It took James Hagens exactly 487 seconds into his first experience at the world junior hockey championship to prove he’s ready to meet all the hype about him face-first on the big international stage.
He hammered home the point for the rest of the USA’s 10-4 thrashing of Germany on Thursday at Canadian Tire Centre.
Playing with his Boston College Eagles linemates, two first-round picks in the 2023 NHL entry draft, Hagens showed why he’s considered a top candidate to go first overall in next June’s selection process.
Along with scoring the afternoon’s first goal 8:07 into the opening period, he added another when the Germans pulled close in the second, then threw in two assists for good measure in a four-point performance.
Also contributing a couple of goals and a pair of assists was Gabe Perreault, the son of former NHLer Yanic Perreault and the 23rd overall choice by the New York Rangers two drafts ago.
The third member of the line, both at BC and here with the Americans, is Ryan Leonard, the eighth player picked in 2023 by the Washington Capitals. Somehow, his contribution to the scoresheet was limited to just one helper.
“Every time he comes to play with the U.S., he’s always one of the top players,” Perreault said of Hagens. “You saw it out there. He was buzzing, and he’s going to keep going the rest of the tournament. The things he can do … his speed, his skill, make smart plays, and he can score. He can pretty much do it all.”
Despite the distractions and pressures.
“He’s always dialed in, but he’s having fun,” said Perreault, adding that it’s “pretty easy” to play with Hagens. “He’s keeping it loose but also mentally ready for the game. He’s always ready and always buzzing in these types of moments.”
Hagens, a 5-foot-10, 179-pounder from Long Island, is motivated more by his past than his future.
After being among the final cuts from last year’s world juniors squad, he was determined not to let it happen again.
“That motivated me every day to train harder and be ready for this moment,” said Hagens, who has 20 points (five goals) in 16 games as a freshman with the Eagles. “I’m really grateful that I’m here now and I was able to get that opportunity to try to make the team last year. It’s just kind of understanding that with every opportunity you get, you’ve got to make sure you earn it. Nothing’s going to be given to you.”
What struck him most about his first taste of WJC action was the pace.
“It’s fast,” said Hagens. “You’ve got to be ready for the start of the puck drop. It was awesome being out there, being able to represent your country, playing against some of the best players in the world.”
Asked about the upcoming NHL draft, Hagens insists he isn’t looking beyond the present.
“I feel like the best thing to do about that is just kind of let it be by itself,” he said. “You can’t think about that stuff. When you’re at school, you’re working with those guys in the room to win a national championship, and then when you’re here, representing your country, it’s not about yourself. It’s a long tournament here. So you just kind of have to keep your head on straight and make sure that you’re working forward to the goal.”
But in his mind, he knows all eyes will be on him over the next two weeks.
He is aware that, along with Canada’s Matthew Schaefer and Porter Martone, he’s viewed to be among the top three eligible players for the June draft.
An off-game here could cost him that chance — and the prestige that goes with it.
Not only does he feel some pressure, he embraces it.
“You’ve got to be grateful if you’re a guy that has pressure,” said Hagens. “It’s something that comes with a privilege. You can’t really let that stuff affect you. Especially when you’re on the ice. It’s hockey. You want to be in that moment where there’s pressure on you and on your team. You just kind of have to let your instincts take over. You’ve grown up your whole life for this moment. So there’s nothing you shouldn’t be ready for.”
Hagens needs to look no further than his immediate left and right for someone to offer advice on dealing with his draft year.
He calls Perreault and Leonard his “mentors” in that regard.
“Once I got (to BC) they were really nice to me … I’m really good buddies with those guys,” said Hagens. “It’s awesome being able to gel well with them and then the rest of the team. I’m super grateful to be able to have those guys here with me now, and to be able to play together. It’s awesome.”
The Perreault-Hagens-Leonard line will have to be kept in check as much as possible when the U.S. and Canada square off on New Year’s Eve, the first of what hockey fans in North America hope turns out to be two-game showdown within six days.
They will be a lot to handle, as will the entire U.S. team.
Despite the fact that the U.S. won last year’s world juniors convincingly in a 6-2 gold-medal final — and they have 10 returnees from that squad — Canada was considered the slim (+130 to +140) favourite heading into this tournament.
“I think it’s definitely motivational for us,” said Perreault. “They have a really talented team, but we’re kind of focused on us, and we also have a really talented team. I think once we play them, it’ll be a good game. Hopefully, maybe we’ll see them twice. I think we have a good team and definitely have another chance at another gold medal.
“It’s going to be tough,” he added. “No U.S. team has ever done it. But I think we have a team that has a chance.”