2025 NHL DRAFT Thread

[Kevin Musto]

Some compare Hagens to Cooley and I know the one called up podcast had player comps and had Hagens as worse Hughes but better Cooley. I think if we end up with Cooley at 3 that would be best case scenario, that being said I don't think Hagens is at Cooley's level.

I don't think Hagens will attain Cooley level either.

I think you can make the argument that Hagens, today, is a better player than Cooley was on draft day.

But two main differences:

1) Hagens is older (November birthday), so he's further ahead in his development than Cooley was on draft day.

2) Cooley experimented. He was always trying things out on the ice. Sometimes to a frustrating degree because it felt like he really need to tone it down and reign it in... but that's how he got better. He didn't fall back on what was in his bag already, he kept pushing himself to expand his repertoire. Hagens does not do this in any way. He didn't shown any growth or improvement in his game this season. Same player in game 1 vs game 37. He's resting on his laurels, whereas Cooley never settled.

 

[Mjul Qvist]

Some compare Hagens to Cooley and I know the one called up podcast had player comps and had Hagens as worse Hughes but better Cooley. I think if we end up with Cooley at 3 that would be best case scenario, that being said I don't think Hagens is at Cooley's level.

What makes you think so? I believe Hagens is right there or even better in his draft year than Cooley was.

 

[Kevin Musto]

What makes you think so? I believe Hagens is right there or even better in his draft year than Cooley was.

see above, for my thoughts on that claim

 

[ChicagoHockeyFan]

What makes you think so? I believe Hagens is right there or even better in his draft year than Cooley was.

I love Hagens skating but I don't think it is at Cooley's level, Cooley also seemed stronger at the time of the draft. Obviously Hagens can and will get a bit stronger but I think Cooley is similar style but on another level. Cooley is also 6'0 191 so bigger and faster in my eyes. One last thing I see is Cooley is much more willing to shoot and get inside

 

[PatFoleyBarTab88]

I'm a Martone guy, too, but come on. Hagens, in his D-1 year, destroyed what Cooley did in his draft year in the NTDP. Stutzle is a hard comparison to make, but Hagens international career has been every bit as impressive as his, albeit with a much better supporting cast.

I hope it's one of those two guys.

Yeah but that was just like 20 games in a covid season for Cooley. Cooley draft year WJC stood out to me much more than Hagens has when I've watched him at juniors and BC. Also seem to remember there being a pretty wide consensus that Cooley was going to be a stud that will drive play. There weren't all these whispers like there is with Hagens.

 

[Mjul Qvist]

Development isn´t linear. Just because Hagens did not take huge steps this year doesn´t mean he can´t take them next.

 

[Kevin Musto]

Development isn´t linear. Just because Hagens did not take huge steps this year doesn´t mean he can´t take them next.

Correct, but if he's not showing those tendencies now to take steps forward, when are we to assume he's going to start taking that seriously?

I'd rather draft the guy who's already doing those things.

 

[Mjul Qvist]

Correct, but if he's not showing those tendencies now to take steps forward, when are we to assume he's going to start taking that seriously?

I'd rather draft the guy who's already doing those things.

You know him? I just read recent article and interview of him where he sounded really driven to be better. Even if his first year in NCAA wasn´t anything of spectacular it wasn´t that bad either. And I liked what saw of him in WJC´s.

 

[unbridledid]

....who would take O'brien over Hagens ?

 

[Kevin Musto]

....who would take O'brien over Hagens ?

I would, easily.

 

[Larmer83]

You know him? I just read recent article and interview of him where he sounded really driven to be better. Even if his first year in NCAA wasn´t anything of spectacular it wasn´t that bad either. And I liked what saw of him in WJC´s.

Hagens deserves to be in the picture at #3 and deserved praise for his play in the WJC's. But a look under the hood shows his production in that tourney has me tapping the brakes.

Against Germany, Latvia, and the Swiss- 3 games, 4 goals, 4 assists, 8 points.
Against the Finns(2x), Canada, and the Czechs- 4 games, 1 goal, 0 assists, 1 point.

 

[Mjul Qvist]

Hagens deserves to be in the picture at #3 and deserved praise for his play in the WJC's. But a look under the hood shows his production in that tourney has me tapping the brakes.

Against Germany, Latvia, and the Swiss- 3 games, 4 goals, 4 assists, 8 points.
Against the Finns(2x), Canada, and the Czechs- 4 games, 1 goal, 0 assists, 1 point.

Good point but points don´t always tell you the whole truth. I had zero problem with his performance in the WJC´s as a draft eligible player.

