Bruins

James Hagens headlines a seven-player class featuring plenty of high-end skill.

Speaking ahead of the 2025 NHL Draft, Don Sweeney stressed that the Bruins weren’t painting themselves in a corner when it came to their most pressing needs within a barren prospect pool.

“We’re looking for the most impactful players,” Don Sweeney said Wednesday at Warrior Ice Arena. “Now, impact can come in competitiveness and come in hockey sense and come in skill. It can come in scoring. When you can combine them all, obviously you get the perfect storm. 

“It’s not a positional decision for us. Do we have areas that we would like to fortify if we have the opportunity, depending on where the draft is deepest, and you can choose from players that might be similarly positioned? Ultimately, we have to find the most competitive and skilled players that we possibly can.”

Sure, enough the Bruins checked off plenty of boxes with their seven-pick haul in the 2025 NHL Draft — headlined by Boston College center James Hagens. 

In total, Boston selected seven players during the 2025 NHL Draft — five forwards (including four centers) along with a pair of playmaking defensemen.

Unlike in years past where the Bruins prioritized high floor talents, the Bruins opted for a bit more risk this year in search of greater upside.

“I think having more picks and having some higher picks allowed us to probably look at some players with with a bit more offensive ability and upside that sometimes — in the areas where we tended to be picking, we didn’t have some of those players available,” Bruins director of amateur scouting Ryan Nadeau said.

Nadeau added: “I just think we ended up in a spot this year where we could really take some swings at some sort of higher upside offensive players that maybe in the past, we haven’t had as many swings on that style of player.”

Here’s a look at Boston’s seven-player class from the 2025 NHL Draft:

Round 1, Pick 7: C James Hagens, Boston College

With their first top-10 selection in 14 years, the Bruins selected a high-end offensive talent in James Hagens — who held court for years as the projected No. 1 pick in his draft class. 

Concerns over both Hagens’ frame (5-foot-11, 190 pounds) and the fact that he didn’t have the same production as a freshman in college (37 points in 37 games) as other generational talents like Jack Eichel (71 points in 40 games) and Macklin Celebrini (64 points in 38 games) caused him to slip on Friday night.

But the Bruins welcomed the opportunity to select an elite playmaking center like Hagens at No. 7 overall. Hagens is an elite skater and was unanimously voted as having the “best hands” in the entire draft class by talent evaluators in a recent article from The Athletic. 

“He’s been that way his whole life — in terms of what he’s done,” Sweeney said of Hagens’ track record. “So we just hope the natural progression is you’ll be able to do at the NHL level.  “Again, it’s a tough league. You find that out when you get in. You realize that you’re in a much deeper pool of players and he’ll have his own challenges. But I think he’s driven to be that top player and wants to be a difference maker.” 

Beyond being a point-per-game player as an 18-year-old player in Hockey East, Hagens recorded 102 points (39 goals, 63 assists) in 58 games with the U.S. U-18 National Development Program in 2023-24 — equaling the scoring total that Patrick Kane submitted during his U18 campaign. 

Hagens also dominated during international competition — setting a new scoring record at the 2024 World U18 Championships with 22 points (nine goals, 13 assists) in just seven games. The previous record holder was Lightning star Nikita Kucherov.

“James is a really good facilitator coming up the ice and attacking with speed,” Nadeu said of Hagens, adding: “James helped drive a lot of play. Love the way that he can play with pace and attack with pace. Controlled pucks offensively. Just a real exciting player for us.”

Hagens will enter his sophomore season with a chip on his shoulder after dropping out his projected top-five perch in this draft class.

“I think next year you’ll be able to hopefully see,” Hagens said of proving doubters wrong after his first year of college hockey. “I thought this year was really good. You just got to go out there next year and prove everyone that passed on you wrong.”

Round 2, Pick 51: C William Moore, U.S. National Team Development Program

With their first second-round selection — acquired as part of the Trent Frederic trade to Edmonton — Boston added a two-way forward in William Moore, who is set to join Hagens and several other Bruins prospects at Boston College in 2025-26.

The 6-foot-2 Moore finished second on the U.S. National Team last season with 59 points (27 goals, 32 assists) in 64 games — with his two-way acumen and hockey IQ leading to his projection as a middle-six forward in the NHL ranks. 

“I have a very unique play style,” Moore said after donning a Bruins sweater. “I have a big frame that’s still filling out, but I think I have a high IQ, creative aspect to my game.”

