“Hagens might be waiting a lot longer than expected to hear his name called,” said NHL insider Cam Robinson while discussing James Hagens’ draft stock. Despite the uncertainty surrounding his draft position, Hagens remains top prospect for any team, and many consider him to be the top forward prospect along with Michael Misa. He turned heads during the NCAA season, delivering a strong performance with 37 points in 37 games. That impressive tally included 11 goals and 26 assists, showcasing both his scoring ability and playmaking skills. Notably, he also matched his penalty minutes from his first year with the US National Development Team. As the draft approaches, all eyes will be on where this promising forward ends up.
But here is something interesting. While James Hagens was making headlines with his performance in college hockey, another player named Michael Hagens was also playing in the NCAA for Boston College. He is of a similar age as James and is also a talented player. This has led many fans to wonder about their connection. What is the relationship between the two Hagenses? Are they brothers, or is the same last name just a coincidence? Let’s take a closer look and find out more about the Hagens duo.
Is James Hagens related to Michael Hagens?
James Hagens, an 18-year-old center who stands at 5 feet 10 inches and weighs 186 pounds, was born in Hauppauge, New York. He is currently ranked No. 3 among North American skaters on NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings. And yes, he is related to Michael Hagens. In fact, James and Michael are brothers. They are not twins, but siblings with a close age gap. Michael is the older of the two. James was born on November 3, 2006, while Michael was born on February 18, 2005. Together, they represent yet another exciting brother duos in hockey.
Both brothers are among the most talked-about prospects in the 2025 NHL Draft. James Hagens, in particular, is projected to be a top 5 pick, with ESPN estimating he could be selected sixth overall by the Philadelphia Flyers. However, the real question is where James wants to land.
In a recent podcast interview, James expressed his dream, saying, “I want to be able to win a Stanley Cup as an Islander. Last time they raised the Cup, my dad was a little kid. It’d mean a lot to be able to bring the Stanley Cup home, and raise it one day, on the Island.” He spoke about how meaningful it would be to represent the Islanders, especially since he’s expected to be the highest drafted player to come out of Long Island himself.
It will all be decided on draft day in just a few short hours. Fans across the league will be watching closely to see where James will kick off his NHL career.
Killer brother combination to play in the NHL this season
According to an NHL.com report from October 2024, the Hagens brothers became the 10th sibling duo to play college hockey during the 2024–25 season. They joined a notable group of brother combinations competing across NCAA programs. Other sibling pairs included Jackson and Max Dorrington, Cole and Quinn Hutson, Dylan and Ty Jackson, to name a few.
Credit: Instagram.com/ Michael Hagens
While James will enter the NHL shortly, it will be interesting to see if his brother joins him. The league has seen several exciting brother combinations over the years, including stars like Matthew and Brady Tkachuk.
While it might seem unlikely that Michael and James Hagens will wear the same NHL sweater anytime soon, the prospect of seeing them face off in intense, brother v. brother battles on NHL ice is thrilling. But before any of that unfolds, the big question remains is where will James Hagens land in the NHL? The anticipation is building, and hockey fans will be watching closely.
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