Connect with us

College Sports

Could James Hagens fall to Bruins in 2025 NHL Draft?

Bruins “College — it’s a different level of hockey. It’s harder. It’s not junior hockey. It’s tough to score every given night.” James Hagens is expected to be a top-five pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. (AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper) James Hagens has heard all the noise at this point. Once crowned as the top […]

Published

on


Bruins

“College — it’s a different level of hockey. It’s harder. It’s not junior hockey. It’s tough to score every given night.”

Boston College forward James Hagens (10) reacts after scoring a goal during the third period of an NCAA hockey regionals game against Bentley on Friday, March 28, 2025, in Manchester, N.H. Boston College won 3-1.
James Hagens is expected to be a top-five pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. (AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper)

James Hagens has heard all the noise at this point.

Once crowned as the top player in the 2025 NHL Draft class, the dynamic Boston College forward has seen his stock slip over the last few months.

While Hagens’ consolidated draft ranking on Elite Prospects still has him tabbed as the No. 3 prospect in this group behind defenseman Matthew Schaefer and center Michael Misa, there is some variance as to where the 18-year-old forward could land in the draft order in late June. 

TSN’s Craig Button even went so far as to put Hagens as the No. 8 prospect in the upcoming draft, with forwards with lower ceilings like Brady Martin (No. 6) or injury concerns in Roger McQueen (No. 5) slotted ahead of him.

Such a dip would be a steep drop for Hagens — who entering the 2024-25 collegiate season as the next potential Jack Hughes.

But Hagens’ murky stock could also offer the slim hope that a Bruins team starved for elite offensive talent could potentially have the Long Island native in their crosshairs next month with the No. 7 pick.

“I love Boston,” Hagens said on Tuesday. “Being at Boston College, we’re right in the middle of Boston there. So it’s a beautiful city. Only great things to say about it. I love it there.”

For all of the discourse surrounding Hagens and the tape he submitted as a freshman at Boston College, the young forward was candid about the performance he put forward in the collegiate ranks this winter.

“I thought I had a great season. You’re playing against guys that are 25, 24 years old every night. It’s tough,” Hagens said. “It’s hard hockey, but I’m super grateful to be able to have the year that I was able to have with the group of guys that we did have.”

Hagens closed out his first season in college hockey with 37 points (11 goals, 26 assists) in 37 games. 

That stat line pales in comparison to the production orchestrated by other potential top-10 selections like Misa (62 goals, 134 points in 65 games in the OHL) or Jake O’Brien (32 goals, 98 points in 66 games in the OHL).

But the quality of competition in college hockey — especially in Hockey East — is far more daunting than what phenoms like Misa and Co. feasted on in the Canadian Junior ranks.

Still, scouts were likely expecting a No. 1 pick like Hagens to mimic the standout collegiate seasons orchestrated by other generational freshmen talents like Jack Eichel (71 points in 40 games), Adam Fantilli (65 points in 36 games), and Macklin Celebrini (64 points in 38 games) over the last decade. 

But even if a point-per-game pace might be deemed as underwhelming for a player of Hagens’ caliber, he has few regrets over his play at Chestnut Hill. 

“I love making plays,” Hagens said of his approach on the ice. “I love being able to find a guy back door, that’s something that I feel like is a big part of my game, my whole entire career.  So I wouldn’t say that I ever deflect away from shooting the puck. I know when to shoot and when to pass. 

“Just something that really helps take my game [to] the next level is the way I’m able to kind of find other guys. … College — it’s a different level of hockey. It’s harder. It’s not junior hockey. It’s tough to score every given night. It’s low-scoring games. You have to work to score goals.”

Beyond his play at the college level, Hagens’ track record speaks for itself. 

Hagens closed out his tenure with the U.S. National Team Development Program with 102 points in 58 games in 2023-24. 

That same season, Hagens set a new scoring record at the 2024 World U18 Championships with 22 points (nine goals, 13 assists) in just seven games, breaking the previous record set by Nikita Kucherov. 

In an NHL that now relies heavily on skating and skill, Hagens brings it every single time he hops over the boards — with the forward citing Patrick Kane, John Tavares, and Logan Cooley among those he models his game after. 

