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

[sigx15]

For someone who is Top 3 potential, he definitely will at least consider London then. That's a good spot historically for top draft eligible prospects to showcase and then he doesn't have to worry about school, playing 24 year olds, etc. It's a bit awkward while still with USNDTP because USA Hockey pushes everyone so heavily to NCAA.

I don’t see it happening. The NHL & CHL transfer agreement really hurts CHL teams in situations like Hagens where he has a gap year before the draft. I’d even venture to say it’s more likely he goes to Europe for a year like Matthews than he is to play Major Junior. All that said, I’d be pretty surprised if he doesn’t end up in the NCAA especially with how much of a focus his family has on education even if it’s only for a year or 2

 

[WarriorofTime]

I don’t see it happening. The NHL & CHL transfer agreement really hurts CHL teams in situations like Hagens where he has a gap year before the draft. I’d even venture to say it’s more likely he goes to Europe for a year like Matthews than he is to play Major Junior. All that said, I’d be pretty surprised if he doesn’t end up in the NCAA especially with how much of a focus his family has on education even if it’s only for a year or 2

You think it hurts because he'd have to play his D+1 in Major Juniors as opposed to the AHL if he doesn't make the NHL right away? I dunno. I think it matters more so for guys that are born in the first 70 % of the year, because they get stuck in Juniors for their D+2 when they are ready to progress. There aren't too many players in general that will play in the AHL in their D+1, and of the ones that play in College before the Draft, it seems like it's almost always NHL or another year of NCAA in their D+1, and I can't think of a different example off-hand.

Focus on education is another matter, of course. I have heard that which is why Harvard I think could make some sense, although I don't know what sort of procedures they have in place for players who leave early to earn their degrees over the course of multiple summer sessions, the way you see with players that go to other schools.

I don't really see Europe. I think Matthews situation was super unique due to his birthday being September 17th. I think there are visa/work considerations at play when a player is under 18, and in Matthews case he bumped right up against the prior year's draft deadline so he turned 18 right at the beginning of what was his draft season. Matthews missed the first four games of the season and made his debut September 18th, the day after turning 18. Hagens doesn't turn 18 until November, and I think that makes it logistically complicated to get him set up with a team over there. Frankly, he'd miss too much of the season, and would be coming in late and not as up to speed as the rest of the League, which would make it not worth it. I think that's why we've never seen anyone else replicate the Matthews place, it only worked due to his specific birthday.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

 

[MTU34]

I doubt Hagens will be the one to buck this trend given he’s from out East, but it really seems like the NCHC hasn’t been a landing spot for any of the tops guys for awhile. Sanderson and Howard (who transferred after one year at Duluth) are the only recent first rounders to end up out there. Would be nice to see schools like North Dakota and Denver become bigger players in recruiting to spread some of these 5 star kids around

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I doubt Hagens will be the one to buck this trend given he’s from out East, but it really seems like the NCHC hasn’t been a landing spot for any of the tops guys for awhile. Sanderson and Howard (who transferred after one year at Duluth) are the only recent first rounders to end up out there. Would be nice to see schools like North Dakota and Denver become bigger players in recruiting to spread some of these 5 star kids around

North Dakota has a great group of 2006’s committed that stretches two classes.

 

[GermanSpitfire]

Just speculation. But I think there is a legitimate chance he pulls the same thing Patrick Kane did as a late birthday.

2 years at the NTDP then play’s in the OHL with the London Knights, then NHL the year after.

 

[clevelandcane]

Just speculation. But I think there is a legitimate chance he pulls the same thing Patrick Kane did as a late birthday.

2 years at the NTDP then play’s in the OHL with the London Knights, then NHL the year after.

Hope not. I hope he goes the NCAA route of course.

 

[MTU34]

North Dakota has a great group of 2006’s committed that stretches two classes.

Yeah I didn’t even think about upcoming classes. I’d imagine Swanson, Boisvert, and Emery all have fairly decent shots at being first rounders. Still though, would like to see the high end program kids branch out a bit from BU, BC, Minnesota, and Michigan

 

[LDN]

Hope not. I hope he goes the NCAA route of course.

Why!?!

 

[WarriorofTime]

Why!?!

School is important

 

[William H Bonney]

Yeah I didn’t even think about upcoming classes. I’d imagine Swanson, Boisvert, and Emery all have fairly decent shots at being first rounders. Still though, would like to see the high end program kids branch out a bit from BU, BC, Minnesota, and Michigan

Emery should be nowhere near first round consideration right now. He's an interesting project at this point because of his size and athleticism but his U17 was really pedestrian. He'll need to break out offensively, or show elite shutdown ability, to climb the draft rankings.

Swanson is definitely a first round talent but he almost assuredly won't go in the first without a growth spurt, especially since his skating is average.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

UND also has McInnis and Pilgrim coming in. That's 5 high caliber recruits from that age group over two classes. Strathmann is coming in too in the first of those two classes, so they should have a pretty good team and be a contender the second of those two years, if not the first.

I'm all for kids branching out and not going to the biggest programs, but I think it becomes hard to sell them on some of these lesser programs when it's not like a Harvard, Notre Dame, or Cornell that has obvious appeal on the academic side. If you're Hagens, what is UND or Denver providing for you that those other programs don't?

