Bruins select James Hagens No. 7 overall in 2025 NHL Draft

The Boston Bruins selected center James Hagens of NCAA powerhouse Boston College with the seventh overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft Friday night at The Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, taking arguably the most well-rounded center off the board.

Hagens spent the early part of this season ranked as the consensus No. 1 overall pick among most scouts and prognosticators, but he was overtaken on most lists by blueliner Matthew Schaefer by the New Year. Nevertheless, it was more the result of Schaefer standing out than Hagens doing anything to damage his own value. He’s an elite prospect in his own right, expected to become a true No. 1 center who can play in all situations.

Hagens, 18, impressed in his first season at the college level, posting 37 points in 37 games with BC. On the international stage, he has really turned heads. In 2022, he broke Colin White’s Under-17 World Hockey Challenge all-time scoring record. Hagens helped Team USA win gold at the 2023 Under-18 World Championship. A year later, he put up a ridiculous 22 points in seven games at the 2024 Under-18 Worlds, breaking Nikita Kucherov’s tournament scoring record. Hagens was part of another winning American operation in 2025, posting nine points in seven games to help them win gold at the World Junior Championship.  

A multi-sport athlete, Hagens grew up in Hauppauge, N.Y., and was a rabid Islanders fan. At 5-foot-11 and 177 pounds, he doesn’t project to become a freight train of a power forward. But he’s a fluid skater, hyper intelligent as a playmaker and capable of impacting the game in all areas of the ice.

Hagens also profiles as potential future captain material in the NHL. He’s known for his work ethic and commitment to conditioning. He projects to be a consummate winner at the NHL level.

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