12-Point Rookie Out: Hagens Injury Opens Door for Eyssimont
Bruins rookie James Hagens is on injured reserve after a back injury, forcing coach Marco Sturm to recall Mikey Eyssimont from the AHL for Sunday's game against the Panthers.
By Nia Foster ·
Rookie James Hagens will miss time for the Boston Bruins after suffering a back injury during Thursday's win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. The team placed the defenseman on injured reserve following a cross-check to the back by Samuel Girard. Hagens left the game early in the third period and has not played since.
The injury disrupts a perfect streak for Hagens, who had appeared in every game this season. He sits at 12 points, tied with Trevor Connelly of the Vegas Golden Knights and Gavin McKenna of the Toronto Maple Leafs for the rookie scoring lead. Coach Marco Sturm said the recovery will take a few weeks, noting that the call-up for Mikey Eyssimont was earned through hard work.
Eyssimont arrives from the AHL affiliate in Providence, where he led the league with 13 goals in eight games. He played in 56 NHL contests last season. The Bruins face the Florida Panthers in a Sunday 1 p.m. matinee at TD Garden. The Panthers lost 4-3 to the Washington Capitals on Saturday, their second loss in the last three games after a three-game winning streak.
Florida enters the game with a 9-6-2 record, while Boston stands at 12-4-1. The Bruins allow 40 goals, the fewest among the two teams, compared to Florida's 51. Boston wins 55.0% of faceoffs, a higher rate than the Panthers' 48.9%. The Panthers have gone 0-3-0 against Atlantic Division opponents this season.
Former Bruins captain Brad Marchand, traded to Florida in 2025, remains sidelined with a leg injury. Boston will play its second divisional game of the season, the first since a 4-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Oct. 5. In their last game, Pavel Zacha scored twice for Boston, and Morgan Geekie scored his third goal in three games.
The Bruins have 17 different goal scorers this season. Captain David Pastrnak leads the team with eight goals, while Hagens, Elias Lindholm, and Fraser Minten each have six. Florida's Brady Tkachuk recorded his third multi-goal game of the season on Saturday, bringing his total to 10.
Sandis Vilmanis, a 22-year-old forward for Florida, was helped off the ice after a head-first hit into the boards from Tom Wilson in the first period of Saturday's game. Wilson received a game misconduct. Panthers coach Paul Maurice said Vilmanis will receive further evaluation on Sunday.
