<p>“I just love playing the game.”</p>



<p>James Hagens had so much to smile about last year. The 2025 NHL Draft prospect set a scoring record at the World U-17 Hockey Challenge, finished fifth in scoring among all USA Hockey National Team Development Program players and capped it off with gold at the U-18 World Championship as the team’s youngest player.</p>



<p>It was a special season for a special player. And he’s looking even better in his second go-around with the top development program in hockey.</p>



<p>Hagens is second in USNTDP in scoring so far with 28 points, two behind top 2024 NHL Draft prospect Cole Eiserman. When paired together, as they’ve been for much of the past two years, Eiserman is the proven goal-scorer running rampant at a near 80-goal pace. For Hagens, it’s all about the smarts, the playmaking and the versatility. </p><div class="injected-ad injected-video" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="0" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="144"></div>



<p>The dynamic duo brings back memories of the USNTDP’s best 1-2 punch: Cole Caufield and Jack Hughes. If Eiserman is going to set the program goal-scoring record, he’ll have to beat Caufield’s 72 set in 2018-19. But in Hagens’ case, there’s no denying the comparisons to Jack Hughes – a game-breaking forward with incredible speed and playmaking abilities.</p>



<p>“He’s so effective,” Eiserman said during the U-18s in April. “We didn’t really know each other before coming (to the USNTDP). We started playing together, and it was easy. He can dish the puck, shoot it. It makes it easy on me.”</p>



<p>With 21 points in just seven games at the 2022 World U-17 Hockey Challenge, Hagens surpassed the likes of Hughes, Alex Ovechkin and Ilya Kovalchuk to break the tournament record. It was that event that really helped establish Hagens as one of the top prospects for the 2025 NHL Draft, outplaying the likes of other top 2025 prospects Michael Misa, Malcolm Spence, Jordan Gavin and Adam Benák.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="1" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="167"></div>



<p>“That week was incredible, unlike anything I’ve ever seen,” one NHL scout said. “He and Eiserman were playing on another planet. The chemistry was unbelievable. But let’s be clear: Hagens was the driving force there, the mind behind it all.”</p>



<p>Born in November of 2006, Hagens will have to wait a little longer than his USNTDP peers to hear his name called. But like Adam Fantilli last year, that’ll allow the intelligent center to get a year in the NCAA before turning pro. Hagens recently committed to Boston College, a squad that currently houses Gabe Perreault, Will Smith, Ryan Leonard and Cutter Gauthier. Gauthier will likely go pro next year. Smith might, too, so there will be big shoes to fill. But anyone who has watched Hagens knows he can get the job done.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="2" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="134"></div>



<p>“He’s a pretty special player, in terms of his vision and his IQ,” said Dan Muse, Hagens’ former coach at the USNTDP. His skating ability is high-end. Not for his age group, but for any player.</p>



<p>“I don’t think he gets enough credit for being as good as he is for as young as he is. He’s a guy who’s responsible at both sides of the ice. He can go out there, and he’s a guy I can trust in any situation.”</p>



<p>Hagens recently completed the U-18 Five Nations tournament in Finland, with USA winning the title with a 3-0-1 record. Hagens had multiple points in every game, including four in the final contest against Czechia, to finish with 11 points – good to lead all players. It was easily one of the most dominant tournament performances at an U-18 tournament in years, and it was done by an underager.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="3" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="150"></div>



<p>From a style perspective, Hagens is incredibly gifted with the puck. He seems to be always aware of where his linemates are, whether it’s Eiserman or even someone else in spot duty. It doesn’t take much for Hagens to get up to speed, and he can use that high velocity to blow past defenders. Hagens is also surprisingly strong defensively, which isn’t always the case for point producers at this age.</p>



<p>It wouldn’t be surprising if Hagens is the first American-born player taken with the top pick since Hughes back in 2019.</p>



<p>“Jack was one of the smartest players to come through the program,” a Michigan-based scout said. “But Hagens comes close.”</p>



<p>Now one of the best players in the NHL, Hughes had 112 points in 50 games with the USNTDP in 2018-19. Hagens is humming along at a low point-per-game rate of 1.87 compared to Hughes’ 2.24, but that was an exceptionally remarkable season by Hughes. At the very least, we’re looking at Hagens still finishing with one of the best seasons by a center in program history, putting him in incredible company alongside Hughes, Smith, Auston Matthews and Jack Eichel.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="4" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="192"></div>



<p>“He’s so fast, he creates so much time and space,” said Will Vote, who lined up alongside Hagens at the U-18s. “He’s a playmaker and a goal scorer. He sees the ice so well and so quickly. He can play with anyone.”</p>



<p>While all eyes will be on Eiserman heading into USA’s world junior camp, Hagens might have the edge to make the team out of the USNTDP. He’s a center, but can play the wing. His speed can kill. He’s versatile and can play all situations, and with anyone. Hagens was one of the top players at the World Junior Summer Showcase back in August, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he made it as the <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/projecting-usas-2024-world-junior-championship-roster">13th forward.</a></p>



<p>If he does, the world will see just how incredible of a hockey player James Hagens is.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="5" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="136"></div>



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