Sure, center James Hagens hasn’t technically been drafted yet. But he is a prospect, and he’s definitely one you should watch, so he ticks both boxes. Hagens is currently the most likely player to go first overall in the 2025 NHL Draft, but whether he holds on to that across the season remains to be seen. (Current top contenders: Porter Martone and Roger McQueen, both CHL players.) It depends heavily on who is drafting first overall, honestly—but one thing we know is that when it comes to what he can do with the puck, Hagens is in a class of his own.
He’s two games and two assists into his first season at Boston College, so it’s a little early to judge this season’s play. Last season, though, he broke the 100-point mark with the NTDP (36G/63A) and set the single-tournament record at this year’s U18s with 22. From what we’ve seen so far, Hagens is an excellent playmaker with elite skating and puck skills. He pairs those skills with vision and poise to make life difficult for the opposing team every time he’s on the ice. We don’t anticipate that changing in a college environment. Expect to see him on Team USA for the 2025 World Junior Championships, too.
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