The 2025 NHL Entry Draft is just over two months away, and we're starting to get an idea of how the top five picks will shake out.
James Hagens, a Long Island native coming off a terrific freshman season at Boston College, was originally considered one of the favorites to go No. 1 overall, but his stock has dipped a little bit over the course of the season.
Hagens was listed as the third-best skater in North America by Central Scouting in their final rankings, behind Matthew Schaefer of the Erie Otters and Michael Misa of the Saginaw Spirit.
There still is a chance that Hagens goes No. 1 overall, especially if a team like Chicago, Anaheim, or the Islanders, win the draft lottery in a few weeks.
As of April 16, Hagens is listed as +375 to go No. 1 overall by bet365 sportsbook, which puts him behind Schaefer and Misa.
Check out the rest of Central Scouting's 2025 Draft Rankings below:
Central Scouting 2025 North American Skater Rankings
- Matthew Schaefer, LHD, Erie (OHL)
- Michael Misa, C, Saginaw (OHL)
- James Hagens, C, Boston College (NCAA)
- Jake O’Brien, C, Brantford (OHL)
- Radim Mrtka, RHD, Seattle (WHL)
- Porter Martone, RW, Brampton (OHL)
- Caleb Desnoyers, C, Moncton (QMJHL)
- Roger McQueen, C, Brandon (WHL)
- Kashawn Aitcheson, LHD, Barrie (OHL)
- Carter Bear, LW, Everett (WHL)
Central Scouting International Skater Rankings
- Anton Frondell, C, Djurgårdens (Sweden)
- Victor Eklund, LW, Djurgårdens (Sweden)
- Milton Gästrin, C, MoDo Jr (Sweden)
- Vojtech Cihar, LW, Karlovy (Czechia)
- Alexander Zharovsky, RW, UFA Jr (Russia)
- Eddie Genborg, LW, Linköping (Sweden)
- Eric Nilson, C, Djurgårdens Jr (Sweden)
- Jakob Ihs Wozniak, C, Lulea Jr (Sweden)
- Kurban Limatov, LHD, Dynamo Moscow Jr (Russia)
- Theodor Hallquisth, RHD, Örebro HK (Sweden)