 

[Crow]

Does Hagens skate like Jack Hughes? Who made that comp originally?

 

[unbridledid]

I would, easily.

I have a feeling if Misa is gone the Hawks will take O'brien.

Hagens deserves to be in the picture at #3 and deserved praise for his play in the WJC's. But a look under the hood shows his production in that tourney has me tapping the brakes.

Against Germany, Latvia, and the Swiss- 3 games, 4 goals, 4 assists, 8 points.
Against the Finns(2x), Canada, and the Czechs- 4 games, 1 goal, 0 assists, 1 point.

Nice observation..

 

[bwanajamba]

Does Hagens skate like Jack Hughes? Who made that comp originally?

Hagens is a great skater but not even close to Hughes imo. And he's not as dynamic on the puck either.

He makes up ground in compete but despite his willingness to do so he sometimes had a hard time attacking the middle of the ice against college teams (to be expected, but that was what made him special as a junior player, so if he can't do it with frequency against bigger and stronger players it could limit his ceiling a bit).

Since I feel like I've only said kind of negative things about him on here in recent months- I do really like his game as an intelligent playmaker. He's so good at reading where space is going to open up and facilitating play to those areas and kind of passing teammates open like a good quarterback. He does this just as well on the cycle as on the rush. It's very pretty hockey when he's got things flowing with sequences of simple but smooth connecting plays that suddenly open up into a scoring chance.

I think he could be a great second or third best forward on a team. He might have the highest floor of any of the guys in consideration at 3 and he has plenty of upside too. But as far as team composition goes, maybe you run into trouble against elite athletic bluelines if a few of your other top forwards are even smaller than he is. Bedard and Nazar have shown a willingness and ability to attack the middle as pros so maybe it would be fine. Glad it ultimately isn't my job to try and project that

 

[Putt Pirate]

What I know from Hagens is what I saw at BC and WJC. I hope there are better options at 3 than him (not that he is terrible).

 

[Kevin Musto]

Hagens is a very bland player to watch. He won't make you jump out of your seat.

He's good, but not elite at anything.

 

[giza]

I’m off the Misa train. He has no shoulders—-betting total perimeter in the pro’s. Martone or trade it

 

[Kevin Musto]

I’m off the Misa train. He has no shoulders—-betting total perimeter in the pro’s. Martone or trade it

I don't feel that way about Misa.

He scores a lot of net front greasy goals off tips and rebounds.

He's 6'1" 185lbs. Probably plays at 200lbs in his prime.

 

[RaquetPeanutSteering]

Yeah but that was just like 20 games in a covid season for Cooley. Cooley draft year WJC stood out to me much more than Hagens has when I've watched him at juniors and BC. Also seem to remember there being a pretty wide consensus that Cooley was going to be a stud that will drive play. There weren't all these whispers like there is with Hagens.

Cooley's draft season in the USNTDP was not Covid shortened.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

O'Brien at 3 and I'll have so much less faith in this rebuild. He's a play maker that's going to have to drastically change the way he plays two years from now.

 

[Kevin Musto]

O'Brien at 3 and I'll have so much less faith in this rebuild. He's a play maker that's going to have to drastically change the way he plays two years from now.

There are players that play the way O'Brien does at the NHL level.

They're all elite level players.

That doesn't mean O'Brien will join their ranks, but his playstyle gives him that potentially elite level upside.

I have increased faith in the rebuild if the organization wants to bet on that sort of upside.

 

[SavBigMoneyAtBedards]

I must be watching a different player than some of you when it comes to Hagens.
He's an elite talent.
Zone entries, playmaking, skating, he's great at all of 'em.
He stood out for me when watching BC games this year and if Perrault and Leonard could finish a little better he'd have had 10-15 more points because he was setting them up routinely.

In the playoffs alone he probably could've had another 5 pts if they could finish the open chances he created for them.

I urge you to watch the scouting videos (and highlight reels.) The guy is special.

 

[RaquetPeanutSteering]

There are players that play the way O'Brien does at the NHL level.

They're all elite level players.

That doesn't mean O'Brien will join their ranks, but his playstyle gives him that potentially elite level upside.

I have increased faith in the rebuild if the organization wants to bet on that sort of upside.

He could certainly grow into his body and learn to play up to his size, but he plays really soft game for a player of any size. I would wager to say those guys who succeed as finesse Centers, as he is currently, all have much better wheels and shots.

 

[Darkstar]

O'Brien at 3 and I'll have so much less faith in this rebuild. He's a play maker that's going to have to drastically change the way he plays two years from now.

O'Brien is fools gold.