Whenever you get ready to take a red marker to the Chicago Blackhawks’ 2025 draft sheet, just remember defenseman Sam Rinzel.

Rinzel was labeled a first-round “reach” in 2022 but has been praised as a probable keeper after his nine-game NHL debut late last season.

“You really feel you get your chest out a little bit, especially when you’re part of it,” Hawks amateur scouting director Mike Doneghey said Saturday at Fifth Third Arena. “And I read all the same stuff. No one ever says, ‘Geez, let’s give him an A-plus now for Sam Rinzel.’ No one ever does that.”

Yet the Hawks have another batch of potential head-scratchers after the two-day draft.

A first-round forward who doubles as a quarterback.

A fourth-round forward who seems to be allergic to goals.

A defenseman whose main trait seems to be punching people.

“If (Minnesota high school QB) Mason West was just a hockey player coming out of Fargo, he’s gone by (No.) 20,” Doneghey shot back about the forward whom the Hawks traded back into the first round to select 29th.

This draft, the Hawks decided to do things a little differently. They surveyed their pipeline, full of smallish, skilled players such as Frank Nazar and Oliver Moore, and realized they have deficits in other areas.

“You start seeing them come through the door here and how they play, then you can be like, ‘OK, we need a little bit bigger wingers, we need a little bit more hardness,’” Doneghey said. “Skating has always been a trait of ours. So maybe we don’t need a burner as much. We need a powerful skater but a different skater.”

“We want to get harder and usually the harder guys are the bigger guys.”—Blackhawks scouting chief Mike Doneghey on the majority of the Hawks’ draft picks standing between 6-foot-2 and 6-6

— Phil Thompson (@philthompsontrib.bsky.social) 2025-06-28T22:51:33.347Z

The Hawks made three first-round selections Friday. They drafted the top-ranked international player, Swedish forward Anton Frondell, with the No. 3 pick and selected Czech winger Vaclav Nestrasil at No. 25.

Shortly after choosing Nestrasil, the Hawks traded with the Carolina Hurricanes to acquire the No. 29 pick they used on West. They gave up two second-round picks, Nos. 34 and 62, plus a fifth-rounder in 2027.

All told, the Hawks have had 11 first-round picks over the last four years. General manager Kyle Davidson said that’s intentional.

“The more you pick early … you’re more likely to succeed,” Davidson said. “And so we’ve taken that philosophy and tried to hit it with volume.

“But I also believe that some of these players are getting to the NHL, some of them are on their path. But from our assessment, an objective assessment, we feel their development so far, we are ahead of the odds in some way. I think we are beating the odds and getting a few more players out of drafts than the odds may dictate.”

The Hawks made five more picks on Day 2 of the draft Saturday, trading the No. 197 pick in the seventh round to the Florida Panthers for a 2026 seventh-rounder. Here’s a look at all eight of their selections.

2025 Blackhawks draft picks

• No. 3 (first round): Forward Anton Frondell
• No. 25 (first): Forward Vaclav Nestrasil
• No. 29 (first): Forward Mason West
• No. 66 (third): Forward Nathan Behm
• No. 98 (fourth): Forward Julius Sumpf
• No. 107 (fourth): Forward Parker Holmes
• No. 162 (sixth): Defenseman Ashton Cumby
• No. 194 (seventh): Goalie Ilya Kanarsky

No. 3: Forward Anton Frondell

It all started with a pair of pink figure skates.

“It was the first time I stepped on the ice,” Frondell, 18, said on Friday’s ESPN broadcast. “Dad just found some pink figure skating skates. I actually skated with them for a year until he (found) out (and said): ‘Oh, Anton, he loves the sport. He wants this.’

“Then he bought me my real first skates. He really wanted me to be a tennis player when I was younger. But I didn’t fall for the sport.”

NHL Central Scouting regards Frondell as a skilled player with strong legs and a quick stick.

“(He) has a nifty wrist shot and his release is solid and accurate. His hockey IQ shines with intelligent moves, with or without the puck. Likes to set up teammates using small moves and tricky passes.”

Frondell said he’d like to play in the NHL next season, but it’s more likely he’ll return to Sweden to play in the men’s league. However, Davidson said Frondell will be able to participate in Hawks training camp.

