That night, the New York Islanders could have begun the arduous trek back to their glory days. As the 2025 NHL Draft went underway, the Long Island native James Hagens was expected to be named the newest Isles star. However, in a remarkable twist, the Bruins swooped in to pour a bucket of cold water on all those hopes and upset the New York fans to no end.
Hagens, who made his name as an emphatic NCAA center, was one of the top prospects for this year’s NHL Draft. Despite his stock steadily dropping in the days leading up to the hockey event, the 18-year-old star was still a frontrunner to be picked by one of the top NHL franchises. With him being a Big Apple-born talent, it was understandable that the Islanders fans were hoping James would be the one to spearhead the team’s new era after a poor 2024-25 campaign. But leave it to the Bruins to spoil the mood!
ESPN‘s Greg Wyshynski posted on X on June 27 how the 2025 NHL Draft suddenly turned out to be a demoralizing affair for the Islanders. After Hollywood superstar Adam Sandler announced that Boston picked James Hagens as the 7th overall pick, New York fans were left in tatters. “The @NYIslanders draft party is sad as James Hagens is taken by the @NHLBruins,” reads the caption of the social media update.
The @NYIslanders draft party is sad as James Hagens is taken by the @NHLBruins. Fans are leaving the stands. pic.twitter.com/0uRuCT232K
— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) June 28, 2025
As soon as it was clear that the NCAA celebrity wasn’t going to be making his way to the Islanders’ camp, New York loyalists were seen leaving the UBS Arena en masse.
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