World Juniors: James Hagens Takes Center Stage With Team USA

Coming into the season, Boston College center James Hagens was the top prospect for the 2025 NHL draft. He's got some competition now, but with the world juniors about to begin, Hagens has a fantastic opportunity to prove why he should be the first name off the board this summer.

Hagens, a former USA Hockey National Team Development Program star, has been heating up as a freshman with Boston College while playing with world junior teammates Ryan Leonard (WSH) and Gabe Perreault (NYR). It's nice to play with such great linemates, but at the same time, it's a skill in itself to be able to play at such as high level - especially when you're one of the youngsters on a team.

"They play the game fast and you just have to be ready to receive the puck at any time," Hagens said. "It's really cool to be out there with them and off the ice, they're such good guys."

Hagens now has a chance to help Team USA win back-to-back gold medals at the world juniors, and assuming he plays with Leonard and Perreault, that line would be a huge factor in determining their ultimate team goal. Hagens himself is in a unique position in that he is basically living the exact same circumstances as last year's No. 1 overall draft pick, Mack Celebrini.

Like Celebrini, Hagens is a young freshman on a Hockey East team with designs on a national championship (Celebrini played for Boston U.) while also earning spots on their respective world junior rosters in their draft year.

Right now, Celebrini produced a lot more offense than Hagens has so far, but Hagens has a chance to win gold at the world juniors, whereas Celebrini was one of the only players who really stood out on a desultory Team Canada that lost in the quarterfinal. Needless to say, Hagens kept tabs on Celebrini last year.

"I watched how he handled everything," he said. "He separated himself from everyone else. To do that while in college is something special and I can learn off that."

Related: NHL Calder Trophy Tracker: Celebrini, Michkov And Hutson Begin To Separate

College opponents are quickly learning not to give Hagens any space because the talented center can punish defenders with his creative offensive game. He has posted 20 points through 16 games with Boston College, good for second on the Eagles behind Perreault's 23 points.

Clearly, Hagens' school of choice was the right one for him, and it doesn't hurt that older brother Michael is also a member of the Eagles.

"Once I went on my visit there, I knew it was home for me," Hagens said. "It's nice for parents, too - they won't need plane tickets to two different states for my brother and I. Playing with family, that's the dream every kid has when you have a brother."

Once the NHL draft approaches, Hagens will also likely get close with the other top prospects in his class, such as Porter Martone, Michael Misa and Matthew Schaefer. As it is, Hagens and Martone have actually known each other since they were pre-teens.

"I kinda grew up playing on a spring hockey team with him," Hagens said. "He's such a good guy, and we've always been buddies. We went over to Italy together for a tournament, which was a cool trip. He's such a good player. It's always tough on the ice with him. He's a guy who pushes you to do your best and it's fun to be out there with those guys. You can't really let him have the puck because he makes plays happen. He's a special player."

Related: Porter Martone Earned His Spot At Canada's World Junior Camp

Martone and Schaefer will line up against Hagens on New Year's Eve when Team USA and Canada clash in the final game of the round-robin, and undoubtedly, any friendships will be suspended until after the tournament. Having said that, the world juniors will also give scouts a chance to compare the trio as they ponder who indeed could be the first pick overall in 2025.

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