“He’s a really smart hockey player,” Davidson said. “He uses his body very effectively, especially in battles along the wall. He just has a really projectable game to the NHL.”

Down the road, Frondell’s arrival in Chicago may beg the question of whether he’ll push Connor Bedard to the wing.

“He doesn’t consider himself a center (or a) wing anyway,” Hawks director of amateur scouting Mike Doneghey said of Frondell.

Doneghey said he asked Frondell at the scouting combine which position he preferred, “and he said, ‘Whatever Connor doesn’t play, I’ll play.’ He’s got a real confidence about him.”

“Barkov’s probably a few inches taller. … I would say he’s probably between a Barkov and an Anton Lundell … he’s a big, detail-oriented center with a brain.”—Blackhawks scouting director Mike Doneghey on Anton Frondell and comparisons to Aleksander Barkov

— Phil Thompson (@philthompsontrib.bsky.social) 2025-06-28T04:16:41.753Z

Marcus Krüger, a two-time Stanley Cup winner with the Hawks, is Frondell’s teammate on Djurgårdens IF. Frondell said Krüger told him: “That’s the best team in the league. If you want to win, go to Chicago.”

Davidson said Krüger supplied Frondell with a lot of information, but Frondell is naturally inquisitive.

“This kid called Johnny Oduya out of the blue just to go meet with him to learn about his breathing exercises that he does,” Davidson said.

No. 25: Forward Vaclav Nestrasil

Nestrasil is a 6-foot-5, 187-pound native of Praha, Czechia, who produced 19 goals and 23 assists in 61 games for Muskegon of the USHL en route to this year’s Clark Cup championship.

NHL Central Scouting calls the 18-year-old “a very skilled power forward. Has a nose for the net and when he uses his size, he’s tough to handle. (He) possesses a hard shot and quick release, making him a scoring threat every time he enters the offensive zone.”

Said Davidson: “You like the physical attributes where (he’s a) big, athletic guy that can really move. He’s got some talent and some really good hockey sense. And again, a raw package.”

No. 29: Forward Mason West

West is a 6-6, 220-pound rising senior at Edina (Minn.) High School. A Division I college football recruit, he has committed to play college hockey at Michigan State — but not until he finishes his final season as a high school quarterback.

“He’s behind the curve; he’s not quite dedicated himself 100% to hockey,” Davidson said of West, who will turn 18 in August and was one of the youngest players eligible for the 2025 NHL draft.

“But at that size, that athleticism, that skating ability, that talent, the sky is the limit. … I just really wanted to get back into the first round and take what I thought was a grand slam hack. I was swinging for the fences and figured, why not?”

West said he felt “ready right now” to start his Hawks career after hearing his name called.

“It was just super special,” he said. “I have family down in Chicago (an uncle and cousin), and I had a really good relationship with Chicago from the start.”

In actuality, West is far from “ready right now.” He has designs on a championship — in high school football. Last year Edina’s postseason ended in the Class 6A quarterfinals in a rout by Maple Grove, and West considers the matter unfinished business.

“I really owed it to my community,” he said. “I really think they need me, and the chance to be able to go back and try to win a state championship would be super special.”

After that, West will play hockey for the USHL’s Fargo Force this season and for Michigan State the following season. Despite the long runway to the NHL, he insists he’s committed to hockey.

“I chose before to play hockey,” West said. “I kind of knew after the first game after Fargo, having that experience, and (I) looked into the next step and the path for me.”

Doneghey added, “He was one of the highest risers in the rankings once he went to Fargo and started playing hockey more than training for football.”

West likened his playing style to rangy Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson.

“Just because of how big he is,” he said. “I try to implement my game from him a ton, just the way he shoots the puck and passes the puck and plays the game.”

Doneghey said West isn’t just big and athletic. He brings another element as a two-sport star.

“He brings that quarterback mentality to the ice when he’s entering the zone,” he said. “He’s always scanning the zone on what plays to make. And he’s comfortable with contact.

“It’ll be a longer road with both him and Nestrasil, but they’re just starting in their process. Three years and then we’ll see where it goes with those.”

