At Warrior Ice Arena on Thursday afternoon, the Bruins concluded the fourth and last day of their yearly Development Camp with a number of skill-focused practices and scrimmages.
Several prospects stood out during Thursday’s practice and the preceding three days in Brighton, despite the fact that Boston’s three-period scrimmage, which also included 4-on-4 and 3-on-3 phases, had to close with a shootout after neither team lighted the lamp.
Highlights from Thursday’s camp are as follows:
James Hagens is elite and would benefit from another year at BC
Boston’s top 2025 draft pick James Hagens, a dynamic playmaking center with the potential to be a future franchise cornerstone down the middle for the Bruins, was the main attraction for the majority of the crowd that jammed Warrior Ice Arena on Thursday.
It is easy to understand why the Boston College product started this past season as the predicted number one choice in his draft class, despite the fact that the 18-year-old pivot didn’t light the lamp during Thursday’s scrimmage.
Throughout the four-day camp, Hagens was noteworthy in almost every shift. He made a solid first impression by choosing to participate in Monday’s on-ice practice despite only getting two hours of sleep.
How well the 5-foot-11 skater can handle the pressure at the professional level will determine how dominant Hagens can be in the NHL ranks.
Hagens, however, ought to be a dynamic, playmaking top-six player even at his floor. He consistently keeps his head up when carrying the puck into the attacking zone, and his edge work and skills are exceptional.
He is the kind of player who, with the puck on his stick, can create scoring opportunities at the NHL level simply by depending on his talents.
How high his ceiling can be with the Bruins (an offensive-first 2C?), however, is still unknown. a respectable franchise center?), and when Hagens will enter the NHL league.
Hagens declared earlier this week that he wanted to be a Boston Bruin. I have a strong desire to be a Boston Bruin. That’s what I need to discuss with the management and employees. However, it’s far better to be able to finish the draft and know whose team you’re really putting your all into.
After camp ended, Hagens announced on Thursday that he would meet with Boston’s management to talk about his plans for the upcoming season, specifically whether he intends to return to BC or make the move to the professional ranks.
It would be prudent for Hagens to rejoin the Eagles as a sophomore, even though his offensive skill set is already strong. He would have more time to gain confidence and muscle while playing a lot of minutes as the Eagles’ star player if he spent another season at Chesnut Hill.
Although his skills alone should position him for a good season, Hagens will probably be expected to be more of a puck-dominant, forceful player as a sophomore, even though his two BC linemates, Ryan Leonard and Gabe Perreault, are already up in the NHL ranks.
PrizePickspic.twitter.com/yNshAg4uQr James Hagens hanging through the defense at Bruins Development CampCLNS
Regarding Hagens playing with new linemates the next season, Bruins player development coordinator Adam McQuaid stated, “I think it’s going to benefit him in some ways.” keeping up the intensity of his competition and the steady influence he can make. For many young players, I believe the most important thing is simply being consistent every single night.
Being a driver and a difference maker is what he wants to be, and [we’re] just going to support him in that endeavor, even though it won’t always be flawless.
In the best-case scenario for the Bruins, Hagens would probably return to BC in 2025–2026, dominate in his second Hockey East run, and then join Boston for the season’s last stretch following the Eagles’ season finale.
Blan r is a project worth investing in for Bruins
In addition to Hagens, fourth-round pick Vashek Blanar was another notable 2025 NHL Draft selection during Dev Camp.
The 6-foot-4 defenceman, who spent the majority of the previous season in the Swedish junior divisions, wasn’t on many scouting lists at that point in the draft, which is considered a reach.
However, Boston considered Blanar’s combination of size and playmaking skills from the blue line to be a good gamble in the fourth round.
Blanar is a few years away from the NHL, but it’s easy to understand why the Bruins were drawn to a player with such a distinctive skill set.
When Blanar is on the ice, his physique may be the first thing that people notice, but he plays a similar offensive style to Mason Lohrei, with the Czech player more than eager to drive down low and activate off the blue line in pursuit of a good opportunity.
He lofted a puck that bounced off the crossbar and almost passed the goal line after spinning off Ethan Whitcomb at the blue line, slipping past Ty Gallagher, and driving all the way down the slot. It was possibly his greatest scoring opportunity of the scrimmage on Thursday.
I shot some video at the development camp, and Vashek Blanar’s scoring opportunity was fantastic. It’s a great story of how he got to camp. Rounderpic.twitter.com/t2GVMzF748: Bruins fourth round
Before Blanar is a good pro option, he will require a few more years of development. His puck processing skills were a little lacking on a few passes, and he has to gain some weight. He also needs to improve his defensive play.
However, it’s difficult to overlook the benefits.
McQuaid described Blanar as “a child at his age that can move as well as he does at his size.” Even when speaking with him, he comes across as rather raw, yet he has good defensive instincts as a D man.
