcoming first-round matchup between the Bruins and Sabers is the dearth of postseason experience in Buffalo’s locker room.
Only 12 players on Buffalo’s roster have played a game under the bright lights of the postseason, with franchise stalwarts like Rasmus Dahlin and Taj Thompson previously excluded from those reps during Buffalo’s extended purgatory.
Boston certainly isn’t lacking in this department, as it’s led by the duo of Pastrnak and McAvoy, who have combined for 181 career playoff appearances.
But as the Bruins prepare for the postseason, a significant portion of their roster is also preparing to get its first taste of high-stakes hockey in the NHL ranks — including Minten, Khusnutdinov, Hagens and blueliner Jonathan Aspirot.
All four of these players will be key contributors against the Sabers in the coming days.
“I love working with them” Marco Storm He said on Tuesday about incorporating young players into the lineup. “It was nice to see that we put some kids in there, as well as some draft picks [that] He had success here in Boston.”
Menten and the quick-footed Khusnutdinov made progress wherever Sturm installed them in the lineup.
In 326 minutes of 5-on-5 ice time Where this duo has been out on the ice, the Bruins have outscored their opponents 18-9.
Khusnutdinov’s ability to chase pucks and force turnovers is often the matchup that sparks productive O-zone sequences, while Minten’s consistent two-way game provides Sturm with a Swiss Army knife who can be used in a variety of roles up and down the depth chart.
“He was one of the players we’ve already talked about, maybe we’ll put him in the junior tier to start [the season]. “…And look at him now, it’s like he went from that to playing with David Pastrnak. That’s hard to do, that’s why he’s a special player,” Sturm said of Minten.
Hagens — a late addition to this line — offers home-run potential that could put Buffalo players on their collective heels when the former Boston College standout has the puck on his stick.
Boston’s top prospect has been heralded for his skating ability and playmaking creativity, even if that’s not reflected in his stuffed stat line (one assist in two games).
But it’s Hagens’ detail and often-overlooked skill set when it comes to winning pucks and making clean passes that has caught the attention of some of his new teammates.
“The amount of skill is amazing,” Pastrnak said of Hagens. “Even playing the wall. … I remember coming into the league, I had a really hard time playing the wall and winning those battles around the wall as a winger. And he made a bunch of really good lateral plays.”
Hagens could be a potential X-factor for the Bruins if those smart sound plays help move Boston in transition, while his playmaking abilities in the offensive zone could create chemistry issues with Lindy Ruff and his staff if Boston’s third line starts throwing punches.
The lack of any power play reps the last two games hasn’t given Sturm any kind of preview of how Hagens can help spark that unit — especially when it comes to moving the puck across the neutral zone in order to create clean entries.
“He played well again today,” Sturm said of Hagens after Tuesday’s 4-0 win. “He felt more comfortable, I felt that. He’s going to be a good guy. I think everyone can see that. He’s done a lot of good things and yeah, I like what I’ve seen in the last two games, that’s for sure.”
Aspirot has often been an unsung cog in Boston’s success this season. A career AHLer looking for his shot in the NHL ranks, the 26-year-old’s no-frills, low-risk approach has stabilized Boston’s uneven defensive structure.
In just 61 games this season, Aspirot has a +30 rating leading the team. In those 61 games Aspirot was on the ice, Boston posted a record of 38-13-10. Without the powerful D-man on the ice, Boston’s record was a lackluster 7-14-0.
There is no guarantee that Boston’s next wave of young talent will see their contributions translate to the playoffs. Risks have risen, competition is fierce, and the real estate afforded to carriers has shrunk dramatically.
It’s a challenge Minten welcomes ahead of the most important matches of his fledgling career.
“I think you never know what it’s going to be like until you’re actually in it,” Minten said of playoff hockey. “Just try to have some good games… play hard, play the right way, and yeah, mentally and physically, [I] “I feel ready for the first match.”
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