James Hagens, a native of Long Island, New York, was the favorite to go No. 1 overall in the 2025 NHL Draft when the season began. The long-time New York Islanders fan watched as his favorite team won the draft lottery in May. The 18-year-old centered the top line for NCAA powerhouse Boston College. He scored 37 points in 37 games before BC fell to Denver, 3-1, in the second round of the Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Championship in March. You might think it was an open-and-shut case that the Islanders would draft the hometown kid, but Hagens’ stock slipped. It’s unclear if he will even hear his name called during the first five picks of the draft. At 5-foot-11 and 176 pounds, Hagens is on the small side for an NHL center at a time when size appears to be more en vogue. FloHockey draft analyst Chris Peters has Hagens ranked as the third-best player in the draft. He noted that teams passing on him do so “at their peril.” Here are the most interesting fits for the next potential American-born star, who could d
