May James Hagens fall to Bruins in 2025 NHL Draft?

James Hagens has heard all of the noise at this level.

As soon as topped as the highest participant within the 2025 NHL Draft class, the dynamic Boston School ahead has seen his inventory slip over the previous few months.

Whereas Hagens’ consolidated draft rating on Elite Prospects nonetheless has him tabbed because the No. 3 prospect on this group behind defenseman Matthew Schaefer and middle Michael Misa, there’s some variance as to the place the 18-year-old ahead may land within the draft order in late June. 

TSN’s Craig Button even went thus far as to place Hagens because the No. 8 prospect within the upcoming draft, with forwards with decrease ceilings like Brady Martin (No. 6) or damage issues in Roger McQueen (No. 5) slotted forward of him.

Such a dip could be a steep drop for Hagens — who coming into the 2024-25 collegiate season as the following potential Jack Hughes.

However Hagens’ murky inventory may additionally provide the slim hope {that a} Bruins workforce starved for elite offensive expertise may probably have the Lengthy Island native of their crosshairs subsequent month with the No. 7 decide.

“I like Boston,” Hagens mentioned on Tuesday. “Being at Boston School, we’re proper in the course of Boston there. So it’s a phenomenal metropolis. Solely nice issues to say about it. I like it there.”

For all the discourse surrounding Hagens and the tape he submitted as a freshman at Boston School, the younger ahead was candid in regards to the efficiency he put ahead within the collegiate ranks this winter.

“I assumed I had an incredible season. You’re taking part in in opposition to guys which are 25, 24 years previous each evening. It’s powerful,” Hagens mentioned. “It’s laborious hockey, however I’m tremendous grateful to have the ability to have the 12 months that I used to be in a position to have with the group of fellows that we did have.”

Hagens closed out his first season in school hockey with 37 factors (11 targets, 26 assists) in 37 video games. 

That stat line pales compared to the manufacturing orchestrated by different potential top-10 alternatives like Misa (62 targets, 134 factors in 65 video games within the OHL) or Jake O’Brien (32 targets, 98 factors in 66 video games within the OHL).

However the high quality of competitors in school hockey — particularly in Hockey East — is much extra daunting than what phenoms like Misa and Co. feasted on within the Canadian Junior ranks.

Nonetheless, scouts have been possible anticipating a No. 1 decide like Hagens to imitate the standout collegiate seasons orchestrated by different generational freshmen skills like Jack Eichel (71 factors in 40 video games), Adam Fantilli (65 factors in 36 video games), and Macklin Celebrini (64 factors in 38 video games) over the past decade. 

However even when a point-per-game tempo is likely to be deemed as underwhelming for a participant of Hagens’ caliber, he has few regrets over his play at Chestnut Hill. 

“I like making performs,” Hagens mentioned of his strategy on the ice. “I like with the ability to discover a man again door, that’s one thing that I really feel like is a giant a part of my sport, my entire total profession.  So I wouldn’t say that I ever deflect away from capturing the puck. I do know when to shoot and when to move. 

“Simply one thing that basically helps take my sport [to] the following stage is the way in which I’m in a position to form of discover different guys. … School — it’s a special stage of hockey. It’s more durable. It’s not junior hockey. It’s powerful to attain each given evening. It’s low-scoring video games. It’s a must to work to attain targets.”

Past his play on the school stage, Hagens’ monitor file speaks for itself. 

Hagens closed out his tenure with the U.S. Nationwide Group Improvement Program with 102 factors in 58 video games in 2023-24. 

That very same season, Hagens set a brand new scoring file on the 2024 World U18 Championships with 22 factors (9 targets, 13 assists) in simply seven video games, breaking the earlier file set by Nikita Kucherov. 

In an NHL that now depends closely on skating and ability, Hagens brings it each single time he hops over the boards — with the ahead citing Patrick Kane, John Tavares, and Logan Cooley amongst these he fashions his sport after. 

However expertise evaluators nonetheless have some qualms about whether or not or not Hagens’ measurement or play model can translate to the NHL, at the least because it pertains to him being a legit franchise expertise. 

“At BC, he had stretches this season the place he was laborious to note at even energy and had too many video games the place he was invisible,” The Athletic’s Corey Pronman wrote this week of Hagens. “He struggled to persistently get to the within in opposition to larger school defenders. He additionally struggled to attain targets this season. 

“At barely 5-foot-11 and with no bodily edge, his profile turns into more durable to venture as a top-line NHL middle who you may win with. His compete stage is respectable and regarded good on the World Juniors, however I wouldn’t name it a standout trait.”

As tantalizing as Hagens’ skillset is, there’s a cause why bodily forwards like Martin are beginning to see their inventory soar at this level on the NHL calendar as GMs and different evaluators begin projecting how these 2025 forwards may match into their lineup. 

With the NHL scouting mix set to begin in lower than per week, Hagens is trying to dispel among the narratives surrounding his sport as soon as he’s in a position to meet face-to-face with groups in Buffalo.

“I’m simply attempting to clarify simply how excessive my compete stage is on the mix,” Hagens mentioned. “I’m on the point of present that with all of the exams. I like profitable. I’ll do something to win. One thing that’s helped me get to the purpose the place I’m as we speak is simply how laborious I’ve been in a position to work my entire life. 

“Nothing’s ever come simple. I’ve needed to work for the whole lot that I’ve ever gotten earlier than, and that’s one thing I’m tremendous grateful for. That’s one thing that’s simply inside my household, one thing that I used to be raised up, taught from my mother and father and my coaches. So, going into these conferences simply actually expressing how laborious I compete, and the way badly I wish to be on a workforce and hopefully win a Stanley Cup sooner or later.”

Hagens wouldn’t be the primary blue-chip prospect to sink down the draft leaderboard. It will be a welcome sight for a workforce just like the Bruins — who would seemingly tune out any of these shortcomings in his sport if Hagens realizes his potential as a legit top-line pivot within the coming years. 

Even when Hagens isn’t precisely a carbon copy of Jack Hughes, an offensively-deficient workforce like Boston would welcome a state of affairs the place Hagens develops into one other Clayton Keller (90 factors in 81 video games with Utah this previous season). 

Hagens sporting the spoked-B nonetheless stands as wishful pondering.

Even when he slips previous groups like Chicago (No. 3 general) or Utah (No. 4), groups starved for younger expertise down the center like Nashville (No. 5) or Philadelphia (No. 6) would possible do somersaults of their draft warfare room if Hagens dropped down the order.

However no matter the place he lands on June 27, Hagens is embracing the twists and turns that await within the lead-up to the draft.

“Getting drafted has been my dream my entire total life,” Hagens mentioned. “That’s why I began taking part in hockey. That’s why I nonetheless play. However I’m actually simply grateful for the whole lot proper now. The noise will all the time be there, however you simply must ensure you’re dwelling within the second and taking it daily.”

 

Conor Ryan is a employees author overlaying the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Purple Sox for Boston.com, a task he has held since 2023.