James Hagens is the early favorite to go No. 1 in the 2025 NHL Draft.

The 2025 NHL Draft will be here before you know it, and Draft Nation will preview some of the prospects who will be probable first round picks. Draft Nation will review the strengths and weaknesses of each prospect, and where they should land in the NHL Draft.

Name- James Hagens

Pos- C

Team- Boston College

HT/WT- 5’10” 168 lbs

Born- 11/3/2006

Home – Hauppauge, New York

The first overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft is not as clear cut as the past couple seasons —drafts that featured future superstars Connor Bedard (Chicago in 2023) and Macklin Celebrini (San Jose) last year. 

However, American center James Hagens is the early favorite to hear his name called first next June. Hagens was born in Hauppauge, New York and has played for the USNTDP since the 2022 season when he scored 26 goals and 40 assists in 43 games for the US National U17 team. This was only a part of what Hagens accomplished in 2022-2023. He also played for the USNTDP Juniors in the USHL and tallied 17 goals and 23 assists in 31 games. He was not finished yet and played Internationally for the US National U18 team, the USA U-17 and U-18 squads in the WHC-17 and WJC-18 respectively. His totals combined for those three teams were 31 games played for 16 goals and 29 assists.

After playing a combined 105 games as a 16 year old in 2022-2023, Hagens netted appreciable numbers for three different teams in 2023-2024, cementing himself as one of the top prospects in the 2025 class. He scored 39 goals and 63 assists in 58 games for the U.S. National U-18 team (USNTDP) and for the USNTDP Juniors team in the USHL he tallied another 18 goals and 29 assists in 26 games. He capped off his successful season by playing for the USA U-18 squad during the WJC-18 Championships, and scoring nine goals and 13 assists in only seven games.

After the 2023-2024 season, Hagens announced that he was going to follow the paths of some recent prospects and play NCAA hockey, committing to Boston College for the 2024-2025 season. 

Hagens is a 5-foot-10, 170-pound left handed center with a combination of elite puck handling, high hockey IQ, and an ability to skate with amazing edge work, making him one of the most dynamic offensive players in the 2025 class. Hagens’ vision sets him apart from the field and he is able to see and develop plays before they happen. His mix of hockey IQ and creativity make him tough to defend and he has the ability to make his wingers bonafide goal scorers with his passing ability. Hagens has quick feet and can get to top speed without hesitation. He has a quick release and does a good job of changing angles by dipping his shoulder to drag and shoot the puck, keeping goaltenders on their heels. On faceoffs, Hagens has a knack for controlling what he wants to do off the draw and projects well for teams looking to deploy a center to take important battles throughout a game. 

Despite his talents, Hagens has some shortcomings, but each are fixable. When losing possession of the puck he can get lazy and does not fight hard to regain possession. There are times when he puts his head down and seems to become a bystander. And although his numbers appear great on paper, he can have shifts where he goes unnoticed, a trait rarely seen in a possible No. 1 overall pick. Scouts will want to see a better overall defensive game from Hagens and more effort in turning odd man rushes into even man situations. He is undersized and will need to add strength, helping him to stay healthy at the next level.

NHL Comparison: Clayton Keller

Clayton Keller was the seventh overall pick of the 2016 NHL Draft by the Arizona Coyotes and has had a very solid career. Keller is the same height as Hagens and only eight pounds heavier, but plays with more strength and tenacity. Keller has been a reliable player, playing 82 games three times in his career and is the leader of a young and exciting Utah Hockey Club team. The talent is there for Hagens, but he needs to play with more passion and grit, and add some muscle to get to where Keller is. 

Draft Nation Projection: 1st overall pick

James Hagens is no guarantee to be the first overall pick of the draft, and with talents like defenseman Matthew Schaefer and centerman Anton Frondell, he will need to keep producing to stay at the top. Hagens will need to show improvement on defense and in his one-on-one battles, because there is no denying his offensive talents.