College Sports

Top of the Draft: Introducing James Hagens

Boston College freshman James Hagens is a competitive, highly skilled center with elite vision, speed, playmaking, and smart two-way play. He’s already collected ample international medals and made a strong NCAA impact in his debut season, earning him a high reputation as a crafty, dynamic center. Although he’s dropped down some draft boards due to […]

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Boston College freshman James Hagens is a competitive, highly skilled center with elite vision, speed, playmaking, and smart two-way play. He’s already collected ample international medals and made a strong NCAA impact in his debut season, earning him a high reputation as a crafty, dynamic center. Although he’s dropped down some draft boards due to his size and a freshman year at BC that was respectable but not necessarily spectacular, Hagens isn’t a contender for the No. 1 overall pick anymore but he’s still one of the best in this class — which is why the Hawks could have an eye on him at No. 3.

Summary

Hagens has long been the top American prospect — sometimes even the top prospect period — heading into the 2025 NHL Draft. He first made a statement during the 2022-23 season as part of the USA Hockey National Team Development Program, going a point per game no matter what league he was playing.

First, he lit up the scoresheet with the U17 squad, finishing second on that team with 66 points (26 G, 40 A) in 43 games. This earned Hagens a call-up to the U18 team, where he added another 19 points (7 G, 12 A) in 17 games — quite impressive for a 16-year-old. He also finished with 40 points (17 G, 23 A) in 31 games with the USNTDP Juniors in the USHL.

Hagens carried that momentum into the 2023–24 season: his 102 points (39 G, 63 A) in 53 games gave him the seventh best point-per-game rate (1.61) on the U.S. National U18 Team, just behind Auston Matthews (1.68) and Clayton Keller (1.67) but ahead of players like Patrick Kane (1.58), Matthew Tkachuk (1.46), and Jack Eichel (1.40). He also picked up another 47 points (18 G, 29 A) in 26 games with the NTDP’s USHL team.

After these performances, it’s no wonder Hagens was often considered the the top prospect heading into the 2024-25 season. Unfortunately, his offensive performance as a freshman at Boston College saw him drop from such lofty aspirations. He did produce at a point-per-game rate with 37 points (11 G, 26 A) in 37 games and elevated his two-way play, but after flourishing offensively in other leagues, the lack of production knocked him down a bit.

On the international stage, Hagens has worn the red, white, and blue with distinction at every level and has a pretty decorated junior resume. His international breakout came at the 2022 World U17 Hockey Challenge: he dominated the tournament with 21 points (8 G, 13 A) in just seven games, and led Team USA to a gold medal. This performance also set a new tournament record, surpassing the previous mark of 18 set by Colin White in 2014.

In 2023, Hagens suited up for the United States at the IIHF World U18 Championship, adding five points (1G, 4A) in seven games en route to winning gold. Hagens then helped Team USA to a silver medal at the 2024 U18 Worlds, leading all scorers with nine goals and 13 assists in seven games to make him MVP. He also set another new record: his 22 points inched past Nikita Kucherov’s 21-point record from 2011.

Most recently, Hagens won gold with Team USA at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship, recording nine points (5 G, 4 A) in seven games.

Strengths

James Hagens fits the mold of the modern NHL playmaker perfectly — fast, cerebral, and creative — and he has all the attributes to be a dynamic center with legitimate first-line upside.

Hagens has high-end skating that’s about more than just speed, because of how shifty, deceptive and fluid he can be. He sets the pace of play with ease, often catching defenders flat-footed with quick edgework and dynamic puck control. When he hits full stride, he becomes a constant threat off the rush and is capable of blowing past defenders and creating odd-man chances seemingly at will. Hagens is agile, and there’s a degree of dynamism in his skating that he applies in all three zones.

Hagens’ high hockey IQ and next-level vision allow him to dissect defenses, threading passes through traffic or creating time and space for linemates. Combined with near-elite hands, Hagens is one of the best playmakers in the class, consistently generating high-danger opportunities for his linemates. He does a nice job of mixing up how he makes plays, too: he can slow the game down when needed but can also accelerate through seams with quick bursts and pinpoint passing.

While he’s widely known for his playmaking chops, Hagens does have a good shot, although it’s the deceptive nature of his shooting that stands out. Despite being smaller, he is willing to drive hard to the net for scoring chances. There are some things about his shooting he needs to work out, but the elements are there to be at least a 20-goal scorer.

Defensively, Hagens has a solid foundation and good habits, which should only improve as he gains more experience. He shows consistent effort on the backcheck and strong positional awareness. Additionally, Hagens’ good anticipation and on-ice vision allowed him to effectively disrupt shooting and passing lanes, and he was quite good at creating turnovers as a result.

Hagens is also highly competitive and plays with a high-effort tempo that should endear him to many fans.

Weaknesses

While Hagens’ high-end skill set is undeniable, there are a few aspects of his game that have room for improvement.

At roughly 5-foot-11 and under 190 pounds, Hagens’ physical maturity remains a work in progress. For a player with a smaller frame, the margin for error tightens as the competition gets bigger, faster and stronger. He sometimes moves the puck too early under pressure of a hit or hard check, something that would be more exploited at high levels. As he graduates to the pro level, he’ll need to add strength to withstand the rigors of NHL battles, especially along the boards and in front of the net.

Despite being one of the best skaters in the draft class, Hagens did see a dip in his effectiveness in transition and play-driving while in the NCAA. He was elite in those skills previously, so he needs to figure out how to regain that level if he wants to truly be a star in the NHL.

Like many playmakers, Hagens does not always have the best shot selection, preferring to pass and defer to other shooters on his team. His shot arsenal is actually pretty varied and, as mentioned above, he can be sneaky but Hagens just does not shoot enough to be as effective a goal scorer. Increasing shot volume will be key to him becoming an equal threat with both passing and shooting at the professional level.

Another area that could use some refinement is his risk management with the puck. Hagens’ creativity is a hallmark of his game, but at times he can overextend plays, such as forcing passes that result in turnovers. In transition, he can try to do too much, such as attempts to push through opponents. Refining that balance between flair and puck security will be key to his long-term success at the next level.

While Hagens already has a good defensive base, he sometimes is caught puck watching or drifting out of position.

Quotes

Hagens is most often compared to Jack Hughes by scouts, primarily because they’re both smaller centers who skate well and are creative playmakers. Hagens himself stated he’s heard about the similarities between the two and agrees it’s accurate:

I’ve heard a lot of [comparisons to] Jack Hughes, just kind of the way he skates, the way he plays, the way he handles the puck. I think there’s a lot of pieces of his game that I can kind of see in mine.

However, there are some other players that Hagens resembles stylistically. For example, The Athletic‘s Corey Pronman likened Hagens to William Nylander, in terms of his offensive ceiling:

Hagens is a fantastic NHL prospect with the potential to be an impact offensive player. He has the tools to be a consistent 60-80 point forward in the league or better. My NHL comparison for him is William Nylander. He’s a legitimate top-five talent and would be a perfectly reasonable pick at No. 2 or 3.

And Shane Malloy from Hockey Prospect Radio believes that Hagens and Nick Suzuki share similar skating quality and skill sets:

James Hagens is recognized for his resilience and potential despite facing challenges in a demanding college environment. Competing against older, more experienced players, Hagens’ performance has drawn comparisons to Nick Suzuki, with his edge work and adaptability highlighting his skill set. While his point production was limited due to physical constraints and a tough competitive setting, his development of a 200-foot game and potential as a top-end center remain strong. The CHL’s less challenging environment might have boosted his stats, but his ability to adjust and grow in college underscores his long-term NHL promise.





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