He even acknowledged that he hadn’t spent much time concentrating on defense. He has played a more offensively oriented style, but he is demonstrating a willingness to defend, and I am eager to collaborate with him.
Simpson could follow a similar trajectory as Will Zellers
Although Hagens may be the latest gem in Boston’s pipeline of prospects, winger Will Zellers is also a player to watch because he is a shot-first offensive player with NHL potential.
Zellers, who scored 44 goals in 52 games with the Green Bay Gamblers in 2024–25 to win USHL Player of the Year, should be ready for a successful season at the University of North Dakota beginning in the autumn.
Cooper Simpson, another Bruins prospect, may be a genuine offensive threat as the Bruins closely monitor Zellers’ ability to become a serious 20-goal or more regular in the professional ranks.
Simpson, who was selected by Boston in the third round of the 2025 NHL Draft, led all high school players in Minnesota in scoring 49 goals (and 83 points) in just 31 games with Shakopee High School last season.
Simpson’s dominance at the high school level should not be surprising given his pro potential, but he also finished the season with seven goals in nine games with the USHL’s Tri-City Storm.
Simpson was a constant threat whenever he got the puck on his stick, peppering the net and locating vulnerable spots of the ice to uncork shots after a quiet start throughout camp.
Regarding enhancing his scoring ability going ahead, Simpson stated, “Just trying to bring a different angle, trying to push around people, and also bringing it in your feet and trying longer releases.” Simple things like shifting the perspective. It is, in my opinion, the most important requirement for scoring goals at the next level.
Simpson shares Zellers’ dedication to North Dakota. However, he will play with the Storm for the entire USHL season starting next year.
Between Zellers and Simpson, the Bruins may have two very bright offensive wingers emerging in the system if he can demonstrate that his strong start with Tri-City last season was anything but an exception.
Letourneau throws his weight around
Despite all of the talk about Dean Letourneau, the 2024 first-round pick of the Boston Bruins, and his challenging freshman year at Boston College, the big-bodied center had done everything he could to put that season behind him.
Before development camp began, the Ontario native trained in Boston for the most of the previous month. He stood out during Thursday’s scrimmage.
“This week, I was really happy with Dean,” McQuaid remarked. I believe he demonstrated his increased strength and athletic prowess. In an attempt to reach the net as soon as possible, he is using his frame.
Once more, he was in Boston for the entire month. That revealed a great deal about his level of dedication. I’m thrilled for him as a result. I believe he is also excited. All he wants to do is get going.
The production was what it was for Letournau this past season after making the sizable jump from prep to Boston College (zero goals, three assists in 36 games).
But the skill is there for Letourneau when he s operating in tight spaces a unique attribute for a player who also measures out at 6-foot-7.
After operating on the perimeter during extended stretches last season at BC, Letourneau was making the most of his frame on Thursday at one point knocking over BC commit Kristian Kostadinski (6-foot-6, 220 pounds) while battling for a puck near the end boards.
If Letourneau can play to his size this upcoming season at BC and operate in Grade-A ice, his skill should allow him to be far more productive moving forward.
Once compared to another 6-foot-7 forward in Tage Thompson given his prolific scoring totals at the prep level, Letourneau might end up developing into more of a bottom-six matchup nightmare like 6-foot-7 Brian Boyle if he can continue to refine his game.
Loose pucks
For all of the skill present on Boston s Dev Camp roster, Boston s group of goalies in Albin Boija, Cameron Korpi, Dylan Silverstein, and Philip Svedeb ck all held their own across the four-day session especially during Thursday s scrimmage. It would not come as much of a surprise if the Bruins gave Boija a ring next spring after he closes out his season at Maine. He stands to be one the most coveted collegiate free agents on the market.
The Bruins outbid several teams by signing 6-foot-3 forward Dalton Bancroft out of Cornell this past spring. Bancroft s offensive upside remains to be seen, but he has all the makings of a punishing physical force at the pro level be it in Providence or potentially with Boston. After three years in college, Bancroft said that he s going to work with former scrapper Aaron Downey this summer in order to pick up some fighting tips.
Camp invite C.J. Foley would be a nice pickup by Boston next season if he opts to turn pro after his junior year with Providence. The Hanover native and Thayer Academy product is a skilled, puck-moving, right-shot D who will likely attract a long list of suitors after scoring 11 goals and posting 30 points in 33 games with the Big Green in 2024-25.
Two-way forwardChris Pelosi should a prospect whose stock will risethis upcoming season in his second go-around with Quinnipiac, while BU commit Jonathan Morello (2024 fifth-round pick) showcased a well-rounded game during camp ending with a spirited backcheck that broke up a 2-on-1 rush during Thursday s scrimmage.
Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.
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