F James Hagens - Boston College, NCAA (2025 Draft) Part 2

[Scoresberg]

Beauty of a player.

 

[wickedwitch]

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

Too bad he doesn't score in big games.

True. He does. It's Leonard and Perreault that don't.

 

[WarriorofTime]

The Hagens Haters will come in and say it doesn't count because it was Bentley naturally.

 

[Mathieukferland]

The Hagens Haters will come in and say it doesn't count because it was Bentley naturally.

Cooks and cleaners

I was able to catch the third period, I don’t know NCAA well so perhaps Bentley is as you say but it’s the game of seen so far this year along with perhaps the Latvia game at the WJC where was consistently able to penetrate the middle of the ice

 

[WarriorofTime]

Cooks and cleaners

I was able to catch the third period, I don’t know NCAA well so perhaps Bentley is as you say but it’s the game of seen so far this year along with perhaps the Latvia game at the WJC where was consistently able to penetrate the middle of the ice

Hey it’s a good college. So more like accountants and finance bros.

They’re not a bad team this year. They were the lowest tournament seed because they won the weakest conference to automatically qualify but they were 22 in the pair wise so not like way off from if they just took the top 16.

 

[AlternateSideParking]

The Hagens Haters will come in and say it doesn't count because it was Bentley naturally.

Well they're ignorant, so I wouldn't worry about it. A hockey fan with any sort of common sense would realize that elimination games tied after 40 minutes throws all that pre-game garbage out the window. Hagens by himself just saved BC's season. That's the headline.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

True. He does. It's Leonard and Perreault that don't.

You can't be serious.

Leonard has scored goals in gold medal games (3-0 record, by the way) two of the last three years, including one golden goal. The game he didn't score a goal he merely had two assists. Perreault likewise has a 3-0 record and 4 points in those 3 games (1+3 for Perreault compared to the 2+2 for Leonard).

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I think some people don't understand what college hockey is. No one is claiming that Bentley is a talented team, but they are talented ENOUGH to be 1-1 with the best team in college hockey for nearly 60 minutes. They are the 8th oldest team in college hockey (BC is the youngest). And they have an average age of 22.63 (which is essentially a player born like August 1, 2002). Hagens is born November 3, 2006. These players are on average over four years older than him. Every player on Bentley's roster is over two years older than Hagens. So if Hagens is getting to the middle of the ice more against these players, it's probably not because they suck. They are bigger, stronger, and more physical. It's likely because Hagens has played well. Of course some will never give him any credit.

Edit: What makes teams like Bentley difficult to play against is their age. If talent is anywhere in the same galaxy, older is usually better when it comes to developing players. I promise you that US or Canada 2006 National Team would lose to Austria’s 2002 National Team. Not because Austria has a lot of talent, but there are inherent advantages that come with being so much older for a developing hockey player.

 

[AlternateSideParking]

I think some people don't understand what college hockey is. No one is claiming that Bentley is a talented team, but they are talented ENOUGH to be 1-1 with the best team in college hockey for nearly 60 minutes. They are the 8th oldest team in college hockey (BC is the youngest). And they have an average age of 22.63 (which is essentially a player born like August 1, 2002). Hagens is born November 3, 2006. These players are on average over four years older than him. Every player on Bentley's roster is over two years older than Hagens. So if Hagens is getting to the middle of the ice more against these players, it's probably not because they suck. They are bigger, stronger, and more physical. It's likely because Hagens has played well. Of course some will never give him any credit.

Edit: What makes teams like Bentley difficult to play against is their age. If talent is anywhere in the same galaxy, older is usually better when it comes to developing players. I promise you that US or Canada 2006 National Team would lose to Austria’s 2002 National Team. Not because Austria has a lot of talent, but there are inherent advantages that come with being so much older for a developing hockey player.

The other piece to his season is that nobody seems to acknowledge the fact that there is extreme difficulty in not only earning the job centering two established elite wingers -- arguably the two best wing prospects in the world -- but convincing his coach he deserves to be there, and for the best college program in the country no less. You can tell Hagens is trying hard to be unselfish with two wingers who love to control the puck. He's been the epitome of an unselfish playmaker and his numbers -- specifically primary assists at 5v5 -- reflect that.

