F James Hagens - USNTDP Juniors, USHL (2025 Draft)

[WarriorofTime]

I know it’s just coincidence but irs crazy how late birthday heavy many of the USNDTP all timers skew.

 

[JiggsNY]

6 point game at the end of the season certainly helped. He always seems to step up in international tournaments, let's hope for a performance similar to last years U17 challenge.

 

[Faceboner]

So how does his game look? Who does he compare best too and what are his stand out traits?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

So how does his game look? Who does he compare best too and what are his stand out traits?

Hughes and Point are the types of comparables you’re looking at. You hope he’s a hybrid of Hughes offensively/skating with Point defense. Thats the ceiling. I think it’s possible, but he might also be Hughes style offensively/skating with Point talent offensively/skating and Point defense. Another one I’ve thought about is a left handed center Marner for the full comparison.

The best part of his game is his playmaking and also how fluid his skating is. The only real weakness is that he’s 5’10. Hasn’t grown in measurements from year 1 to year 2 at the NTDP, although his older brother is 6’0, so the next year will be telling. If he ends up 6’0 with the way he plays, he’s very possibly the best American draft prospect since Eichel/Matthews and could still be that without growing.

 

[Faceboner]

Hughes and Point are the types of comparables you’re looking at. You hope he’s a hybrid of Hughes offensively/skating with Point defense. Thats the ceiling. I think it’s possible, but he might also be Hughes style offensively/skating with Point talent offensively/skating and Point defense. Another one I’ve thought about is a left handed center Marner for the full comparison.

The best part of his game is his playmaking and also how fluid his skating is. The only real weakness is that he’s 5’10. Hasn’t grown in measurements from year 1 to year 2 at the NTDP, although his older brother is 6’0, so the next year will be telling. If he ends up 6’0 with the way he plays, he’s very possibly the best American draft prospect since Eichel/Matthews and could still be that without growing.

So silky hands elite skating but a hound for the puck with amazing vision and iq with a quick release and good positioning

 

[Mathieukferland]

So how does his game look? Who does he compare best too and what are his stand out traits?

I would compare him to Dylan Larkin, rapid skater that plays a responsible and hard 200ft game. Speed, agility, distribution best assets

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I would compare him to Dylan Larkin, rapid skater that plays a responsible and hard 200ft game. Speed, agility, distribution best assets

I feel they are a little different. Larkin is 3 inches taller, much faster while Hagens is a lot more fluid and good with making turns, has a different goals/assist ratio split (Larkin NHL career: 1/1.38, while Hagens NTDP career: 1/1.64), and there’s also the point that Larkin was 15th overall and under 1PPG his final year at the NTDP. Hagens has had one of the best NTDP careers ever and projected 1OA right now.

 

[Mathieukferland]

https://x.com/1ereronde/status/1783461458979836276?s=46&t=gayK_VFv9dswsr1U4K0m-A

Ouuff

 

[GermanSpitfire]

What are we thinking? Over/Under 15 points?

He might be the best player at this tournament.

 

[Ryan Van Horne]

What are we thinking? Over/Under 15 points?

He might be the best player at this tournament.

Over.

 

[Mathieukferland]

He put on a show today, outstanding performance. Slight nitpick would be he needs to bulk up, when the puck was in tight areas he got blown up a few times and out physicaled, but other than that was great

 

[WarriorofTime]

Really nifty skilled plays today. Definitely the frontrunner for 1st overall. Let's see if he can make it three years in a row for a draft eligible to win the Hobey Baker next season.

 

[Kshahdoo]

Pity we won't see him against Ryabkin.

 

[theslatcher]

Pity we won't see him against Ryabkin.

Pity we won's see him against Frondell.

 

[sigx15]

He put on a show today, outstanding performance. Slight nitpick would be he needs to bulk up, when the puck was in tight areas he got blown up a few times and out physicaled, but other than that was great

He’ll bulk up. He’s already put on a ton of muscle the past 2 years, all the reports say he’s an incredibly hard worker and in the gym a lot already. Don’t see him adding muscle being an issue especially having a year in college next year in the weight room

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

What are we thinking? Over/Under 15 points?

Over

He might be is clearly the best player at this tournament.

FTFY

 

[Kshahdoo]

Pity we won's see him against Frondell.

Frondell won't play at the WJC?

 

[theslatcher]

Frondell won't play at the WJC?

He's injured right now.

 

[Kshahdoo]

He's injured right now.

WJC is in 8 months, though.

 

[Roasted Nuts]

Is he better than Celebrini?

 

[SI90]

Any chance he wore islanders pajamas growing up?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Any chance he wore islanders pajamas growing up?

He's a big Isles fan.

Is he better than Celebrini?

Well, there's a year to figure out.

Celebrini won the Hobey Baker. High benchmark to reach, but he's capable of it.

To get there, he probably needs to grow to 6'0 (he's listed at 5'10 now but his brother is listed at 6'0) and get stronger. I think he has a better puck game, and similar defense/skating ability. But he's not as big and strong as Celebrini and Celebrini is a very good all-around player, so Hagens being a lot smaller is a big difference between the two for now.

 

[spintheblackcircle]

Tournament leading scorer after 2 games

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Had 1+2 today

 

[Bonin21]

Expecting him to win the Hobey to match Celebrini is wrong. It's incredibly hard to win the Hobey on a stacked team and he's going to one of the most stacked forward lineups of all time.

BU's forward unit was nothing special without Celebrini.

They'll also reward a guy like Smith that comes back to college hockey over him.