Los Angeles, Calif. (WEEI/WGR Sports Radio 550) - The Boston Bruins didn’t have to look far for their first-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, as they selected Boston College center James Hagens with the seventh overall pick.
Hagens is the Bruins’ highest pick since taking Tyler Seguin second overall in the 2010 NHL Draft, and he addresses their biggest organizational need: A highly skilled center with legitimate first-line upside.
Hagens entered this past season as the projected No. 1 pick, but slipped after putting up 37 points (11 goals, 26 assists) in 37 games as an 18-year-old freshman at Boston College.
While his fall down the draft board might seem harsh, it was fair to an extent.
Macklin Celebrini (1.68 points per game), Jack Eichel (1.78) and Adam Fantilli (1.81) all blew that production out of the water at the same age, and that was probably the level required for Hagens to be seriously considered at first overall. Hagens’ production this season was more in line with what Kent Johnson and Matty Beniers did as freshman teammates at the University of Michigan in 2020-21, which is still a really solid place to be.
Still, Hagens slipping out of the top-five was something that seemed unlikely until the last week or so, when reports began to surface that teams in the 3-6 range may prioritize bigger players than the 5-foot-11 Hagens.
That was indeed how things wound up playing out, with Hagens falling into the Bruins’ lap.
At seven, Hagens’ talent was simply too good to pass on. His skillset and the rest of his resume remain extremely impressive.
During his 2023-24 season, he had 102 points in 58 games with the U.S. Under-18 Team, a rate of production that has only been eclipsed by Jack Hughes, Will Smith, Gabe Perreault, Auston Matthews and Phil Kessel. He was the No. 1 center and top forward in ice time as an under-ager for the U.S. team that won gold at World Juniors this year.
At the 2024 World U18 Championships, he broke Nikita Kucherov’s record for points in a tournament. The year before, he broke the World U-17 Hockey Challenge record for points in a tournament.
Here is what WGR's Brayton Wilson had to say about Hagens:
"While Hagens is certainly a prospect that can score and put the puck in the net, his playmaking capabilities are what sets him apart from most prospects in the class.
"It all starts with Hagen’s hockey IQ, and his ability to see the ice and anticipate plays developing before they even happen. Hagens is able to control the puck with great hands, and keep his head up to quickly and decisively analyze plays and find openings to distribute the puck. He’s also got the uncanny ability to find players open that are seemingly covered, or those he doesn’t even see.
"Hagens is one of the smoothest skaters in this year’s class with very good pace to his stride, while also playing light on his feet in order to cut and maneuver well in tight quarters. His powerful short strides also allow Hagens to generate good speed and acceleration in rush.
"Puck handling is another strong suit of Hagens’ game, as he can dangle through the defense on the rush to create highlight reel scoring chances. It also enhances his ability to be deceptive and manipulate the opposing defenders.
"And while Hagens is not widely known for being a goal scorer, he definitely gets the puck off his stick quickly, and can pick his spots well.
"And like many prospects in this age group, Hagens will need to get a bit stronger, while also continuing to improve his overall game as he continues to progress.
"Is he a player that can make the jump to the pros after a strong freshman season? Perhaps. However, it may benefit Hagens to stay in college for another season and prove his worth on a Boston College team that will likely be rebuilding a bit with a number of players making the jump to the NHL."
There had been reports that the New York Islanders, who already had the first overall pick, would try to trade back into the top-10 to also get Hagens, a Long Island native. The Bruins didn’t let that happen, though, choosing to pick him themselves.