No. 66: Forward Nathan Behm

The 6-2, 202-pound winger finished his season with 31 goals and 35 assists, good for fifth in scoring in the WHL.

Doneghey said that like last year’s third-round picks, “we knew there was a value (but) we weren’t going to chase (it) in the second round. But if he was there, it was worth a shot.”

Behm isn’t as strong a skater as, say, Oliver Moore, but “he can score — that’s his calling card,” Doneghey said. “I wouldn’t’ be surprised if he gets 45, 50 (goals) in Kamloops this year. He’s got a brain, so he can play with smart players. Sometimes it goes in and out a little bit. That’s why he was in the third round.”

Like West, Behm stands out in another sport. In August, he won the under-17 division at the Amateur Long Drive Canadian Championships in Edmonton at 327.9 yards.

“I guess (it) translated pretty good (to hockey) with the power aspect,” Behm told Chicago reporters via Zoom on Saturday. “I’m not really too into it. It’s just something I do on the side and don’t really train for it. But I’m just naturally gifted at that part.”

NHL Central Scouting said Behm’s “skating has improved over last year (and he) carries the puck more than a season ago and shows some speed and quickness to elude checkers. … The puck follows him around, particularly close to the net where he manufactures chances.”

Behm sees himself as a smart, skilled winger, though he plans to work on being more explosive.

“I bring a dual threat, goal scoring and playmaking,” he said. “So I have a lot of offensive upside, and I’m big as well.”

No. 98: Forward Julius Sumpf

The Hawks went for size again early in the fourth round with the 6-1, 190-pound German. Sumpf, 20, was No. 4 pick Caleb Desnoyers’ linemate with the Moncton Wildcats and played center for Germany in the world juniors.

“Big guy, can skate well,” Doneghey said.

Sumpf put up 26 goals and 39 assists in the regular season for Moncton and exploded for 10 goals and six assists in six playoff games to help the Wildcats win the QMJHL championship, ending a 15-year drought.

“He just plays a power, hard game,” Doneghey said. “I love the fact that he’s going to Providence (College). The way Nate Leaman coaches, they’re a match made in heaven. He plays that direct, hard game.”

No. 98: Forward Parker Holmes

Rinse and repeat: The Hawks picked up a winger who checks in at 6-3 and 222 pounds from the OHL’s Brantford Bulldogs, where he’s a teammate of Hawks prospect Nick Lardis.

Holmes, 18, is a left-handed shot with a scant resume. He had just one goal and no assists and a minus-8 rating in 21 games for the Bulldogs and just three goals and seven assists in 51 games the previous season with the Central Canada Hockey League’s Kemptville 73’s.

“It still goes back to our traits, right? … I say it till I’m blue in the face, guys are sick of hearing it: ‘Stick to the traits, stick to the traits, stick to the traits.’”—Blackhawks Mike Doneghey on some of the drafts picks being raw in terms of development

— Phil Thompson (@philthompsontrib.bsky.social) 2025-06-28T23:01:53.825Z

“We set the world on fire, I guess, because everyone was looking at his stat line,” Doneghey joked. “He had a shoulder surgery in November, same surgery that (Hawks prospects Roman) Kantserov and (Marek) Vanacker had.”

The Hawks won’t be looking for Holmes to light the net ablaze as long as he brings the heat in other ways.

“We wanted to continue to get bigger and we wanted some guys who had an element — hardness, toughness — and Parker certainly fills that role,” Doneghey said.

No. 162: Defenseman Ashton Cumby

The 6-5, 216-pound native of Bonnyville, Alberta, has the markings of an enforcer from the back end. He had 102 penalty minutes in 68 regular-season games for the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds and averaged 2.2 penalties in the playoffs.

He totaled three goals and 11 assists in the regular season and postseason and didn’t score a goal in three previous WHL seasons with three teams.

Doneghey said Cumby had nine fights this past season and 13 the season before. During a fight in March, Cumby knocked Tri-City Americans defenseman Terrell Goldsmith unconscious, causing the game to be suspended and Goldsmith to be hospitalized, then released.

Doneghey acknowledged that Cumby “has holes” in his games, but asked, “Did you watch him on video?”