But talent evaluators still have some qualms about whether or not Hagens’ size or play style can translate to the NHL, at least as it pertains to him being a legitimate franchise talent. 

“At BC, he had stretches this season where he was hard to notice at even strength and had too many games where he was invisible,” The Athletic’s Corey Pronman wrote this week of Hagens. “He struggled to consistently get to the inside against bigger college defenders. He also struggled to score goals this season. 

“At barely 5-foot-11 and without a physical edge, his profile becomes harder to project as a top-line NHL center who you can win with. His compete level is decent and looked good at the World Juniors, but I wouldn’t call it a standout trait.”

As tantalizing as Hagens’ skillset is, there is a reason why physical forwards like Martin are starting to see their stock soar at this point on the NHL calendar as GMs and other evaluators start projecting how these 2025 forwards could fit into their lineup. 

With the NHL scouting combine set to commence in less than a week, Hagens is looking to dispel some of the narratives surrounding his game once he’s able to meet face-to-face with teams in Buffalo.

“I’m just trying to explain just how high my compete level is at the combine,” Hagens said. “I’m getting ready to show that with all the tests. I love winning. I will do anything to win. Something that’s helped me get to the point where I am today is just how hard I’ve been able to work my whole life. 

“Nothing’s ever come easy. I’ve had to work for everything that I’ve ever gotten before, and that’s something I’m super grateful for. That’s something that’s just within my family, something that I was raised up, taught from my parents and my coaches. So, going into those meetings just really expressing how hard I compete, and how badly I want to be on a team and hopefully win a Stanley Cup one day.”

Hagens would not be the first blue-chip prospect to sink down the draft leaderboard. It would be a welcome sight for a team like the Bruins — who would seemingly tune out any of those shortcomings in his game if Hagens realizes his potential as a legitimate top-line pivot in the coming years. 

Even if Hagens isn’t exactly a carbon copy of Jack Hughes, an offensively-deficient team like Boston would welcome a scenario where Hagens develops into another Clayton Keller (90 points in 81 games with Utah this past season). 

Hagens sporting the spoked-B still stands as wishful thinking.

Even if he slips past teams like Chicago (No. 3 overall) or Utah (No. 4), teams starved for young talent down the middle like Nashville (No. 5) or Philadelphia (No. 6) would likely do somersaults in their draft war room if Hagens dropped down the order.

But regardless of where he lands on June 27, Hagens is embracing the twists and turns that await in the lead-up to the draft.

“Getting drafted has been my dream my whole entire life,” Hagens said. “That’s why I started playing hockey. That’s why I still play. But I’m really just grateful for everything right now. The noise will always be there, but you just have to make sure you’re living in the moment and taking it day by day.”

Profile image for Conor Ryan

 

Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.





Link

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

College Sports

Women’s Hockey Garners 24 AHA All-Academic Honorees

Story Links On Wednesday, Atlantic Hockey America announced the 129 members of the 2024-25 Women’s League All-Academic Team.  The AHA All-Academic Team honors those student-athletes who posted a GPA of 3.0 or above for both semesters of the 2023-24 academic year. Lindenwood was second in the conference with 24 recipients, while 10 […]

Published

on


On Wednesday, Atlantic Hockey America announced the 129 members of the 2024-25 Women’s League All-Academic Team.  The AHA All-Academic Team honors those student-athletes who posted a GPA of 3.0 or above for both semesters of the 2023-24 academic year.

Lindenwood was second in the conference with 24 recipients, while 10 athletes were named Student-Athletes of the Year for earning a 4.0 during the academic year.

2024-25 Student-Athletes of the Year (10)

Madison Bowtell, Paige Cline, Kaitlin Finnegan, Olivia Grabianowski, Molly Henderson, Anna LaRose, Quinn McLaren, Ellie Muscedere, Brooke Pioske, Gigi Pora

2024-25 AHA All-Academic Team (24)

Madison Bowtell, Paige Cline, Chloe Corbin, Maegan Cronan, Hannah Dods, Josey Dunn, Kaitlin Finnegan, Olivia Grabianowski, Silje Gundersen, Molly Henderson, Catherine Hodgins, Sidney Jackel, Thea Jorgensen, Anna LaRose, Quinn McLaren, Ellie Muscedere, Morgan Neitzke, Zsofia Pazmandi, Brooke Pioske, Gigi Pora, Lucie Quarto, Sydney Rarick, Sena Takenaka, Elina Zilliox

