- Bruins rookie James Hagens is on injured reserve after Thursday’s cross-check from Samuel Girard
- Coach Marco Sturm says Hagens will be out “a few weeks”
- Read below for how Boston is replacing him and what he had going
The Bruins are going to be without James Hagens for a while.
Boston placed the rookie forward on injured reserve Saturday, backdated to Thursday, after Samuel Girard cross-checked him in the lower back during a 6-2 win over the Penguins. Marco Sturm was asked about the timeline after practice and said Hagens will be out “a few weeks.”
Here’s Sturm’s update from Saturday:
That is a longer stretch than the seven-day minimum that comes with an IR stay. Our original Hagens injury post covered the hit itself, and the Bruins hadn’t offered any word on his status at that point.
Hagens was driving the net after making a move around Girard when the defenseman caught him from behind. He grabbed at his back right away, skated gingerly to the bench and headed down the tunnel. Watch the NESN video of the play:
The timing hurts because Hagens had been one of the best stories in the league. He has six goals and six assists through 17 games, which ties him for the NHL rookie scoring lead at 12 points. The seventh overall pick in 2025 has done it on the wing and in under 15 minutes a night.
Boston recalled forward Michael Eyssimont from AHL Providence to take the open roster spot. Eyssimont leads the AHL with 13 goals in eight games, so he arrives on a heater. The Bruins sit at 12-4-1 and lead the Atlantic with 25 points, and they face Florida on Sunday without their rookie.
