Top 2025 NHL Draft prospect James Hagens set for a leading role on USA’s World Junior team

Steven Ellis
Steven Ellis
Top 2025 NHL Draft prospect James Hagens set for a leading role on USA’s World Junior team
Credit: (Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff)

PLYMOUTH, Mich. – You have to be cool-headed to handle the pressure of being a top prospect.

Now 18 years old, USA center James Hagens has been in the spotlight since he was about 15 at Mount St. Charles Academy. There, he established himself as one of the top U-16 players in the United States, and that was only further proven by his incredible play with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program. During his two years there, he set a record for most points at both the World U-17 Hockey Challenge and U-18 World Championship.

Next up? A chance to chase gold as USA’s top center at the World Junior Championship in Ottawa. He has big shoes to fill, replacing Will Smith on the dominant line with New York Rangers prospect Gabe Perreault and Washington Capitals pick Ryan Leonard. It’s a natural fit, though. Together, they make up one of the best lines in the NCAA at Boston College. Perreault and Leonard are the ones getting the pucks in the net, while Hagens is the smart, reliable two-way threat.

“It’s a tough league,” Hagens said after registering 20 points in 16 games as a freshman. “There are a lot bigger, stronger guys, but it’s just about understanding how to be smart with the puck and managing the game. That’s a big part of it. Once you get that down, you’re just out there playing the sport you love.”

Hagens enters the tournament on a hot streak, having registered nine points in his past seven games – including three multi-point efforts. Boston College isn’t crushing teams by any means, but Hagens seems to be involved in a lot of the damage.

Hagens started the year as the favorite to go No. 1 next June. Many scouts have pivoted to the likes of Matthew Schaefer, Porter Martone, or Michael Misa, but Hagens’ real potential can’t be ignored. For starters, he’s playing against older competition in college – and looking great doing it. He’s one of only two U-19 players in the league with more than a point per game (the other being Montreal Canadiens prospect and Michigan forward Michael Hage) and is four points behind Chicago Blackhawks product Aidan Thompson for first in scoring among centers.

Expectations were big from the get-go, and Hagens has impressed. He’s also a bit bigger and stronger than he was a year ago, adding an inch (he’s listed as 5-foot-11 now) and being slightly bulkier than he was when he chased records with the USNTDP.

The big noticeable improvement is his shot. Hagens often found himself setting up New York Islanders prospect Cole Eiserman on the power play in recent years, so he never found himself with the flashiest goal counts. Still, he had 39 a year ago, so he’s no slouch. The big difference is in the pure power of his release – one snipe on Day 1 of USA’s camp in Plymouth this week, in particular, got people talking. During a power-play drill, Hagens took a one-timer from Ryan Leonard and found a small opening behind the American goalie. It sent the water bottle flying, and every scout in attendance took notice.

“He’s got so much more power than he did a year ago,” one scout said. “And the accuracy is on point. So you got that, and the hockey IQ? Yeah, it’s easy to like him.”

Hagens takes pride in his improved shot – something that has made him more dangerous this season.

“Over the summer, I was fortunate enough to have a place to shoot at my gym,” Hagens said. “So I’d go on there before I lift. Just shoot some pucks, and I feel like it really helped.”

One thing scouts notice about Hagens is just how heads-up he is all the time. As he got more comfortable with the USNTDP, he started to keep his pure focus on where he wanted the puck at all times.

“You’ve seen the videos, his head is always up and he’s always looking for the next play,” Detroit Red Wings prospect and USA goaltender Trey Augustine said. “He sees everything out there, and you don’t really know what he’s going to do.”

Hagens was cut from the team last year, which was a bit of a surprise. But coach David Carle likes what he sees the second time around.

“He’s a year more mature, he has the confidence from playing at the college level getting off to an excellent start,” Carle said.

Martone and Schaefer will both be suiting up for Canada at the WJC. Schaefer, in particular, is expected to play a big role on the blueline. But nobody will be as crucial to their team as Hagens, so this could be an opportunity for him to prove doubters wrong in his first – and likely only – appearance at the World Juniors.

“His skating and playmaking are just in [their] own world,” a scout said. “It’s effortless. He’s so slick as a skater. He makes it look so easy. He’s great in small areas; he’s just built like an athlete.”

The Americans have never won gold in consecutive years, but they’ve got a group capable of breaking the curse. But for it to happen, Hagens will need to play some of his best hockey of the season – and he’ll be given every opportunity to make that happen with his star linemates.

While history might not be on USA’s side, it is on Hagens’. Perhaps another record-breaking performance is in the cards.

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