RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 27: James Hagens #44 of the Boston Bruins skates with the puck during the second period of the game against the Carolina Hurricanes at Lenovo Center on October 27, 2026 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) Getty
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 17: James Hagens #44 of the Boston Bruins turns with the puck away from Artemi Panarin #10 of the Los Angeles Kings during a 4-1 Bruins win at Crypto.com Arena on October 17, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) Getty
The Boston Bruins will be without one of their top rookies for the next several weeks.
Head coach Marco Sturm confirmed Saturday, Nov. 7, that James Hagens will miss extended time following a cross-check in Boston's 6-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Hagens left Thursday's game in the third period and did not return. The Bruins placed him on injured reserve Saturday and recalled forward Mikey Eyssimont from Providence.
The 20-year-old has six goals and six assists through 17 games. His 12 points tie him for the NHL lead among rookies.
GettyRALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA – OCTOBER 27: James Hagens #44 of the Boston Bruins skates with the puck during the second period of the game against the Carolina Hurricanes at Lenovo Center on October 27, 2026 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
Sturm updated the media about Hagens injury.
"It's definitely gonna be a few weeks. Very unfortunate. It's not a dirty play or anything like that, just got him in the wrong spot there," Sturm said, according to Boston Hockey Now's Jack Studley .
The hit came from Penguins defenseman Samuel Girard as Hagens drove toward the net. The forward appeared to grab his lower back before reaching Boston's bench.
Team trainers attended to Hagens, who soon headed to the locker room. He did not return for the final 16:28.
Sturm had no update after Thursday's win . But two days later, his outlook is clear. Boston will play without Hagens for weeks, not days.
The team has not disclosed a specific diagnosis or set a return date. Its official injury announcement lists Nov. 5 as the injury date.
That leaves Boston without a young forward who had found his place alongside Elias Lindholm and Casey Mittelstadt. Hagens scored against the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday and had become a steady offensive contributor on Boston's third line.
GettyLOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 17: James Hagens #44 of the Boston Bruins turns with the puck away from Artemi Panarin #10 of the Los Angeles Kings during a 4-1 Bruins win at Crypto.com Arena on October 17, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Sturm tried a new look at Saturday's practice.
Marat Khusnutdinov replaced Hagens on the third line, while Matt Poitras moved up to the second line, per Studley . The coach said he would revisit his combinations when Eyssimont joined the team.
Khusnutdinov gives that line a strong defensive option. Boston has used the unit against opposing stars, including Sidney Crosby and Jack Eichel, making those assignments important beyond scoring.
Eyssimont arrives following an outstanding stretch with Providence.
The 30-year-old has scored 13 goals in eight AHL games this season. He leads the league in goals and has 16 points.
He has recorded three hat tricks, including a burst of three goals in 1:43 on Friday. That rally helped Providence overcome a late deficit and win.
Sturm said Eyssimont "definitely deserved a call-up," per Studley .
The veteran appeared in 56 games for Boston last season, collecting eight goals and 10 assists.
The Bruins will host the Florida Panthers on Sunday, Nov. 8. Hagens will not play, and his absence could reshape Boston's forward lines for much of November.
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