 



Link

Continue Reading

College Sports

Marcus Spears Jr. backs up top-five status in gym filled with young talent

ST. LOUIS, Mo. – For the last 25-plus years, the Nike Elite 100 has served as an important step in the career of many elite prospects. From Amar’e Stoudemire to DeMarcus Cousins to Jayson Tatum to Paolo Banchero and countless other NBA stars, the Elite 100 has served as a stage where emerging prospects get their […]

Published

on


ST. LOUIS, Mo. – For the last 25-plus years, the Nike Elite 100 has served as an important step in the career of many elite prospects. From Amar’e Stoudemire to DeMarcus Cousins to Jayson Tatum to Paolo Banchero and countless other NBA stars, the Elite 100 has served as a stage where emerging prospects get their first real chance to shine in front of media and scouts in a setting where the focus is strictly on underclass talent.

Once again, Nike has assembled the top underclassmen from their Elite Youth Basketball League and on the opening night, there was no shortage of players making their mark in the Simon Recreation Center on the campus of Saint Louis University

MARCUS SPEARS JR.’S MOTOR AND GAME MATCH HIS IMPRESSIVE BLOODLINES

Marcus Spears Jr. (Photo: Eric Bossi, 247Sports)

Already ranked No. 4 in the class of 2027, 6-foot-8 forward Marcus Spears Jr. is about as well-known as a rising high school junior can be. Given his family, it’s no surprise that he’s emerging as a big-time prospect. His father Marcus Spears, was an All-American football player at LSU before being taken in the first round of the NFL Draft, while his mother Aiysha Smith was an All-SEC basketball player before being selected No. 7 overall in the 2003 WNBA Draft.

RELATED (VIP): USA Basketball U19: Tyran Stokes, Brandon McCoy lead high school prospects to make first cut | Mikel Brown Jr., Malachi Moreno, Koa Peat impress

If that wasn’t enough, his sister Macaria Spears was selected by MaxPreps as the 2025 National Player of the Year in volleyball and is signed to play at Texas.

Fresh off a standout performance for USA Basketball’s gold medal-winning 16U squad less than two weeks ago, Spears lived up to his family legacy at the Elite 100.

Through the years, we’ve literally seen thousands of players compete at the Elite 100, and Spears is among the hardest-playing prospects we’ve ever seen. At 6-foot-8, he’s still on the lean side, but he doesn’t lack for toughness, was flying all over the court, and had the gym buzzing thanks to his seemingly endless and infectious energy.



Link

Continue Reading

College Sports

12 Hoyas Named CSC At-Large Academic All-District

Story Links 2024-25 CSC Women’s At-Large Academic All-District Team 2024-25 CSC Men’s At-Large Academic All-District Team WASHINGTON – Twelve Georgetown University standouts were named College Sports Communicators (formerly College Sports Information Directors of America) At-Large Academic All-District®, as announced […]

Published

on


WASHINGTON – Twelve Georgetown University standouts were named College Sports Communicators (formerly College Sports Information Directors of America) At-Large Academic All-District®, as announced by the organization. Six female and six male student-athletes from six different sports were recognized for the 2024-25 season.
 
One the women’s side, field hockey’s Elena Perez Alejandro and Sophie Towne as well as women’s lacrosse’s Lily Athanas and Emma Gebhardt had two honorees each along with Georgia Ruffolo from women’s golf and Jordan Keene from women’s rowing.
 
Men’s lacrosse had five honorees with Fulton Bayman, Aidan Carroll, Joe Cesare, Anderson Moore and Jordan Wray while Barnes Blake from men’s golf was also recognized.
 