“We felt the need to get a little bit harder, tougher, maybe to protect some of our skill guys,” he continued. “You ask a couple of players, ‘Who’s the toughest guy in the Western Hockey League?’ … Every kid in the Western League was, ‘Cumby, Cumby, Cumby.’”

No. 194: Goalie Ilya Kanarsky

The 20-year-old Russian checks in at 6-3, 192 pounds and had a 22-8-1 record, .938 save percentage, 2.24 goals-against average and four shutouts in 34 games for AKM Tula.

Hawks goaltending scout Dan Ellis kept watch of Kirill Zarubin, a 2024 third-round pick by the Calgary Flames and Kanarsky’s competition, and noticed that “Kanarsky kept outplaying him this year.”

“Again, with the Russian, you have his rights forever,” Doneghey said. “So a 6-3 goalie, that size, just kind of see where it falls.”

Originally Published: June 28, 2025 at 4:15 PM CDT

Lee, a forward who has played the past 13 seasons for New York and has been captain since the start of 2018-19, told West to follow his heart. Lee was recruited to play college football for schools such as Northern Illinois University but opted to play hockey at Notre Dame for three seasons (2010-13) before turning pro.

“You’ve got to love what you end up doing, whether that’s four years in college and then some,” Lee said earlier this year. “I think it’s tough when you love both sports.”

West is good at football; at 6-foot-6, 218 pounds, he can see over the line of scrimmage and is durable enough to survive the pounding of the position he plays.

Last season, he completed 178 of 244 passes for 2,592 yards, with 37 touchdowns and four interceptions. He finished with a 139.9 passer rating and received recruiting interest from Marshall University, Kent State University, Miami (Ohio) University and South Dakota State University.

West believes he can be great at hockey.

In three seasons of high school hockey, he has 114 points (51 goals, 63 assists) in 91 games. Two seasons ago, he had 38 points (15 goals, 23 assists) in 30 games and won a state championship.

He believes his athletic skill set translates best to the ice instead of the gridiron.

That’s where Thompson enters the conversation.

He has yet to speak to the Sabres star, but West studies the game of the power forward regularly.

Like West, Thompson is 6-foot-6.

Thompson played college hockey for two seasons at the University of Connecticut (2015-17), during which time he was selected by the St. Louis Blues in the first round (No. 26) of the 2016 NHL Draft.

He then struggled to find his game early in his pro career and has talked about how he needed to let his brain catch up to what his growing body could do.

Thompson scored 18 goals in his first 100 NHL games. But the 27-year-old has 158 goals in his past four seasons, figuring out the mechanics of his shot.

West knows that transition awaits him. He says he doesn’t believe he is done growing and said he has added almost an inch to his frame since last football season. He plans to put on another 10 pounds before arriving in Fargo in December.

“It’s hard to find a player like me, I guess, because I a think I’m a unique player,” West said. “I think I want to be like Tage Thompson, but I also want to be my own player and be unique in that way and try to do things that a lot of tall players can’t.”

The Blackhawks believe that will be the case, trading with the Carolina Hurricanes to get into the first round for a third time and get a player who was ranked No. 27 on the final list of North American skaters released by NHL Central Scouting.

“It’s just the tools — the raw tools are just something you don’t see that often,” Chicago general manager Kyle Davidson said. “He’s probably available at that point because he’s behind the curve. He’s not quite dedicated himself 100 percent to hockey, but at that size, that athleticism, that skating ability, that talent, the sky’s the limit.

“I’m swinging for the fences and figured, why not? Let’s go for a big one here, and so that’s kind of what I did.”

Welcome to the Sound Of Hockey NHL Draft Live Blog! The Seattle Kraken enter Day 2 of the NHL Draft with four picks—barring any trades, that’s the fewest selections they’ve had in any draft in their five-year history.

We’ll be updating this post throughout the day as the Kraken make their picks. The most recent updates will appear at the top, so scroll down if you want to catch up on earlier news.

If you missed Seattle’s first-round selection of Jake O’Brien on Friday, you can check out our profile on him here.

