There’s not much to be excited about when it comes to the Boston Bruins’ on-ice performance right now.
The Original Six club suffered its sixth straight loss Monday night with a 2-1 overtime defeat to the Calgary Flames on the road. Penalties were again an issue for Boston as Calgary scored the winning goal with an OT power play.
The Bruins’ recent slide has dropped them to the fifth-worst record in the Eastern Conference at 20-18-2 (42 points). However, given how tight the East standings are — only eight points separate first place and 10th place — a couple wins in a row could vault the B’s right back into playoff contention.
It’s not all bad for the Bruins despite this losing streak, though. Just look at some of the franchise’s top prospects, specifically James Hagens and Will Zellers, who are dominating offensively for the United States at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship in Minnesota.
Monday night’s game against Slovakia was a great example.
The U.S. trailed 2-0 in the first period and then 4-3 late in the second period before Hagens tied the score in the final minute of the frame.
Team USA built on that momentum when Hagens scored just 18 seconds into the third period. It was the United States’ first lead of the game.
The Americans doubled their advantage a few minutes later when Will Zellers scored a power-play goal. It ended up being the game-winning tally after Slovakia scored to make it 6-5 later in the period. The U.S. held on for a 6-5 victory to improve to 3-0-0 in the preliminary round of the tournament.
“We knew we had to have each other’s backs,” Hagens told NHL Network postgame when asked about Team USA’s early deficit. “We came out and were firing right away. We knew we were going to face some adversity at some point, so it’s just how you come out to that.”
Hagens has four points (two goals, two assists) in three games. Zellers has six points (four goals, two assists) in three games. He also has scored at least one goal in each of the preliminary round matchups.
It’s not a surprise that Hagens, as the No. 7 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft and a veteran of last year’s gold medal-winning team at the World Juniors, is stepping up during clutch moments for the Red, White and Blue. Zellers’ dominance is a little more surprising, although he’s been playing fantastic for the University of North Dakota with 10 goals and five assists in 18 games as a freshman this season.
Both of them represent the kinds of players the Bruins need at the NHL level right now.
Hagens has the offensive skill set, poise and hockey IQ of a No. 1 center. The Bruins haven’t had a real No. 1 center since Patrice Bergeron retired following the 2022-23 campaign. If Hagens can be a legit top-six center for many years, it would significantly improve the Bruins’ chances of being a title contender.
Zellers is a true goal scorer with a remarkable shot and the willingness to fight for pucks in and around the net. Boston could use more top-tier offensive skill on the wing, and Zellers should be able to help address that weakness at some point. Getting him as part of the Charlie Coyle trade with the Colorado Avalanche last March is looking like a stroke of genius from B’s general manager Don Sweeney.
The quality and depth of the Bruins’ prospect pool is better than it’s been in a long time, and both Hagens and Zellers are a huge reason why. There are still some flaws in their game, and they still haven’t reached the NHL yet, but their potential is enormous.
That’s one reason for Bruins fans to be excited, even if the team’s play at the moment is pretty lackluster.