 

[Star Platinum]

A great video that dissects Hagens game

@19Simon19 certainly wasn't trying to be diplomatic in this video. He put his stake in the ground as not a fan of his game.

 

[doublechili]

I haven't seen much of Hagens, but based on descriptions, size, etc., would Hischier or Nugent-Hopkins be a possible NHL comparison?

 

[OversKy]

@19Simon19 certainly wasn't trying to be diplomatic in this video. He put his stake in the ground as not a fan of his game.

They thought he was the great American hope and now on this site he's the great American cope. I still think he has top 6 potential and will be a decent NHL player but in a draft that I'm not that excited for he's fighting to round out the top 5.

 

[Fyodorov]

They thought he was the great American hope and now on this site he's the great American cope. I still think he has top 6 potential and will be a decent NHL player but in a draft that I'm not that excited for he's fighting to round out the top 5.

Please post more. You will fit in very well here with all the other well-adjusted draft discussers.

 

[Juxtaposer]

I haven't seen much of Hagens, but based on descriptions, size, etc., would Hischier or Nugent-Hopkins be a possible NHL comparison?

I don't hate RNH as a comp for Hagens, actually.

Hagens has been the guy of the BC trio to really pick it up in the big games so far. Hope he keeps it up.

 

[WPGDEVILS]

I don't hate RNH as a comp for Hagens, actually.

Hagens has been the guy of the BC trio to really pick it up in the big games so far. Hope he keeps it up.

I can see Nuge in him, not really Nico tho

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

They thought he was the great American hope and now on this site he's the great American cope. I still think he has top 6 potential and will be a decent NHL player but in a draft that I'm not that excited for he's fighting to round out the top 5.

Excuse me, we don’t care what this random internet scout thinks.

He doesn’t monopolize opinions. He’ll be walking back his bad box score takes.

Hagens is the best American prospect since Matthews. If you and some others don’t want to recognize it because BC has a bad PP this year and that’s impacted his box score totals a little, you’ll only have to walk back your comments later on.

 

[Mathieukferland]

Hagens is the best American prospect since Matthews

That’s quite the statement, you think he’s better than Hughes Beniers Brady etc as a prospect?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

That’s quite the statement, you think he’s better than Hughes Beniers Brady etc as a prospect?

Easily better than Beniers and Brady Tkachuk.

Kind of close with Jack Hughes, but I’ll take Hagens. Has more defensive value. I don’t think the offensive value is that different. Hughes was flashier and maybe a little higher end with puck skills and skating, but Hagens is more cerebral and has a better shot at the same age.

They also haven’t played in the same situations, so it’s hard to compare one to one statistically year to year.

Hughes is an early birthday and Hagens late. Hughes played on the best NTDP team ever. Hagens most certainly didn’t. But even so, Hagens has bettered Hughes statistically in some measurements (international tournaments), so despite Hughes having better full NTDP totals Hagens beat him in some other important statistical measures.

 

[eklund2chicago]

Easily better than Beniers and Brady Tkachuk.

Kind of close with Jack Hughes, but I’ll take Hagens. Has more defensive value. I don’t think the offensive value is that different. Hughes was flashier and maybe a little higher end with puck skills and skating, but Hagens is more cerebral and has a better shot at the same age.

They also haven’t played in the same situations, so it’s hard to compare one to one statistically year to year.

Hughes is an early birthday and Hagens late. Hughes played on the best NTDP team ever. Hagens most certainly didn’t. But even so, Hagens has bettered Hughes statistically in some measurements (international tournaments), so despite Hughes having better full NTDP totals Hagens beat him in some other important statistical measures.

You can’t seriously think it’s kind of close with Hughes, who produced more as a 16 year old than what Hagens did as a 17 year old. Hughes is one of the most offensively gifted players that’s been drafted in the last like eight years so no shame in being worse than him but I don’t think anyone that has watched Hagens this year would have him ahead of draft year Jack Hughes (except you).

