Will Marco Sturm double down on his stance regarding the young guys this season?

Sturm hopped on Bruins CLNS with Evan Marinofsky and had many key things to speak about regarding next season, his sophomore campaign, especially with how he’ll handle the younger players that Boston has to develop into its current NHL roster. One of those discussions involved how he’ll help James Hagens.

The 19-year-old is poised for his first NHL training camp after playing 57 total games in five different leagues/competitions of hockey, including NCAA, World Juniors, AHL, NHL, and IIHF play. Hagens was selected 7th-overall by the Bruins in 2025 and is by far the prospect with the highest pedigree entering the 2026-27 season. Sturm spoke in depth about how he’ll handle these situations based on what he’s shown.

They have to show me first. The player for me always dictates how much they want to play in certain situations… and if Hagens shows me that he’s ready for that next step, I will give him that. I’m not that dumb. It’s tough to explain a little bit and it’s just again with my experience working with young kids and being through it and now being here and acutally being through it with the Khus(nutdinov) and Mints (Minten) and these guys it’s just helps me and Hagens will be another guy.

Marat Khusnutdinov and Fraser Minten were not top ten draft picks, and they didn’t have to be. Minten began on the third line last season, and Khusnutdinov was a scratched player out of camp. Among U24 Bruins since 2020, they ended up being the only players to score 30+ points and 10+ goals in a single season this decade; Neither were originally drafted by Boston. Both proved that they could bring merit in their roles and thus elevated themselves throughout the season, so much so that they played alongside David Pastrnak for a stretch of time, registering a +10 goal differential for a team-best 75% goals for percentage as a line.

Sturm also discussed that he was motivated by his coaching staff to give Minten an elevated role, but held back for the time being. He emphasized there were steps that both players had to hit before they could get the ‘big cookie.’ Mostly because the Bruins have veterans who have already been there and done that, and the reward of playing time shouldn’t come because of the player’s draft position.

So could that same trajectory occur for Hagens? Looking at the current roster composition, Boston has many forwards who have cases they could make as to why they deserve a placement in the NHL lineup. Some of whom, because of the salary they’re being paid, others, because they’re a prospect or young player who deserves a real chance to prove themselves.

It is likely a reason as to why Matthew Poitras has yet to sign his next NHL contract. The 22-year-old is a restricted free agent and went from back-to-back 33-game stints from 2023-2025 to playing just three games in 2025-26. It is also what led to former 21st-overall drafted skill winger Fabian Lysell departing in a one-for-one trade to Colorado.

Then again, Poitras and Lysell had limited opportunities compared to Hagens in part because of that previously mentioned high draft pedigree. Both have also seen circumstances like injuries stunt them from cracking the big roster, but then again, the Bruins continuously have brought in depth players that have also played a factor in hindering ice time for the youth.

Rightfully so, JJ Peterka was a need for the Bruins’ top-six forward group. But now, with young players needing ice time, their NHL-depth caliber forwards are being paid as fill-in players. Notably, Michael Eyssimont ($1.45MM AAV), Alex Steeves ($1.625MM AAV), and Lukas Reichel ($950K AAV) are the 13th, 14th, and 15th options who take up not just the space from young players coming up from the AHL, but that’s also $4.025MM that isn’t seeing everyday reps in the NHL lineup. Boston is spending above $55MM on 15 potential forwards for their NHL team, based on which players are most likely to get priority.