2024-25 College Sports Communicators At-Large Academic All-District®
Lily Athanas | Senior | Women’s Lacrosse
Fulton Bayman | Graduate Student | Men’s Lacrosse
Barnes Blake | Sophomore | Men’s Golf
Aidan Carroll | Graduate Student | Men’s Lacrosse
Joe Cesare | Junior | Men’s Lacrosse
Emma Gebhardt | Senior | Women’s Lacrosse
Jordan Keene | Senior | Women’s Rowing
Anderson Moore | Sophomore | Men’s Lacrosse
Elena Perez Alejandro | Sophomore | Field Hockey
Georgia Ruffolo | Senior | Women’s Golf
Sophie Towne | Senior | Field Hockey
Jordan Wray | Junior | Men’s Lacrosse
 
The 2025 Academic All-District® Men’s At-Large Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances in the athletic realm and in the classroom. To be eligible for CSC Academic All-District® consideration, a student must be at least a sophomore with a 3.50 cumulative grade-point average and must have competed in 90% of the team’s total games played or have started 66% of the team’s total games.
 
Only student-athletes from the NCAA sponsored sports of fencing, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, rifle, skiing, water polo, men’s volleyball, women’s beach volleyball, women’s bowling, field hockey and women’s rowing are eligible for at-large consideration. A maximum of six men’s and six women’s student-athletes may be nominated total per institution.
 
Academic All-District® honorees advance to the CSC Academic All-America® ballot. First-, second- and third-team Academic All-America® honorees will be announced on July 9.
 



Link

Continue Reading

College Sports

Alabama Lands Trio on CSC Academic All-District Team

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Three members of the Alabama gymnastics program earned College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District honors, the organization announced. Chloe LaCoursiere, Natalia Pawlak and Rachel Rybicki all earned CSC All-District honors for the first time in their career. Additionally, LaCoursiere and Rybicki were selected as CSC Academic All-America finalists and will advance to […]

Published

on


TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Three members of the Alabama gymnastics program earned College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District honors, the organization announced.

Chloe LaCoursiere, Natalia Pawlak and Rachel Rybicki all earned CSC All-District honors for the first time in their career. Additionally, LaCoursiere and Rybicki were selected as CSC Academic All-America finalists and will advance to the national ballot to be voted on by CSC members.

The Honorees

  • All three honorees were members of the Crimson Tide’s NCAA Championship roster
  • The UA trio amassed perfect 4.0 GPAs during the year
  • Chloe LaCoursiere highlighted the group with her second career All-America accolade on the uneven bars
  • LaCoursiere performed 40 routines for the Crimson Tide, 15 each on the uneven bars and the balance beam, and accumulated career-high scores on both bars (9.950) and floor (9.900)
  • Rachel Rybicki contributed 23 routines to Alabama’s 2025 season, spread across the balance beam and the floor exercise while amassing career highs in both events (9.900 BB, 9.925 FX)
  • Rybicki was also named the prestigious Elite 90 winner for women’s gymnastics, Alabama’s fifth gymnast in program history to win the honor and the program’s eighth total honor
  • Natalia Pawlak saw action on the uneven bars against the Georgia Bulldogs and the LSU Tigers
  • Pawlak registered a season-high 9.825 against UGA before also contributing a 9.775 against LSU



Link

Continue Reading

College Sports

Lacrosse and Hockey Place Six on CSC Academic All-District Teams

Story Links CSC Academic All-District Men’s At-Large Teams SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – Six members of the Union College men’s hockey and men’s lacrosse teams were recognized for their work in competition and in the classroom with spots on the 2025 CSC Academic All-District Men’s At-Large Team, […]

Published

on


SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – Six members of the Union College men’s hockey and men’s lacrosse teams were recognized for their work in competition and in the classroom with spots on the 2025 CSC Academic All-District Men’s At-Large Team, selected by College Sports Communicators and announced on Tuesday.

Juniors Brandon Buhr and Kyle Chauvette of the men’s hockey team picked up Division I At-Large recognition, while men’s lacrosse seniors Chris Connolly, Peter Kip and Luke McHugh were joined by sophomore teammate Jack Lucey in earning Division III At-Large laurels.
 
Unlike most sport-specific categories, the At-Large program is arguably the most competitive Academic All-District program, encompassing 10 different men’s sports: fencing, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, rifle, skiing, volleyball, water polo and wrestling.
 
To be nominated for College Sports Communicators (formerly CoSIDA) Academic All-District honors, student-athletes must reach a minimum participation threshold (varies by sport), maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or higher, and reach sophomore athletic and academic standing at the school. All Academic All-District honorees are considered for advancement to the CSC Academic All-America ballot.
 