A lot of these players are from states like Minnesota and Massachusetts, which brings obvious advantages with it for Minnesota, BC, BU. Michigan has almost everything working in their favor with a number of kids from Michigan, a very strong academic track record at the school, and then a lot of prestige on the hockey side of late.

 

[LDN]

School is important

Lol as if the CHL has no education program

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Lol as if the CHL has no education program

Lol as if that is the same as a NCAA program in particular an ivy league school.

 

[bigdog16]

Lol as if the CHL has no education program

Lol that education program is terrible

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

His brother is committed to Harvard.

I'm not going to say I think there's no chance he signs with London, but I don't think Hagens appears to be the type of player that will forego the college process that you see from most American players. If London wasn't the team with his rights, I don't even think anyone would be talking about him going to the CHL. When an American player decides to bypass the CHL initially, I tend to think that the door should be viewed as closed, yet not locked. There could be a change of priorities, but that should be a signal that they plan to go the college route.

My armchair guess is that it ends up being BC or BU. And I'm going to say it ends up being BU, as a bunch of his teammates are already committed to BU.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Lol as if the CHL has no education program

He’d only get one year which would expire as he plays pro hockey. The education option is for kids who go to USports and realize the pro hockey dream is dead.

 

[LDN]

Lol that education program is terrible

Lol as if the players actually get a full degree whilst playing on NCAA teams

 

[Postulates]

Lol as if the players actually get a full degree whilst playing on NCAA teams

Lets say you're not a star player but still have a "pro" future

probably stay for 3 years plenty of time to complete a 4 year degree considering AP credits dual enrollment at community college while you're playing junior if you dont go straight to the ncaa

Also there is a thing called taking classes in the summer and you can take a full course load. Meaning you can complete a years worth during the 2-3 summers you have



However James Hagens wont need a degree in his life if the hype is real

 

[bigdog16]

Lol as if the players actually get a full degree whilst playing on NCAA teams

They don’t, but the way the CHL education program is structured is terrible. And a degree from an American university/college is significantly better than one from Canada if they did decide to pursue later in life

 

[Postulates]

They don’t, but the way the CHL education program is structured is terrible. And a degree from an American university/college is significantly better than one from Canada if they did decide to pursue later in life

yeah a canadian degree isnt worth much to employers in the states but plenty of quality colleges in canada such as University of Toronto

 

[MTU34]

Lol as if the players actually get a full degree whilst playing on NCAA teams

Vast majority of NCAA players actually do get degrees. The ones that don’t are typically the high nhl picks, who stay for a year or two and make more than enough money on their elc’s to head back and finish school if pro hockey doesn’t work out

 

[WarriorofTime]

Lol as if the players actually get a full degree whilst playing on NCAA teams

They take online courses during the summer offseason, that's why they don't play in the World Championships a lot of times, lol.

Not everyone of course, but those that stay 2 seasons often do earn a degree eventually.

 

[OSA]

The ignorance on display from some of you NCAA bros is astonishing. Truly. I’m not sure what you think goes on up in Canada, but I can assure you that there are a number of world-class post-secondary institutions.

McGill (top bi-lingual institution), Queen’s (Elon Musk went here ffs), U of Toronto (globally known), Waterloo (one of the top Engineering schools in the world), UBC (the best in the west), Western (right in the heart of London with a world-class business school).

A degree from any of these institutions is no less valuable than a degree from, say, the University of Michigan, and would be unquestionably more valuable than a degree from….the University of friggin North Dakota lol….as an example

So unless you’re talking about most Ivy League schools or a few schools in California, your perceived academic advantage is a hoax.

If you’re a hockey player choosing to go the NCAA route, you are, for the most part, choosing to do so for a variety of perfectly legitimate reasons (prefer the development process, want to play for your favourite school, family etc). Superior post-secondary academics is rarely one of them.

 

[sigx15]

The ignorance on display from some of you NCAA bros is astonishing. Truly. I’m not sure what you think goes on up in Canada, but I can assure you that there are a number of world-class post-secondary institutions.

McGill (top bi-lingual institution), Queen’s (Elon Musk went here ffs), U of Toronto (globally known), Waterloo (one of the top Engineering schools in the world), UBC (the best in the west), Western (right in the heart of London with a world-class business school).

A degree from any of these institutions is no less valuable than a degree from, say, the University of Michigan, and would be unquestionably more valuable than a degree from….the University of friggin North Dakota lol….as an example

So unless you’re talking about most Ivy League schools or a few schools in California, your perceived academic advantage is a hoax.

If you’re a hockey player choosing to go the NCAA route, you are, for the most part, choosing to do so for a variety of perfectly legitimate reasons (prefer the development process, want to play for your favourite school, family etc). Superior post-secondary academics is rarely one of them.

Of course there are great schools in Canada, anyone who says otherwise is an idiot. There is a big difference between being guaranteed having your school paid for vs. having your school paid for and being guaranteed entrance into whatever university a player chooses, many times, when they wouldn't otherwise get into those schools

I also don't know why people aren't making a bigger deal out of the CHL NHL transfer agreement. In my mind, that is the biggest barrier for top prospects choosing Major Junior. The Shane Wright situation brought that directly into the forefront