“We might have to look at him at center,” was Sweeney’s matter-of-fact assessment, the GM particularly impressed with Hagens’s sharp, accurate wrist shot, which he used to nail in all four goals. “Maybe that’s where we use him.”

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Sweeney’s comments came after Hagens’s third goal of the day — a hat trick rattled off in a span of 4:29 — lifted coach Trent Whitfield Wanna-B’s into a 3-2 lead early in the third period. Then came Hagens’s OT goal, giving Sweeney even more proof that the center spot might be the right fit for the left-shooting Hagens.

For anyone late to the protracted “Where will Hagens play?” discussion, the working assumption has been that left wing would be his starting point if he indeed is on the roster for the Sept. 29 season opener.

In a recent interview with the Globe, coach Marco Sturm said he was leaning toward Hagens taking up on the wing again, which is where he spent his five games (including three in the playoffs) after turning pro last spring.

Sturm, noting he was duly impressed with Hagens in that small sample size, said he did not see the rookie fully employ his offensive instincts. The tiny delay in reaction time, between thought vs. instinct, had the coach thinking more time on the wing would benefit the rookie’s developmental timeline.

All of which may still be the case when Hagens rejoins the veteran squad Thursday for its first skate. Hitting for the cycle here was impressive. Yet it doesn’t necessarily mean Sturm will rearrange the trio alignments he has scribbled on his white board, even if Sweeney grows more convinced by what he saw here.

His is a franchise, remember, desperate for a No. 1 center to lead the offense. That’s not going to be the somewhat spindly, 177-pound Hagens right here, right now. Frankly, Fraser Minten at this hour would be the lead candidate to morph the fastest into that role, based on his impressive 2025-26 season. But that looks to be a year or two away, and there is no guarantee he’ll ever be that guy.

It’s just that Minten’s impressive rookie performance over a full NHL season has to be given more weight than a six-pack bagged in a tourney of hopeful young’ns.

James Hagens, who has played five total games for the Bruins, scored six goals in two days in Buffalo. Kevin Paul Dupont

“To be honest, I was just excited to be out there playing hockey,” said Hagens, asked about Sturm’s assessment of his play from last season. “Being able to get there for the playoffs was a dream come true for me — one of the coolest moments in my entire hockey career. So it was more taking it all in, going out there, not overcomplicating anything — try to trust yourself and trust your teammates.”

Those words are smart, prudent, and also right from the standard rookie playbook. Could he be expected to bellow, “Tell Sturmy to get me that David Pastrnak on my right wing, STAT! And gimme Geeks on the left.”

If only, right?

For this hour, and many more to come, Hagens will follow whatever lead the front office and the guy behind the bench dictate. It was actually out of character for Sweeney to so much as hint of using Hagens, a center since his middle-school days, at his natural position.

We’ve learned to receive these hints from the GM like they’re manhole covers tossed from the top of the Hancock tower. We’ll see shortly if the hint leaves a dent in the road.

Worth noting, of course, is that the franchise has reason to be predisposed to starting talented young centers on the wing. It’s where Patrice Bergeron hung out at the start of his days in Black and Gold and, come November, a plaque with his likeness on it will be hung in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

The inscription is expected to reference that he grew to be the top two-way center of his era, and that, yeah, he scored some goals — 427, to be exact.

What defined Bergeron, though, was how he mastered the art, similar to how Roger Federer mastered the tennis court. Putting points up on the board is essential, but only part of a much bigger picture. We’ll see this week how that picture begins to fill in for Hagens.

Kevin Paul Dupont can be reached at kevin.dupont@globe.com.