Start Of World Juniors Should Have Bruins Fans Excited for the Future
Boston prospects Will Zellers and James Hagens are off to great starts at the U-20 tournament.
If the World Juniors tournament is any indication, the Boston Bruins will be in good hands for years to come.
The annual hockey tournament is essentially the hockey version of the World Cup for players under 20. It has a passionate following and, more importantly, an insane pool of prospect talent for each participating nation.
That includes the United States, which is looking to win its third straight tournament while hosting — with all games played in Minnesota. Fortunately for the Bruins, two of Team USA’s top players are theirs.
James Hagens and Will Zellers are Boston prospects, and they needed all of one game to show why they’re so highly regarded.
Hagens — the No. 7 pick in last year’s NHL Draft — wasn’t overly flashy in the Americans’ 6-3 group-stage win over Germany. But he showed the ability to do the dirty work to set up his teammates on the game’s first goal.
Fresh off the bench, Hagens charged deep into the zone to win a puck battle, and seconds later, the Americans were on the board.
Little plays like that go a long way in the NHL, where hard, unglamorous work often creates scoring chances.
Zellers, notice taken, did his damage on the scoreboard.
The Bruins prospect recorded two goals and an assist, helping power the U.S. offense.
Having young players who already show these habits bodes incredibly well for Boston — a team that has struggled with attention to detail and consistent scoring outside of one or two players for the past three seasons.
The jump from the World Juniors to the NHL is significant. But if Hagens and Zellers can translate this style of play to the professional level, the Bruins could be positioned as a top contender in the near future.