Buhr and Chauvette both earned All-District honors for the second straight seasons. Buhr was named Union’s Junior Scholar-Athlete of the Year after the economics major ranked third in the conference with a team-leading 19 goals to go with nine assists for 28 points in 36 games to earn All-ECAC Hockey third-team honors. Chauvette also earned All-Conference third-team recognition after posting an 18-11-3 record between the pipes for Union as a junior, with the economics major finishing the year with a 2.51 goals against average and .905 save percentage.
 
Kip is the lone repeat honoree among the four lacrosse selections and also is the lone lacrosse honoree to not be majoring in economics. The environmental policy major ranked second on the team in scoring with 22 goals and a team-best 14 assists for 36 points as a senior, and finished his career top-seven in program history in both goals (117) and points (178).
 
McHugh earned All-Liberty League honorable mention in his first year as the team’s full-time faceoff specialist, winning over 61 percent of his draws and ranking third in the conference in both ground balls (108) and faceoff percentage (180 of 294). Connolly and Lucey both played key roles on the Union defensive unit this season, with Lucey causing a team-leading 14 turnovers and grabbing 34 ground balls and Connolly recording 14 ground balls and causing three miscues.

With the six honorees, Union student-athletes have now earned 265 Academic All-District honors since 2001.
 



Link

Continue Reading

College Sports

CC Announces Three Additions To 2025 Roster

Story Links Colorado College women’s soccer head coach Keri Sanchez announced the signings of three more additions to the 2025 roster, including two transfers and a first-year student-athlete.  Sophomore transfer Nadia Cassamajor comes to Colorado Springs after playing her first year at Holy Cross in the Patriot League. She recorded four starts and played in 12 […]

Published

on

CC Announces Three Additions To 2025 Roster

Colorado College women’s soccer head coach Keri Sanchez announced the signings of three more additions to the 2025 roster, including two transfers and a first-year student-athlete. 
 
Sophomore transfer Nadia Cassamajor comes to Colorado Springs after playing her first year at Holy Cross in the Patriot League. She recorded four starts and played in 12 games for the Crusaders. 

Cassamajor finished the season with 316 minutes played, three shots and one goal. She scored her first collegiate goal on Aug. 18 against New Hampshire. 
 
In high school, Cassamajor played four years of varsity soccer at Thayer Academy in Braintree, Mass. She was a 2023 New England Preparatory School Athletic Council and Independent School League Honorable Mention. She was listed as the No.8-ranked player in the Northeast 2024 Class by Top Drawer Soccer. 
 
“It is great to add another offensive weapon with a year of college experience already,” Sanchez said. “Nadia brings a great work rate on both sides of the ball, an ability to attack 1v1, and a desire to score goals.”
 
Junior transfer Pressly Taylor played her first two collegiate seasons at Northwest College in Powell, Wyo. 
 
Taylor has 34 career games under her belt, including 27 starts. In that period, the Boise native has logged 28 goals, 17 assists, 72 shots and 57 shots-on-goal. In 2024, she led the Trapper with 14 goals and an astonishing shot-on-goal percentage of 94.4 percent. 
 
“Pressly is a great addition as a transfer this fall,” Sanchez said. “She brings experience up top, an ability to finish, and a drive to help us win.”
 
Taylor played high school soccer at Boise High School. In her senior year, she led the Brave to an 18-1 record and a 5A IDHSAA state title. 
 
The final signing is Taylor Mentink from Lake Tapps, Wash.. Mentink will join the talented CC defense after playing for Sumner High School, a consistently top-10 team. 
 
“We are excited to add Taylor to our 2025 class,” Sanchez said. “She brings versatility in the defensive positions, great work rate, a battling mentality, and a desire to impact.”
 
Mentink was a captain her senior year and led the Spartans to the quarterfinals of the WIAA 4A State Tournament and a 15-3-3 record. The Spartans finished first in the 4A South Puget Sound District standings, and Mentink was named the SPSL Defensive MVP and a First-Team all-league selection.

Print Friendly Version
Continue Reading

Most Viewed Posts

Trending