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

[Pavel Buchnevich]

His brother is a 2023 draft eligible that turns 18 in February. He's 6'0, so James could grow another few inches. Very possible he's around 6'0 by the time he's drafted.

 

[GermanSpitfire]

 

[GermanSpitfire]

 

[Ryan Van Horne]

Was drafted by London in the OHL draft in the 6th round. Unlikely he reports but if he’ll report to anyone it’ll be London.

One thing to keep in mind about this is that he's a late birthday and so will have another season to play after NTDP U-18 season before he's drafted. Will he go to the college route or will he do what Patrick Kane did and play a year with London in his draft year? At the moment, he is the top uncommitted U.S. born 2006 prospect, as per Chris Peters on the latest episode of Talking Hockey Sense. (Clip is at the 19-minute mark if you want to listen.) Peters also mentions that some scouts think Hagens could be the top player on the U17 team, which also features top 2024 prospect Cole Eiserman.

 

[BKarchitect]

Hagens and Hensler can’t commit yet can they since they are class of 2025? As usual I would think brotherly influence may hold a key to his eventual commitment - imagine Harvard has an “in” there. But also seems like a hard place to accelerate your timeline if he’s wanting to go direct to the NCAA and have a year of college under his belt prior to the draft.

Hagens and Eiserman will be an interesting battle moving forward for top dog up front on this team.

 

[Ryan Van Horne]

Hagens and Hensler can’t commit yet can they since they are class of 2025? As usual I would think brotherly influence may hold a key to his eventual commitment - imagine Harvard has an “in” there. But also seems like a hard place to accelerate your timeline if he’s wanting to go direct to the NCAA and have a year of college under his belt prior to the draft.

Hagens and Eiserman will be an interesting battle moving forward for top dog up front on this team.

I confess that I am not that knowledgeable about the U.S. college hockey recruiting/commitment rules, but I'm guessing that there must be some cutoff date between Cole Eiserman's birthday Aug. 29, 2006 and Hagens', which is just two months later. Would that put them a year apart in high school? It seems that all the rules about commitment/recruiting are based on the player being in their sophomore or junior year of high school.

 

[sigx15]

I confess that I am not that knowledgeable about the U.S. college hockey recruiting/commitment rules, but I'm guessing that there must be some cutoff date between Cole Eiserman's birthday Aug. 29, 2006 and Hagens', which is just two months later. Would that put them a year apart in high school? It seems that all the rules about commitment/recruiting are based on the player being in their sophomore or junior year of high school.

So it doesn't really have to do with their birthday, it's colleges can't make verbal offers until August 1st as they enter their junior year. I don't know if he's a junior or sophomore yet. He may have had to accelerate or may still need to if he wants to play the gap year in college. I'm honestly not sure with him because schools in the US are all over the place on the birthday cutoff date to enter a grade. For instance, some schools say you have to be born before September 1st to start school, some are August 1st, some are December 31st, it can really be all over the place

 

[GermanSpitfire]

 

[GermanSpitfire]

 

[William H Bonney]

Completed the hat trick to win it in overtime. Hagens and Eiserman are quite the duo and have all the makings of elite prospects.

 

[GermanSpitfire]

Completed the hat trick to win it in overtime. Hagens and Eiserman are quite the duo and have all the makings of elite prospects.

Great move by Eiserman

 

[mphmiles]

Believe Eiserman and Hagens were both involved in all 4 goals tonight.

They're gonna be moved up to the 18's sooner rather than later, I think

 

[GermanSpitfire]

Believe Eiserman and Hagens were both involved in all 4 goals tonight.

They're gonna be moved up to the 18's sooner rather than later, I think

Agreed - I think the U17 team may be better than the U18 team, in large part to these two players.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Agreed - I think the U17 team may be better than the U18 team, in large part to these two players.

More talented, but the 18’s are 10-1-0, including beating some good NCAA teams. While the 18’s are not the best NTDP group, they are still very talented compared to the average junior team.

 

[Ryan Van Horne]

Agreed - I think the U17 team may be better than the U18 team, in large part to these two players.

The blueline corps on the U17 team is going to be very good later this year and next. Cole Hutson is leading the charge points-wise, but there is some great talent on that back end. (Whipple, Skahan and Hensler).

 

[JiggsNY]

Wish there was an easier way to watch NTDP games. Would love espn plus picking up the USHL / NTDP games in a perfect world. Just can’t justify 30 a month for USHL.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Wish there was an easier way to watch NTDP games. Would love espn plus picking up the USHL / NTDP games in a perfect world. Just can’t justify 30 a month for USHL.

Agreed. What I do is I buy it for one month mid season and do one month watching a lot of USHL to get an idea about all the players we hear about during the course of a season. And then I hope some free streams pop up other times during other times in the season.

 

[mphmiles]

Anyone have any thoughts on who will be the more highly touted player between Hagens and LJ Mooney in the 2025 draft? I haven't seen much of the latter.

 

[William H Bonney]

Anyone have any thoughts on who will be the more highly touted player between Hagens and LJ Mooney in the 2025 draft? I haven't seen much of the latter.

I doubt many have seen enough of both, especially Mooney, to really say. Mooney is considerably shorter right now, so that's something to watch. Either way we should have a good benchmark next year as it'd be beyond surprising if Mooney isn't with the NTDP.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Wish there was an easier way to watch NTDP games. Would love espn plus picking up the USHL / NTDP games in a perfect world. Just can’t justify 30 a month for USHL.

 

[Ryan Van Horne]

Anyone have any thoughts on who will be the more highly touted player between Hagens and LJ Mooney in the 2025 draft? I haven't seen much of the latter.

Hagens is a year older than Mooney, so he has the advantage of making the NTDP ahead of Mooney, but Mooney is considered a near-lock to make the team next year. From what I've seen of Mooney (and it's only video) he plays a similar kind of game to Hagens and has a similar upside, though I would give Hagens a clear edge in shot quality and accuracy right now. Not to say that Mooney doesn't/or won't have a good shot, I just haven't seen that top-tier release and accuracy that I've seen on a few occasions from Hagens this year. Some observers have whispered the name Jack Hughes in comparing Mooney's style of play, but it's too early for that. I want to see what LJ can do on the big stage -- even if only comparing their style of play.

 

[JiggsNY]

You beat me by 45 min, had the link copied and was on my way here to post. This is awesome right on request lol. This is how it should be the for the program, as much visibility as possible for the players and fans.

 

[wetcoast]

I doubt many have seen enough of both, especially Mooney, to really say. Mooney is considerably shorter right now, so that's something to watch. Either way we should have a good benchmark next year as it'd be beyond surprising if Mooney isn't with the NTDP.

How does Nicolas Whitehead compare with those 2 studs?

 

[William H Bonney]

How does Nicolas Whitehead compare with those 2 studs?

No idea, haven't seen him.

 

[mphmiles]

Watching this US-Finland preliminary U17 game.

Hagens' IQ/anticipation of the play really jumps out. In the first period he's cleanly picked off multiple passes by baiting an offensive player and then jumping the passing lane.