James Hagens aims to go 1st overall: 'Something you work for your whole life'
James Hagens is already considered one of the top prospects at the 2025 NHL Draft, but the young forward has his eye on going first overall.
"To see those guys that have gone first, it's a dream come true," he told TSN on Friday at the World Junior Summer Showcase. "It's something you work for your whole life, and to be able to have that pay off, it would be something really special."
Hagens added that he grew up watching Patrick Kane and Jack Hughes, who were taken with the top pick in 2007 and 2019, respectively. If Hagens hears his name called first in less than one year's time, he'd be the first U.S.-born player to go first overall since Hughes.
A left-handed center with a penchant for playmaking, Hagens racked up 39 goals and 102 points in 58 games with the U.S. National Under-18 Team this past season.
The 17-year-old then made history at the 2024 Under-18 World Championship in the spring after totaling 22 points in seven games, the most ever at a single tournament.
The hype surrounding Hagens is steadily building, but he's trying to keep a level head.
"You don't really think about that stuff," he explained. "You kinda just go out on the ice, just play. You can't really have any thought about that in your head at all, especially off the ice as well. ... It'll distract you, so you just gotta go day by day, try to get better."
Though Hagens sits atop many 2025 NHL Draft projections, he'll have no shortage of challengers for first overall. Forwards Michael Misa (OHL's Saginaw Spirit), Porter Martone (OHL's Brampton Steelheads), Anton Frondell (Sweden's Djurgardens IF), and Ivan Ryabkin (Russia's HC Dynamo Moscow) are also turning heads.
Next on Hagens' list, though, is a spot on Team USA at the 2025 World Junior Championship. He was one of the last cuts from the squad last winter.
"I want to be on that team really bad," Hagens said in June, per NHL.com's Mike G. Morreale. "Getting cut, it hurt. But you just got to take that as motivation. You just got to make sure you keep moving forward and make sure you're doing all the little things, working harder so that you (can) make that team the following year.
"I feel that was one of the biggest things that pushed me to work harder."
Hagens will turn 18 in November and is listed at 5-foot-10 and 172 pounds.
He's set to embark on his first collegiate campaign in the fall after committing to Boston College. The Eagles fell to Denver University at the 2024 national championship.