Moore — who said he was the first member of his family to play hockey — was projected to be an early second-round pick, with the consolidated rankings compiled by Elite Prospects tabbing the forward as the No. 34 pick in this draft class.

Beyond his body of work on the ice, Moore is also an accomplished piano player. 

“That was the first thing I tried,” Moore said of the piano. “Hockey was one of the last but, yeah, I think it brings a lot of creativity to my game. Hands-wise, I think I’m very skilled with the puck. And I think I have a lot of finesse. And I have that on the keys too.”

According to The Athletic, Moore won the Little Mozarts International Competition by playing Chopin’s “Polonaise in G Minor” while also performing at New York City’s Carnegie Hall at just 10 years old. 

With pick No. 61, (acquired in the Charlie Coyle trade with Colorado), the Bruins took a playmaking blueliner in Pettersson. 

Pettersson is a 6-foot-2, puck-moving defenseman who scored six goals and 21 points in 39 games with Växjö in the J20 junior league in Sweden.

Pettersson is viewed as a bit of a project, with his transition game and playmaking capabilities offering plenty of upside — but more work  o be done on his defensive game. 

SportlogiQ listed him as the No. 68 prospect in the draft — comparing him to another playmaking blueliner in Travis Sanheim.

“We’re looking for players that are going to be continuing to drive offense but also competitive on both sides of the puck,” Bruins GM Don Sweeney said of targeting defenseman with Pettersson’s profile. 

Round 3, Pick 79: LW Cooper Simpson, Shakopee High School (Minn.)

Boston initially held the No. 69 pick in the third round, but later traded the selection to Montreal in exchange for picks No. 79 and 108. It marked the first trade between Boston and Montreal since Feb. 21, 2001. 

With the first of those two picks from Montreal, the Bruins selected a skilled winger in Simpson who torched the high-school circuit in Minnesota this past season. 

Cooper Simpson is another fun one. UND commit. Played with Shakopee High in Minnesota. Definitely needs time with development. But played well in his short time in USHL. Here’s a few goals with Shakopee. pic.twitter.com/dSScHbe9KL

— Robert Chalmers (@IvanIvanlvan) June 28, 2025

The 6-foot-1 winger led all Minnesota high-school players this past year in goals with 49 in just 39 games (along with 83 points) with Shakopee High School. He also finished the 2024-25 season on a high note by scoring seven goals in nine games with the Tri-City Storm of the USHL.

“An offensive player who can really shoot it,” Nadeau said of Simpson. “He’s someone who’s very quick to pull the trigger when he has the puck. He’s willing to go to areas and manipulate the ice. He’s got really good hands.

“Really drawn by his ability to score and shoot in a number of different ways. He’s a type kid who can shoot on the fly. He can, he can really shoot it with his one timer. So he’s got a lot of different repertoire with the shot.”

Simpson said he tries to model his game after fellow Minnesota-born winger Jimmy Snuggerud — who scored 66 goals across three seasons at the University of Minnesota before turning pro with St. Louis this spring.

The skilled winger will eventually join fellow Bruins prospect Will Zellers at the University of North Dakota, although it’s unclear if it will be for the 2025-26 campaign. 

Round 4, Pick 100: D Vashek Blanar, IF Troja-Ljungb (Sweden)

With their fourth-round selection, the Bruins opted to take a bit of an unknown in big-bodied defenseman Vashek Blanar. 

Blanar was not ranked on many scouting lists entering the 2025 Draft, with the 6-foot-4, left-shot D playing the last few seasons in the Swedish junior leagues.

Blanar — who was born in Colorado but moved back to Czechia when he was four years old — posted 21 points (six goals, 15 assists) in 38 games with IF Troja-Ljungb in the J18 league this past season. 

Much like Pettersson, the Bruins are banking on Blanar’s offensive upside, especially when matched with his study frame. 

“He’s got a bit of an underdeveloped frame right now,” Sweeney said. “A great skater, wants to compete. Probably trying to do too much at times.”

Round 5, Pick 133: C Cole Chandler, Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL)

Boston shifted to the CHL ranks in the fifth round, opting for center Cole Chandler out of Shawinigan. 

The Nova Scotia product has received high grades for his skating ability and defensive details, although his offensive production with Shawinigan (13 goals, 32 points in 64 games) might limit his ceiling at higher levels of play.

Chandler — who did close out this past season with 12 points in 16 games during the QMJHL playoffs —  said that an injury suffered in 2023-24 and a subsequent illness last summer contributed to a slow start this season.

