Boston College Roster Bolstered by NHL Prospects

Boston, August 21, 2025

News Summary

Boston College has significantly improved its men’s hockey roster for the upcoming season, highlighted by the addition of James Hagens, the No. 7 overall pick in the NHL Draft. The Eagles now feature six Bruins prospects and a revamped leadership group, including Andre Gasseau as one of the team captains. After a disappointing previous season, the Eagles aim to integrate new talent and enhance their performance, particularly in high-stakes situations.

Boston — Boston College has secured a roster loaded with high-end talent and NHL prospects ahead of the 2025-26 men’s hockey season, highlighting a top-10 NHL draftee and a revamped leadership group as the program looks to rebound from a disappointing 2024-25 finish.

Top-line developments

The most consequential additions and status updates for the Eagles include the presence of James Hagens, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, and the commitment of several Boston Bruins prospects who figure to shape the roster next season. Boston College will enter 2025-26 with six Bruins prospects on its roster: James Hagens, Oskar Jellvik, Dean Letourneau, William Moore, Kristian Kostadinski, and another already identified prospect. The coaching staff also appointed Andre Gasseau to a three-captain leadership group for 2025-26 alongside seniors Brady Berard and Lukas Gustafsson.

Immediate implications

Boston College will likely rely on Gasseau’s size and two-way play to support Hagens, particularly given Hagens’ prior linemates from the strong recruiting class — Ryan Leonard and Gabe Perreault — have moved on to the NHL (Washington and New York Rangers, respectively). Gasseau’s versatility to play wing on either side makes him a probable linemate as the Eagles adjust to new top-line combinations.

Key player profiles and stats

Andre Gasseau (6-foot-4, 209 pounds) is entering a leadership role after posting career highs in 2024-25 with 15 goals, 30 points and a +23 rating across 36 games. Gasseau was a seventh-round pick (No. 213 overall) by the Bruins in the 2021 NHL Draft and has accumulated 37 goals and 88 points in 112 college games to date.

James Hagens arrives as the program’s highest-profile prospect following his selection at No. 7 overall in the 2025 NHL Draft. His draft status immediately raises expectations for Boston College’s offensive potential and NHL-level development on campus.

Other Bruins-linked players on the roster include Oskar Jellvik, Dean Letourneau, William Moore and defenseman Kristian Kostadinski. Each is listed as a Bruins prospect and will factor into defensive and forward rotations depending on lines and special-teams needs.

Incoming recruit Finn Sears has committed to Boston College and will join the program after a season at the U.S. National Team Development Program. Sears, from Medford, Massachusetts, scored 13 goals and added 34 points in 30 games for the ’09 Boston Junior Eagles during 2023-24, and he posted six goals and nine points in four games at the 14U nationals. He also attended USA Hockey’s Select 15 Camp.

Season context and outlook

The Eagles enter next season determined to correct late-season shortcomings. Boston College finished 2024-25 with a number of high points earlier in the year, including a historically strong recruiting class featuring Will Smith, Ryan Leonard, Gabe Perreault and Jacob Fowler, and generally sound defensive results. However, the team underperformed in the postseason: it did not win the Beanpot, it exited early from the Hockey East tournament and it was eliminated in the NCAA tournament with a loss to Denver.

Critics and observers pointed to a lack of playoff energy, scoring issues in crucial games late in the season, and questions about coaching strategy and line composition. Those lessons, plus the integration of NHL prospects and incoming recruits, frame Boston College’s offseason priorities.

Recent notable game and setting

The Beanpot Tournament, played at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, included a semifinal matchup where Boston University goalie Mathieu Caron made a key save against Boston College on February 5, 2024, an example of how tight late-season single-elimination games influenced the Eagles’ results.

What to watch in 2025-26

• How James Hagens adapts to college ice and whether he becomes an immediate offensive catalyst.
• Gasseau’s role as part of the three-captain group and his effectiveness as a linemate for Hagens.
• The impact and development of the six Bruins prospects on the roster, especially on special teams and defensive structure.
• Integration of Finn Sears after his NTDP season and how he complements the forward group.
• Adjustments by coaching staff to address late-season scoring droughts and lineup decisions that drew criticism in 2024-25.

Roster and prospect snapshot table

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Additional Resources

• Hockey Journal: Finn Sears Commits to Boston College
• BC Interruption: What Went Wrong for BC Hockey?
• Terrier Athletics: Men’s Ice Hockey Announces 2025-26 Schedule
• NCAA: 10 Players Who Went Straight from College Hockey to NHL Playoffs
• 985 The Sports Hub: Bruins Prospect Andre Gasseau Named Boston College Captain
• Wikipedia: Boston College

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