These are strange times for the Boston Bruins. For a team that has been a true Stanley Cup contender for a decade has experienced quite a downfall. The Bruins went from playoff contender to a lottery team in short order. As a team, they’ve lost 10 games in a row, which is something they have not done since 2015. These have been really painful times for the Bruins as a whole and certainly not something they’ve expected. With the team headed for the NHL Draft Lottery and likely to select their pick within the top five of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, the team should, without hesitation, select a forward.
Forward Should Be the Priority
Is this team good defensively? Not so much. Sure, they are middle of the pack in shots against, and they still struggle to limit damage in the high danger areas, but they allow a lot of goals. Goaltending had also not been the strongest, but they are set for the future in that regard. The biggest thing they need is offense.
Related: THW’s 2025 NHL Draft Guide
As painful as it is to say and admit, the Bruins lack talent. They lack talent and firepower. The Bruins have a generational superstar in David Pastrnak, who once again surpassed the 30-goal mark and currently has 89 points. The next closest is Brad Marchand with 47 points, and he isn’t on the team anymore. The inability to get goals behind their stars is eye-opening, and the team is just inept at generating offense.
The Bruins have a hard time making things happen. They sit 29th in shots per game (26.49), 27th in expected goals for during five-on-five and have scored negative-10.48 goals scored above expected. The inability to finish is glaring and the Bruins have gotten beaten to the puck in all facets of the game. It’s been tough, and while there are key pieces in place, the Bruins have the luxury of adding a cornerstone offensive piece to their puzzle. Here are two players they should target with their top draft selection if available.
Players the Bruins Should Add
Michael Misa
It remains to be seen where the Bruins will pick, but if Michael Misa is available, the Bruins should not hesitate to select him. There is so much to love about his game and numerous reasons why the Bruins need to consider adding him.
Related: Michael Misa – 2025 NHL Draft Prospect Profile
Misa is a well-rounded player who excels at both ends of the ice. Defensively, he is a player who knows where the play is going and can help facilitate turnovers and push the play the other way. That would be enormous for a team like the Bruins, and he would fit like a glove in the lineup. As great as that is, his offensive upside is what stands out the most.
With the Saginaw Spirit in the Ontario Hockey League, Misa has a whopping 62 goals and 134 points in 65 games. His 134 points is a major boost from his 75 the season prior. Misa brings tremendous skill, has high hockey IQ, and a lethal shot. He’s the whole package. The best part is that he plays center, a position of need for the Bruins.
Misa is someone who can be the franchise center, could thrive next to Pastrnak, and would give this next wave a huge boost. But if Misa isn’t available, another player fits the bill for adding legit game-breaking talent.
James Hagens
If you told me at the beginning of the season that the Bruins could land James Hagens, I would have said you were crazy. However, they are in a prime position to select the player, and he’s right in their backyard as he plays for Boston College.
Hagens is a great player and certainly would give the Bruins a boost in the pipeline and also from a talent standpoint. He is a wizard with the puck, and his entire game is based on speed, skating, and playmaking ability. The ability he has to control the puck and always keep his head up is enormous, and he is always looking to set up a play. If you have watched the Bruins all season long, he is the polar opposite of how the Bruins have played.
Hagens has been a force to be reckoned with at Boston College and certainly had the luxury of playing with Gabe Perrault and Ryan Leonard, who are both now in the NHL. Hagens was a point-per-game player with Boston College during the 2024-25 season, having 11 goals and 37 points in 37 games. For the USA-U20 team, he was more than a point-per-game player. Wherever he goes, the production follows.
Hagens, like Misa, is a center. While they do have the center depth, they need a true number-one center to take the reins and lead the next wave. He is the perfect building block for that and would be a huge boost to this Bruins lineup when his time comes.
Bruins Need These Additions
It remains to be seen where the Bruins will pick, but they need impactful talent. After being big sellers at the deadline, the Bruins are turning over a new leaf and entering a new era. The retool will be crucial, and adding higher-end talent will be key to having long-term success. Adding one of these two players helps this process and also adds to the guys they have in Matthew Poitras, Fraser Minten, and Fabian Lysell. General Manager Don Sweeney has work to do and it begins at the draft.