2:06 PM: Round 7 is complete and the draft is done

1:59 PM: The Seattle Kraken draft Loke Krantz

With their final pick in the NHL Draft, the Seattle Kraken selected another Swede, this time, it was Loke Krantz from the Linköping HC junior team. He tallied 12 goals and 5 assists in 44 games with the J20 squad.

1:36 PM: The Seattle Kraken draft Karl Annborn

With their first newly acquired draft pick, the Kraken selected defenseman Karl Annborn from the HV71 junior team. Annborn is considered a balanced defenseman with a broad set of skills. He recorded 3 goals and 21 assists last season while playing for the HV71 J20 team.

1:25 PM: Seattle Kraken trade their 7th round pick

The Kraken traded the 198th overall pick to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for the 205th and 218th picks, both seventh-rounders in this year’s draft.

1:18 PM: Round 6 is complete

Draft is flying right now. Here are the picks from Round 6.

12:48 PM: Round 5 is complete

12:18 PM The Seattle Kraken draft Russian defender Maxim Agafonov

For only the second time in franchise history, the Seattle Kraken selected a Russian player, taking Maxim Agafonov with the 134th overall pick (goalie Semyon Vyazovoy was the other one in 2021). He’s currently playing for Ufa’s junior team in the Russian junior league, where he posted 14 points in 35 games this past season.

12:22 AM: Round 4 is complete

11:22 AM: Round 3 is complete

The Spokane Chiefs made their first pick of the 2025 Draft when Owen Martin was selected 92nd overall by Winnipeg. Here is the rest of Round 4.

11:02 AM: Kraken second-round selection Blake Fiddler speaks to the media

Blake Fiddler spoke to the Seattle media via Zoom after being selected 36th overall. Here are a few quotes from his media availability.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling, such a great organization. I couldn’t be happier to go to a team that seems like they wanted me, and I couldn’t be more thankful.

“A little bit emotional the past couple days, but it’s awesome to finally be picked.”

“I’m a rangy, two-way D-man that skates really well, especially for my size. I think that I use my legs all over the ice, I defend, good gaps, I can play heavy minutes, shut down top teams, and I have skills, so I’m able to use it offensively.”

10:31 AM: The Kraken select Will Reynolds

Will Reynolds is one of the younger players in this draft class, with an August birthday. He’s considered a shutdown defenseman with plenty of upside. He currently plays for the Acadie-Bathurst Titan in the QMJHL, though the team is relocating to Newfoundland next season. He had 4 goals and 14 assists last season.

With the 68th pick overall in the 2025 @NHL Draft the #SeaKraken select Will Reynolds.

Get to know Will: pic.twitter.com/b4f4GO6jlA

— Seattle Kraken PR (@SeattleKrakenPR) June 28, 2025

10:15 AM: Round 2 in the books….on to round 3

Here are the results of round 3.

9:56 AM: The draft is flying by, especially compared to Friday night

Kraken will not pick until early in the third but here are some bits and pieces of the action since the Kraken selected Fiddler.

• Two goalies have been selected in the second round. That’s four total in the draft so far.
• The Portland Winterhawks had their first player selected in Max Psenicka.

Round pick heading to Utah!

With the 46th overall pick in the 2025 @NHL Draft, we’ve selected Max Pšenička. pic.twitter.com/zdVGv7RnmR

— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) June 28, 2025

9:28 AM: Seattle Kraken draft defenseman Blake Fiddler

Fiddler is a big defenseman for the Edmonton Oil Kings. He is the son of former NHLer Vernon Fiddler. Most analysts had Fiddler ranked late in the first round.

9:26 AM: We have a Seattle Kraken trade!!!

The Seattle Kraken traded the 36th and the 68th overall pick to the Philadelphia Flyers for the 36th and 38th pick. All picks are part of this draft.

#SeaKraken make a trade with the Flyers

Seattle receives picks 36 and 68 for picks 38 and 57

— Alison (@AlisonL) June 28, 2025

9:16 AM: The draft has officially started

As of now, the Kraken have four picks to start the day. Here is how they are distributed.

8:50 AM: T-minus 10 minutes until the start of Day 2

We’re back for Rounds 2 through 7 of the 2025 NHL Draft! If you missed last night’s four-hour-plus production, here are a few quick tidbits to get you up to speed.

