Bruins coach Marco Sturm gives a disappointing James Hagens injury update

As the Boston Bruins were putting the finishing touches on a 6-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena on Thursday night, things were humming along for Marco Sturm and his team. However, despite taking a 5-2 lead into the third period, there was some bad news that came from their 12th win of the 2026-27 season.

Midway through the period, rookie James Hagens made a move around Penguins defenseman Sam Girard and cut toward the net, but Girard unleashed a hard cross-check to Hagens' lower back. The seventh overall pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft was in immediate pain and went right to the bench.

After the game, second-year head coach Marco Sturm admitted that he didn't see him leave the bench as he called his name, but he was nowhere to be found. On Saturday, the Black and Gold dropped an update, and it wasn't a great one. Bruins coach Marco Sturm gives James Hagens injury timeline Early on Saturday morning, the Bruins announced on X that Hagens was being placed on injured reserve, going back to Thursday night.

After practice at Warrior Ice Arena on Saturday, Sturm has a timeline for when fans can expect to see Hagens back in the Boston lineup. According to NESN Bruins reporter Adam Pellerin, Sturm said Hagens will be out "a few weeks.'' Marco Sturm said Hagens is going to be out “a few weeks.” #NHLBruins — Adam Pellerin (@adampellerin) November 7, 2026 That is not a great update.

Hagens has been very good this season and has been at the top of the leading scorers list for rookies early in the campaign. Hagens has slotted in very well on the third line with Casey Mittlestadt and Elias Lindholm, which has become one of Sturm better lines in recent games. One thing about Hagens that has been impressive is his ability to get to the front of the net and finish, something you don't always see from a 20-year-old rookie.

Boston's move, when they placed Hagens on IR Saturday morning, was to bring up Mikey Eyssimont from the Providence Bruins in the American Hockey League (AHL), and the veteran forward has been on an AHL heater early in the season. He had a third-period hat trick in a third-period rally to beat Hamilton on Friday night .

Hopefully the injury isn't too serious, and Hagens misses a few weeks, rather than being out longer. Boston's first game with Hagens on Sunday afternoon at the TD Garden is against the Florida Panthers in what is an early-season Atlantic Division showdown. Add us as a preferred source on Google Follow