Boston School’s James Hagens was chosen seventh general by the Boston Bruins, making him the primary participant with collegiate ties chosen on Friday on the 2025 NHL Draft in Los Angeles.
Ten gamers linked to school hockey heard their names known as from the Peacock Theater stage throughout Friday’s opening spherical. The Massive Ten led the best way with 5 picks, adopted by Hockey East with three and the NCHC with two.
Hagens entered Friday the third-ranked North American-born skater by NHL Central Scouting. As a rookie at Boston School, Hagens averaged a degree per sport, tallying 11 objectives and 26 assists in 37 video games in serving to the Eagles advance to the NCAA regional finals. He was a member of the US gold medal-winning World Junior staff final winter, scoring 5 objectives and 9 factors.
LINK: USCHO’s NHL Draft Tracker
Hagens was initially ranked as the highest general North American-born skater within the draft’s preliminary rankings, however fell two spots to 3rd when closing rankings have been launched.
Throughout Friday’s draft, Hagens was interviewed on set by ESPN, throughout which he mentioned that he’s centered on growing his aim scoring.
“My first two strides off the puck, my explosive velocity, that’s what I need to work on this yr,” Hagens additionally informed ESPN’s John Buccigross.
Buccigross requested Hagens if he intends to return to Boston School subsequent season. “It’s a chat you need to have with the staff,” Hagens mentioned. “I’ll have it within the subsequent couple of days.”
The 2025 NHL Draft is the primary since ground-breaking NCAA laws that enables for Canadian Hockey League gamers, recognized to most as Main Juniors, to play faculty hockey. Defenseman Jackson Smith from Tri-Metropolis within the WHL was chosen 14th general by the Columbus Blue Jackets. He’s dedicated to play for Penn State this fall.
Heart Cole Reschny of Victoria (WHL), a freshman decide to North Dakota, went to Calgary with the 18th general decide. Reschny registered 92 factors, together with 26 objectives in 62 video games for the Royals.
The late first spherical produced a flurry of faculty hockey gamers being drafted. Wisconsin defenseman Logan Hensler went to Ottawa with the twenty third choice. That was adopted a decide later when Pittsburgh traded with host Los Angeles, shifting up from 31 to 24 the place it chosen Michigan middle William Horcoff.
With the twenty fifth choice, Chicago picked Massachusetts commit Vaclav Nestrasil. He performed final season for Muskegon, making him the primary USHL choice.
Michigan State freshman-to-be Ryker Lee was taken twenty sixth by Nashville. Final season, he scored 31 objectives in 58 video games for Madison (USHL).
Two picks later, Boston College defenseman Sascha Boumedienne was chosen twenty eighth general by Winnipeg. A season in the past, Boumedienne was the youngest participant in faculty hockey. At No. 29, Chicago traded as much as take Mason West (Edina HS), a 2026 Michigan State commit.
Whereas the official whole variety of gamers with faculty ties is 10, that quantity wants an asterisk as CHL gamers change the recruiting panorama. An instance: Justin Carbonneau, who performed this season for Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL), is rumored to be headed to Boston School however has not dedicated. He was chosen nineteenth general by St. Louis, and he and another CHL gamers stay eligible to play faculty hockey subsequent season offered they’re accepted and enrolled at an NCAA establishment when the semester begins.
Arizona State middle Cullen Porter was the ultimate collection of spherical one, heading to the Calgary Flames.
Defenseman Matthew Schaefer of the Erie Otters (OHL) was the primary participant chosen general by the New York Islanders.
The NHL Draft will proceed on Saturday at midday ET (TV: NHL Community, SportsNet, TVA Sports activities).