• The Seattle Kraken selected Jake O’Brien, marking the fourth time they’ve drafted a center in the first round in their five-year history. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one scouring the internet for highlight reels of O’Brien—here’s one of my favorites:

• The Seattle Thunderbirds had a big night with two players taken in the first round: Radim Mrtka (9th overall) and Braeden Cootes (15th). The last time Seattle had two first-rounders was back in 2022, when Kevin Korchinski (7) and Reid Schaefer (32) were picked.
• The CHL led the way with 21 players selected in the first round, the league’s strongest showing since 2013.
• Canada was well represented too, with 20 Canadian-born players drafted in the opening round, the most in a first round since all the way back in 1987.
• As for surprises? There weren’t many. Most players went right around where public rankings had them pegged.
• Not draft related, but another piece of big news was that Philipp Grubauer will not be bought out.

Jason Botterill just confirmed that Philipp Grubauer will be back next season. #SeaKraken

— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) June 28, 2025

Here’s a look back at all the Round 1 results:

Bruins

“You just got to go out there next year and prove everyone that passed on you wrong.”

By Conor Ryan

June 28, 2025 | 8:50 AM

5 minutes to read

COMMENTARY

Don Sweeney had heard all of the noise at this point when it came to James Hagens and his slipping draft stock. 

Anointed as the crown jewel of the 2025 NHL Draft class in the fall, the skilled Boston College forward opened his tenure at Chestnut Hill as a projected franchise center. 

Nine months later, the talk of Hagens’ game has shifted — with the narrative centered more around his shortcomings than the damage that he’s routinely doled out against opposing defenses over the last few years.

But with the ceiling of Boston’s next contention window stunted for however long the Bruins trudge forward without a proven talent down the middle, Sweeney wasn’t going to overthink things at pick No. 7. 

Hagens may not present the same imposing profile as 6-foot-5 Roger McQueen, nor is he as pugnacious as Brady Martin. 

There’s no guarantee that Hagens’s triple-digit scoring totals with the U.S. National Team Development Program (USNTDP) will lead to him being a point-per-game regular at hockey’s highest level. 

But for all of the discourse regarding Hagens and his potential at the NHL level, Sweeney pushed back against talk of Hagens’s slide down to No. 7 on Friday. 

For Boston, Hagens represents more than just high value at where he was on the 2025 draft order. 

On a Bruins team in desperate need of talent, the Long Island native offers hope that reinforcements are on the way — and sooner rather than later. 

“He’s been that way his whole life — in terms of what he’s done,” Sweeney said of Hagens’ track record. “So we just hope the natural progression is you’ll be able to do at the NHL level.

“Again, it’s a tough league. You find that out when you get in. You realize that you’re in a much deeper pool of players and he’ll have his own challenges. But I think he’s driven to be that top player and wants to be a difference maker.” 

Despite his smaller frame at 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds, it doesn’t take very long to notice Hagens out on the ice. 

Be it his time with the USNTDP or at Boston College, Hagens uses his high-end speed and slick hands to gain clean entries and put opposing defenses on their heels.

A poised playmaker who likes to have the puck on his stick, Hagens can do damage from the perimeter by orchestrating Grade-A looks — or can cut toward inside ice and capitalize on the chaos that spills out in and around the crease. 

Hagens’ point production as an 18-year-old player at Boston College (11 goals, 37 points in 37 games) may not leap off the page — especially when compared to other freshman phenoms in Hockey East like like Jack Eichel (71 points in 40 games) and Macklin Celebrini (64 points in 38 games).

But Sweeney acknowledged that Hagens’ body of work against Hockey East competition didn’t stand as an outlier from his previous production with the USNTDP. 

“I think that’s a little unfair in terms of players going in as a freshman,” Sweeney said of Hagens’ first year at BC and whether it hurt his draft stock. “You look back at James’ track record, he’s been a prolific point producer. If you’d seen him in the World Juniors — again, against his peer group, he was on the upper echelon on the production side of things. 