“The adversity that I faced, I think it really helped me the second half — being able to bounce back like that,” Chandler said.

Round 6, Pick 165: C Kirill Yemelyanov, Loko Yaroslavl (MHL)

The Bruins closed out their 2025 selections in the sixth round by taking another center: Kirill Yemelyanov. 

Ranked as high as the No. 67 prospect in this draft class by FCHockey, the 6-foot, left-shot Yemelyanov scored 13 goals and 23 points over 35 games with Loko Yaroslavl in the Russian junior hockey league (MHL).

Kirill Yemelyanov is a skilled kid. Hasn’t made his KHL debut yet but has some flare to his game. Here’s a goal of his in the MHL playoffs with Loko pic.twitter.com/g6PWIGKS7R

— Robert Chalmers (@IvanIvanlvan) June 28, 2025

“Maybe not a high-end offense, but he’s certainly someone who’s involved in terms of driving some plays and getting some scoring chances,” Nadeau said of Yemelyanov. “And he also has a real good determination to the way he plays the game.”

 

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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WILKES-BARRE — My Uncle Jim used to say that the party don’t start until the baked beans come out.

Yep, but Uncle Jim and my dad and all my family and friends always knew that when July 4th rolled around, the American flag was always displayed.

I want to go back to those days — you know, when everybody in the neighborhood, the town and the country wore red, white and blue.

It was a time when being a patriot was part of our DNA — it was the way we were brought up.

It was a way of life — it was life in America, the good old USA.

I can still see those flags hanging on every porch. And there were those neighborhood cookouts, with picnic tables and we drank from red cups and blue ones and white ones. Even the plastic silverware was color coordinated in the patriotic colors. Napkins were red, white and blue, as were the tablecloths.

Being patriotic was just the way it was. We celebrated our independence on July 4 and we were damn proud to say we were Americans.

At the risk of grossly understating the obvious, those good old patriotic days seem to have waned just a bit. And if I’m right about that, then we better get the ship back on the right course and soon.

Back in the early 1960s, my dad would say to me on every July 4, “C’mon, we’re going to the services.” My dad, as you hopefully recall, fought in World War II and lost his right leg on a beach in Northern France on D-Day. He never held that against his country. He accepted it as his sacrifice for doing all he could to keep us free.

After the war, Dad joined every veterans’ organization — he even held office in most. And he celebrated the patriotic holidays and he was sure to show his respect for all those who gave the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country.

So our first stop was West Main Street in Plymouth for a service at the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial in front of Plymouth High School. We stood and listened to the speeches. We sang the Star Spangled Banner. We recited the Pledge of Allegiance. We were sure to thank all those other veterans for their service. And we prayed.

And then we would go to the next service. Usually, it was at the Shawnee Cemetery. The same kind of service with the addition of a gun salute and taps played twice, not just once. A very sobering experience, for sure.

Then we would go to a parade and watch the soldiers walk by. We would enjoy the bands and the other participants. All this was a celebration of America and its veterans — those living and those deceased.

I never questioned why we would attend all these events. I never once dared to try to wiggle out of going with my dad. I knew how much it meant to him and I was always glad to go. It made me feel good to see how proud everybody was about their country and how they appreciated each and every veteran for their service.

That’s why I always thank a veteran for his or her service. That’s why I say heroes walk among us. That’s why I hang a flag over my door.

And July 4th was always a time for gatherings. Families and friends would head to a lake with a pavilion and a swimming hole and everybody brought a dish of some sort. It was fun-filled and it was a celebration.

At these gatherings, there were hot dogs, hamburgs, chicken, potato salad, macaroni salad, shrimp, a huge tossed salad, cheese cake, fruit, veggies and dip, pretzels, chips, more dip, a marble cake decorated like an American flag, and, last but not least — those baked beans with bacon.

And there was some alcohol consumed — by the adults only — in moderation of course. A couple of beers, a few glasses of wine.

The end result was that it was all good — from the handshakes and hugs, to the conversations, to the food and drink to the spectacular fireworks — a good time was always had by all.

These celebrations took place at North Lake and Lake Silkworth and Harveys Lake and Melody Park.

People lived simple, but they were happy. They shared and they cared and they valued life in a free world.

Have a safe and fun July 4th. Enjoy family and friends. Thank all veterans. Celebrate America,

And don’t forget the baked beans.