James Hagens

June 2025 – Selected seventh overall, James Hagens is now a member of the Boston Bruins. Mark Henry

Final Ranking – James Hagens’ season at Boston College left many scouts underwhelmed, and for understandable reasons. Scoring at a point-per-game rate as a college freshman is impressive, but not extraordinary. For a player entering his draft season viewed almost unanimously as the consensus first overall pick, his game left a lot to be desired, especially when compared to the dominant draft-year performances of Adam Fantilli and Macklin Celebrini.

However, the foundation of the player remains intact and shouldn’t be overlooked. His skill level is undeniable even to the skeptics, and when combined with his speed and shiftiness, it forms a toolkit that can translate to the next level.

Hagens is a player—like many in this draft class—who drew differing opinions from our scouts. Some on our team are concerned about his play-driving ability, and that’s a fair critique: he struggled in that area, particularly against tight-checking teams. Still, he remains our third-ranked player. The combination of skill and speed—and the potential for added layers with increased strength—makes him impossible to overlook. Whether he becomes a play-driving top-line center or a playmaking second-line winger remains to be seen.—Anni Karvinen

June 2025 – While he had a strong collegiate season at Boston College, Hagens didn’t produce at the level most scouts expected. He didn’t put the puck in the net as often as anticipated—partly due to his shot not being as effective as many believed and partly because of difficulties getting to the tougher areas of the ice where most goals are scored. Although he had a solid season overall, the calculus for Hagens’ projection has shifted slightly, which is reflected in his drop in the rankings compared to our initial list, where he was the top-rated player. Still, he has the potential to be a point-per-game playmaker in the NHL, but whether he plays at center or on the wing remains to be seen. Luke Sweeney

January 2025 – After finishing the World Juniors with nine points in seven games—including two goals in the semi-finals and the game-opener against Finland in the final—Hagens enters 2025 boasting a strong draft eligible season. Hagens has used his speed, quickness, creativity, and heady playmaking to provide and excellent complement to NYR prospect Gabe Perreault at Boston College. While he initially struggled to find the back of the net, Hagens has started to break out of his shooting slump, bringing back another element of his game. Despite reservations from critics early on, James Hagens still looks like a potential NHL first-line centre and a strong candidate to go first-overall.  Luke Sweeney