“There’s been a few players, you’re right, that have gone into college hockey at that age and done better overall. But there’s no shade in the type of year he had — playing on the top line, one of the top teams in the country. So there’s no concern on our part in terms of thinking he took a step back from a production standpoint. 

“He’ll be perfectly fine moving forward. And that’s why we drafted him. We feel he’s a guy that can help generate offensively and continue to round out his 200-foot game, but wants to play it at every single situation and has produced at every level that he’s been at.”

Hagens shared a similar sentiment about his performance in Hockey East — especially when measured against the higher scoring totals that he would have inevitably racked up had he dominated against fellow teenagers in the Canadian junior leagues. 

“I think next year you’ll be able to hopefully see,” Hagens said of proving doubters wrong after his first year of college hockey. “I thought this year was really good. You just got to go out there next year and prove everyone that passed on you wrong. 

“But hey — I’m in a spot where I want to be. I wanted to be, I want to be a Boston Bruno. I’m really excited to get things going.”

Despite Hagens’s hope of making the jump to the pro game right away, Sweeney stressed that Boston won’t “fast-track” its new top prospect if he’s not ready in 2025-26. 

As the top returning talent at BC, Hagens could build off his promising freshman year on an Eagles team that will feature four other Bruins draft picks (Oskar Jellvik, Dean Letourneau, Andre Gasseau, and Kristian Kostadinski). 

And if Hagens takes another step forward with the Eagles, there’s a tangible scenario where Boston’s blue-chip prospect is ready to make the jump to the NHL ranks by late March 2026 — following the same path as his former BC teammate, Ryan Leonard. 

Hagens is not the perfect prospect, nor is it a guarantee that the former No. 1 prospect in his draft year will be the next Jack Hughes — or even a tier below, like the 5-10 Logan Cooley. 

But some things are indisputable with a player like James Hagens. 

The playmaking center racked up 102 points in 58 games with the U.S. U18 national team  —  outscoring the likes of Leonard (94), Phil Kessel (98 points), and Matthew Tkachuk (95 points) during their respective U18 campaigns.  Only Patrick Kane, Cole Eiserman, Clayton Keller, Jack Hughes, Auston Matthews, Will Smith, and Gabe Perreault matched or equaled those scoring totals with the NTDP.

His 22-point showing (nine goals, 13 assists) across seven games during the 2024 World U18 Championships set a new tournament record — surpassing the previous mark set by Nikita Kucherov. 

And now, that playmaking talent will be donning a spoked-B in the coming years — potentially feeding David Pastrnak one-timers as soon as next spring. 

For Bruins fans, that should stand as a breath of fresh air for a team awaiting for another franchise talent to step on the ice at TD Garden. 

“I wanted to be at a spot that wanted me the most,” Hagens said. “I’m so lucky that I ended up being a Boston Bruin. It’s the best spot in the world. It’s a dream come true for me and for my whole entire family.

“So I’m just so excited right now. I’m really excited to be able to say that I’m a Boston Bruin, and I take a lot of pride in that.” 

 

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

LOS ANGELES – Five future skaters for the University of Minnesota men’s hockey team were selected Saturday during day two of the 2025 Upper Deck NHL Entry Draft from Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. After adding the five picks in 2025, the Golden Gophers increased their all-time number of draft picks to 248, the most of any college hockey team.

Jacob Rombach was the first Gopher off the board, going No. 35 overall to the Nashville Predators in the second round. One round later, two more Gophers heard their names called – Mace’o Phillips at No. 80 overall to the Calgary Flames and Mason Moe at No. 90 overall to the New Jersey Devils. LJ Mooney followed in the fourth round at No. 113 to the Montreal Canadiens. Jacob Kvasnicka was the final Maroon and Gold selection at No. 202 overall in the seventh round to the New York Islanders.

Rombach played two full seasons with the Lincoln Stars in the USHL from 2023-25, appearing in 116 games. He posted 18 points during the 2024-25 campaign and finished third on the team with a plus-29 rating, while notching a pair of four-game point streaks. Rombach also competed in the 2025 Chipotle All-American Game and previously tallied nine points in 59 games during his rookie USHL season. The Blaine, Minn., native helped Team USA win gold at the 2024 World Junior A Challenge, recording a goal and an assist, and added two points at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He previously played high school hockey for Spring Lake Park/Coon Rapids, where he recorded 19 points in 26 games as a sophomore. 

