What James Hagens' Departure Means for Dean Letourneau's Future at Boston College
As much as he did for the Boston College men’s hockey program over the last two seasons, James Hagens is now in the Eagles’ past.
On Tuesday, Hagens officially took the ice for the Providence Bruins, where he was designated by the organization to kick off the initial stage of his professional hockey career.
James Hagens is on the ice in Providence. pic.twitter.com/uj39qSCAIj
— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) March 24, 2026
Because Hagens, a Hockey East First Team All-Star selection in 2025-26 and Hobey Baker Top 10 Finalist, signed an AHL tryout agreement with Boston — rather than making the jump straight to the NHL — there is technically still a pathway for him to come back to Chestnut Hill, Mass.
The reality of that happening is extremely unlikely, however, which means it is time for BC to move on and prepare for next season accordingly, bringing up the question of who is next in line to spearhead BC’s offensive unit.
But that is not much of a question, because that player is undoubtedly Dean Letourneau.
After posting just three assists and no goals as a freshman in 2024-25 after he was selected in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft by, of all teams, the Bruins, Letourneau morphed into a different player over the 2025 offseason.
He finished his sophomore year with 22 goals and 17 assists for 39 points, which was only eclipsed by Hagens (47 points) on BC’s 2025-26 roster.
That turnaround in just one year is not typical for most players, yet that is exactly what Letourneau set out to prove after failing to assert himself when he first entered the college hockey scene — that he is not just some player, but is actually a remarkable talent with NHL-level potential.
In his third season under BC head coach Greg Brown, the sky is the limit.
“It says a lot about his character and his perseverance,” Brown said after the Eagles’ loss in the 2026 Hockey East Tournament semifinals, in which Letourneau scored twice. “It was a tough year last year statistically, but he kept sticking with it, and he didn’t get down. He kept just showing up everyday and giving everything that he had.”
Dean Letourneau is going to be a handful in the NHL pic.twitter.com/vlX5M2iZSd
— Cam Robinson (@Hockey_Robinson) March 21, 2026
Those results did not come out of nowhere, according to BC’s skipper.
“The work he put in the summer was tremendous,” Brown said. “I don’t know what the next step [is]. I know he can keep going. I don’t want to say he can double that again, because it was such a tremendous year for him. So he’ll continue to get stronger. He’ll continue to work on all of his physical skills.”
Brown continued: “But I think what he really showed was the mental fortitude to put last year behind him and to come in with a ton of confidence and have a great year for himself.”
Hagens ➡️ Gasseau ➡️ Letourneau
— BC Men's Hockey (@BC_MHockey) March 21, 2026
📺 NESN+ pic.twitter.com/ogxC2NafIZ
That physical dominance which the Bruins found attractive during their draft-selection process certainly came out for Letourneau this season, but the mental side is not always visible to the naked eye.
The fact that Letourneau was determined to block out the noise and stay committed to his craft, rather than break down from the pressure, showed the type of person he is — a fighter.
The 6-foot-7, 228-pound forward was featured on BC’s power play, the penalty kill, and moved up and down the Eagles’ lineup throughout the entire year without missing a single game. He impressed in every single one of those positions as well.
Letourneau will come into next season as arguably one of the favorites to win Hockey East Player of the Year, which Hagens was named a finalist for this season, and he now has the entire summer and more to continue the rapid progression that he displayed over the past 12 months.
It is not farfetched to say that the 2027 Hobey Baker Award could be in Letourneau's sights in the future as well.
If Dean Letourneau improves as much in his junior season as Boston College as he did in his sophomore campaign, the Boston Bruins prospect will run away with the 2027 Hobey Baker Award. https://t.co/BXBtsE37BG
— Dan Kelley (@DanKelley66) March 22, 2026
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Graham Dietz is a 2025 graduate of Boston College and subsequently joined Boston College On SI. He previously served as an editor for The Heights, the independent student newspaper, from fall 2021, including as Sports Editor from 2022-23. Graham works for The Boston Globe as a sports correspondent, covering high school football, girls' basketball, and baseball. He was also a beat writer for the Chatham Anglers of the Cape Cod Baseball League in the summer of 2023.
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