Craig’s List: Hagens the early favourite for No. 1 in 2025

James Hagens could be the first American to go first overall in the NHL draft since the New Jersey Devils selected Jack Hughes with the top pick in 2019.

Hagens, who will suit up for Boston College this season, had 39 goals and 102 points in 58 games in 2023-24 with the United States National Team Development Program (USNTDP).

He also dominated the U18s, helping the Americans earn silver. With nine goals and 22 points in the tournament, he took home MVP and best forward honours.

TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button, who uses Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar as a comparable for Hagens, says what makes the 17-year-old forward special is his ability to control the game.

“Much like Anze, he can control the game from every area of the ice,” said Button of Hagens. “He’s so smart. [He has the] ability to understand where he could take advantage and then exploit the opportunities. And stripping a puck in the defensive zone that allows you to move through the neutral zone, the offensive zone, whether it be shooting or passing, he’s just outstanding in that regard.

“He’s not a one-trick pony.”

While 2023 and 2024 quickly became the Connor Bedard and Macklin Celebrini drafts respectively, Button says it’s far too early to anoint 2025 as the Hagens draft.

At No. 2 on Button’s list is Swedish centre Anton Frondell, who had 18 goals and 39 points in 29 games last season with Djurgardens J20.

He is out to start the season after knee surgery in early September but isn’t expected to miss a significant amount of time.

“Frondell is a fantastic player,” said Button. “I think he’s got some of the qualities Peter Forsberg had. There will never be another Peter Forsberg, but you can have some of the same types of attributes.”

The first defenceman on Button’s list is Erie’s Matthew Schaefer at No. 3. Like Frondell, Schaefer will also miss the beginning of the season as he deals with mononucleosis.

Schaefer went first overall in the 2023 OHL Priority Draft to the Otters, and in 56 games as a rookie he had three goals and 17 points. While Button says high-end offence will not be Schaefer’s calling card at the next level, he still stands alone as the best defenceman in this year’s class.

“I just don’t see another defenceman that’s in his class,” said Button of Schaefer. “He’s just got such a solid foundation. Whoever poured the concrete in the Matt Schaefer foundation, it’s top-quality concrete. He’s [an] elite [thinker], elite competitor, elite skating. He doesn’t need any elite offence, he’s so impressive in all the areas of the game.

“His maturity at 17 is just outstanding.”

Rounding out the top five is a pair of Canadian forwards in Brampton's Porter Martone and Brandon’s Roger McQueen, who both possess a blend of size and skill.

Martone stands at 6-foot-2 and had 33 goals and 71 points in 60 games last season with the Steelheads. McQueen is 6-foot-5 and scored 21 goals with 51 points in 53 games with the Wheat Kings.

Along with Schaefer, both players won gold at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and U18s last season.

“Big guys with big-time skill,” said Button of Martone and McQueen. “They can dictate the game in so many different ways. You see so much progress in the development of the bigger player, and they’re byproducts of that.”

On the opposite end of the size spectrum, Button has two forwards in his top 20 who are 5-foot-7, with Vancouver’s Cameron Schmidt at No. 12 and Czech forward Adam Benak at No. 19.

Schmidt had 31 goals and 58 points in 59 games with the WHL’s Giants as a rookie last season. He also took home gold with Canada White at the U17s and at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup.

Benak moved over from Czechia to North America this season where he is playing in the USHL with the Youngstown Phantoms. He helped Czechia earn silver at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup as he set the record for career points at the tournament with 21 in 10 games, beating Magnus Pääjärvi’s previous record of 15.

“He’s 5-foot-7 and a quarter and he’s a dynamo,” said Button of Schmidt. “He had 31 goals last year playing for Vancouver – 16-year-olds don’t score 31 goals in junior hockey for the most part. He’s damn good.

“Adam Benak is another one. You’re not going to build your team with all small players but when I watch Cameron Schmidt and Adam Benak play, they are difference makers.”

One player Button warns people not to sleep on is Saginaw’s Michael Misa, who is at No. 7 on the list.

Misa earned exceptional status in 2022 and went first overall in the OHL Draft to the Spirit. In 2023-24, he had 29 goals and 75 points in 67 games, helping Saginaw win its first Memorial Cup championship in franchise history.

While it’s a little unusual to have a player who earned exceptional status as a sleeper, Button warns people not to let the immense expectations cloud how good Misa is.

“He played really well, did lots of good things,” said Button of Misa’s 2023-24 season. “But somehow in the eyes of some, to use exceptional status, some people’s expectations are like, could he ever attain them? I think that he just goes about his business.”

No goaltender has gone in the first round of the draft in the past three years, with the last time being in 2021 when Sebastian Cossa (15th overall to Detroit) and Jesper Wallstedt (20th overall to Minnesota) were selected.

This year, Button has two goaltenders in his top 32, with Prince George’s Joshua Ravensbergen at No. 21 and Lulea’s Love Harenstam at No. 24.

Ravensbergen appeared in 38 games for the WHL’s Cougars last season, going 26-4-1 with a .907 save percentage and 2.46 goals-against average.

Meanwhile, Harenstam backstopped Sweden to bronze medals at the U18s and Hlinka Gretzky Cup and is playing for Lulea’s junior team this season.

“They both understand the game, they’re both really smart goaltenders,” said Button. “They obviously have the athletic talent and the technical acumen.”