Phillips played with the USNTDP for two years between 2023-25, suiting up for 60 games with the U18s in 2024–25 and recorded six points from the blue line. Known for his physical style of play, the Wayzata, Minn., native led the team in penalty minutes both seasons, including 103 in his second year. He also competed in the 2025 Chipotle All-American Game and netted goals against the Fargo Force and Muskegon Lumberjacks during his U18 campaign. On the international stage, Phillips helped Team USA to a bronze medal at the 2025 IIHF U18 World Championship and earned gold at the 2024 U17 Five Nations Tournament. Prior to joining the NTDP, he played prep hockey at Benilde-St. Margaret’s, where he posted 21 points in 27 games as a sophomore, including a hat trick and four-point performance at Champlin Park.

Moe played parts of two seasons with the Sioux Falls Stampede in the USHL, totaling 63 games and finishing fifth in team scoring with 43 points (17 goals, 26 assists) during the 2024-25 campaign. He recorded 12 power-play points, highlighting his offensive impact from the forward position. The native of Eden Prairie, Minn., also skated in six games with the U.S. National Team Development Program U18s, scoring three goals, and participated in the 2025 Chipotle All-American Game. Moe helped Team USA capture gold at the 2024 World Junior A Challenge and tallied four points at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Before joining the USHL, Moe starred at Eden Prairie High School, leading the team in scoring as a sophomore with 40 points in 27 games. 

Mooney spent two years (2023-25) with the USNTDP, appearing in 112 games and showcasing his offensive prowess with 51 points in 51 games for the U18 team in 2024-25. A product of West Mifflin, Pa., he ranked fifth in scoring and recorded 14 multi-point performances, including five games with three points. Internationally, Mooney helped Team USA earn a bronze medal at the 2025 IIHF U18 World Championship, where he tallied 11 points in seven games and was named Player of the Game in the opener against Czechia. He also won gold at the 2024 U17 Five Nations Tournament and silver at the 2024 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship. Before joining the NTDP, Mooney developed through the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite AAA program from 2020 to 2023.

Kvasnicka spent two seasons with USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program from 2023-25,posting 39 points (18 goals, 21 assists) in 66 games with the U18s during his second campaign. He ranked sixth on the team in scoring and tallied eight multi-point performances, including a five-point outing against Czechia. The Wayzata, Minn., product represented Team USA at the 2025 IIHF U18 World Championship, contributing five points in seven games, and earlier earned Player of the Game honors with a hat trick during a five-point performance at the 2023 World U17 Hockey Challenge. Prior to his NTDP tenure, he led Wayzata High School in scoring as a freshman with 45 points in 28 games, helping the Trojans reach the Section 6AA title game.

The Gophers begin the 2025-26 campaign on home ice at 3M Arena at Mariucci when they welcome former WCHA foe Michigan Tech for a series Oct. 3-4. Season tickets are on sale now and can be purchased HERE.

Minnesota Draft Notes

*At least one Gopher has been drafted in 51 of the last 52 NHL Entry Drafts dating back to 1974 with 2001 being the only exception. Minnesota’s 27-consecutive drafts with a selection between 1974-2000 are an NCAA record, while it is currently on a 24-year streak.

*After seeing five players selected, Minnesota now has three or more draft picks in 11 of the last 12 drafts. 

*Moe is the 12th all-time Gopher selected by the Devils and first since 2009 when New Jersey picked Seth Helgeson (114th overall) in the fourth round. The 12 draftees are sixth-most of any NHL organization.

*Rombach is the 33rd Gopher to be selected in the second round and first since Ryan Chesley in 2022 (37th overall; Washington Capitals)

*Phillips is the first Gopher selected by the Calgary Flames since Kris Chucko was selected 24th overall in 2004.

*Erik Johnson remains the highest draft pick in Minnesota history, going No. 1 overall in 2006, as one of 26 all-time first-round selections.

Click here for more information about Minnesota’s eligible prospects: 2025 Gopher Hockey NHL Entry Draft Guide