Marco Sturm just told reporters that James Hagens will be out "a few weeks" for the Bruins, according to Jack Studley.
The 20-year-old center left Thursday night's game in Pittsburgh after a cross-check from Samuel Girard, and the Bruins have since placed him on injured reserve. Now the head coach has put a rough timeline on it.
Studley relayed Sturm's message that the absence will definitely run a few weeks, and that the coach saw nothing dirty in the play.
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Sturm called it "very unfortunate," adding that Hagens just got caught "in the wrong spot there." That tells you Boston isn't looking for a suspension hearing or a fight over the hit.
You can read how it unfolded in our earlier report on Hagens leaving the game after the Girard cross-check. The Bruins went on to win that night 6-2.
The timing stings. Hagens has 12 points in 17 games this season, six of them goals, and he's a +7. For a seventh overall pick in the 2025 draft, that's a real step forward.
How the Bruins fill the hole in the middle
Boston can absorb a few weeks better than most teams. The Bruins sit 12-4-1, first in the Atlantic Division, and they've won three straight.
Saturday's practice lines already reflect the change, with the second line showing a familiar face back at center, according to Jim McBride. Sturm hasn't said publicly who gets the job long term.
That matters because the Bruins are also linked to a bigger swing. The Bruins' pursuit of Dylan Larkin was reported on Tuesday, and a young center going down only makes that kind of conversation louder.
Is a rental-level fix enough, or does Don Sweeney push for a real top-six piece? Nobody in Boston has answered that yet, and the schedule won't wait. The Bruins host the Panthers on Sunday.
Quick hits
BOSTON BRUINS: Practice lines are out, and the second line has a familiar face back in the middle with Hagens on IR. Jim McBride has the full look.
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EDMONTON OILERS: Vasily Podkolzin stays on Connor McDavid's wing against the Canucks, per Jack Michaels. That job keeps looking safe.
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WASHINGTON CAPITALS: Jack St. Ivany has his first NHL goal, and it puts Washington up 1-0 on Florida. Sammi Silber had it first. Great moment for the kid.
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DALLAS STARS: Miro Heiskanen will not play against San Jose tonight, Brien Rea reports. Losing him on the blue line is a big hit.
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ST-LOUIS BLUES: Joel Hofer starts in Nashville, and Lou Korac says Mason McTavish is a game-time decision.
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Should the Bruins make a big trade for a top-six center after the Hagens injury?
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