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

You can’t seriously think it’s kind of close with Hughes, who produced more as a 16 year old than what Hagens did as a 17 year old. Hughes is one of the most offensively gifted players that’s been drafted in the last like eight years so no shame in being worse than him but I don’t think anyone that has watched Hagens this year would have him ahead of draft year Jack Hughes (except you).

As I explained, Hughes played on the Harlem Globetrotters. That team was the most statistically dominant NTDP team ever. Of course his stats are going to end up better over like 100 games.

However over some smaller sample tournaments in more important games when rosters are more evened out, Hagens has bettered Hughes. People always try to make a lot of full season stats being more important than international, but if you follow the NHL Draft long enough you see some examples (such as Slafkovsky) where you have to go case by case and can’t be so rigid in analyzing one over the other.

Hagens has basically generational stats in international tournaments for a draft eligible. That doesn’t make him generational, but maybe you should recognize some of the context of why his stats over full samples being a little less dominant (and they’re still very good, arguably great in certain circumstances) don’t have to be a huge negative against him and may just be he wasn’t in a position to put up these huge totals (something that people on this website often miss when comparing scoring totals). Not all situations are created the same.

 

[OversKy]

Excuse me, we don’t care what this random internet scout thinks.

I'm going to start calling you iron man, the man made of irony! Listen, just because you've hyper-fixated on a prospect doesn't mean the world has to glaze him with you. Also, who's the WE hahah.

The kid put up points against the backup cooks and cleaners in the USHL and American junior. I'll give him that. This year he put up solid numbers against real competition for the first time but that's not good enough for #1.

I read some stuff about being better than Hughes and Matthew's. Good entertainment value, a regular Mel Kiper here folks.

Top 5, I hope the kid has a great NHL career.

 

[JiggsNY]

I feel like he fans on a lot shots. Remember a few bug ones in the WJC and a couple fans on the PP right now.

 

[Giant Panda]

I'm going to start calling you iron man, the man made of irony! Listen, just because you've hyper-fixated on a prospect doesn't mean the world has to glaze him with you. Also, who's the WE hahah.

The kid put up points against the backup cooks and cleaners in the USHL and American junior. I'll give him that. This year he put up solid numbers against real competition for the first time but that's not good enough for #1.

I read some stuff about being better than Hughes and Matthew's. Good entertainment value, a regular Mel Kiper here folks.

Top 5, I hope the kid has a great NHL career.

I found your post entertaining but...

Points aren't everything. Every player drafted has played against junior players at some point.

Lots of reasons to doubt Hagens potential, mocking people's takes aren't really compelling or convincing to them.

I get that Pavel has a lot of really over the top, copium hopes for players but comments like this don't really meet the spirit of these debates.

 

[OversKy]

I found your post entertaining but...

Points aren't everything. Every player drafted has played against junior players at some point.

Lots of reasons to doubt Hagens potential, mocking people's takes aren't really compelling or convincing to them.

I get that Pavel has a lot of really over the top, copium hopes for players but comments like this don't really meet the spirit of these debates.

I just think he's devolving this thread himself taking everything personally.

Hagens is a 5*11 forward who inherited the same line mates as Will Smith with those line mates being a year older. Am I supposed to think that Teddy stiga ruined his draft year by not being good enough for him after he didn't fit in? If he's not producing what does he offer.

Outside of HF, scouts report him being poor defensively. The kid is already fairly filled out by many reports and played the same way for a couple years now and we can all agree he's not a digger or a grinder.

He's great, but that's not good enough for 1OA when your draft year class is drastically improving. I personally am even torn on Schaefer and Misa because Misa has had such a blazing hot year. Both of those kids are almost a year younger than Hagens.

We're jumping about how clutch he is getting the GWG against... Bentley? The team doesn't have a single drafted player on the roster! Yeesh.

Victor Eklund is playing in the Allsvenskan and might not be a ppg but he's almost the goal differential leader on his team. That's against grown men and he's as big a piece as Hagens for his team!

There are MANY players fighting to be drafted this year like any year and I don't see how Hagens doesn't fall to at least 3 or lower even with the devil on my shoulder.

There's nothing to debate with Pavel his mind has been made up for over a year probably.