Hauppauge's James Hagens and brother Michael Hagens hoping for an Islanders future
James Hagens, left, and his brother, Michael, both hockey players at Boston College, at West Islip High School's annual hockey awards banquet in Bay Shore on Tuesday. Credit: Newsday/Thomas A. Ferrara
James Hagens recognized that you never know what is going to happen on Draft Day.
But it would certainly be a dream for the Hauppauge kid, who had a John Tavares jersey and still has a picture of the former Islanders star on his wall, to play for the team he grew up rooting for.
Hagens and his older brother, Michael, had packed up the car and were on the way home following the semester at Boston College. They were streaming the NHL Draft Lottery when the Islanders, who had only a 3.5% chance to win the lottery, secured the No. 1 overall pick on Monday night.
A childhood hope for James Hagens, who is the NHL Central Scouting Bureau’s third-highest rated North American skater in this year’s draft, has become a possibility.
Why should the Islanders select the 18-year-old center?
“I grew up an Isles fan,” Hagens told Newsday at the West Islip Hockey Club annual awards dinner at Captain Bill’s in Bay Shore on Tuesday night. “I grew up around it. I love the Isles. I love everything about them. Would never want to leave, this is basically home for me … It'd be cool to come home.”
Michael Hagens, who played with James at Boston College this past season, also gave his pitch to Islanders.
“I've played with him my whole life,” Michael said. “I know what type of player he is. He's a guy that always wants to win. He'll do anything for the guy in the locker room next to him. He's a hometown kid, so I know he wouldn't want to be anywhere but here.”
The Islanders, still without a general manager after parting ways with Hall of Famer Lou Lamoriello last month, will make their fifth top overall selection on June 27. The others were Tavares (2009), Rick DiPietro (2000), Denis Potvin (1973) and Billy Harris (1972).
“It was exciting,” James said of the draft lottery . “We were all really pumped. It was a cool moment, just growing up an Isles fan, for all our buddies who are Isles fans too.”
Said Michael: “It was surreal. Started crying. The possibility he could be a first overall pick for the Islanders couldn't be any more of a dream. We've grown up huge Islanders fans, the whole family, and I know he could do it.”
James, listed at 5-11, 178-pounds, had 11 goals and 26 assists and played in all 37 games as a freshman this past season for the Eagles, who lost in the NCAA regional finals.
Erie (Ontario Hockey League) defenseman Matthew Schaefer and Saginaw (OHL) center Michael Misa, both Canadians, are the Central Scouting Bureau’s first- and second-ranked North American draft prospects.
If selected in the top six picks, James will become the highest Long Islander ever to be drafted. West Islip’s Mike Komisarek, selected seventh overall by the Montreal Canadiens in 2001, currently holds that distinction. The San Jose Sharks have the No. 2 pick and the Chicago Blackhawks pick third.
“Growing up here, growing up as a kid, all you want to do is play hockey,” James said. “You dream about making it to the NHL one day. And just kind of looking back and being grateful for all the time you spent working on this sport and working on to become where you are. It's special, especially hearing about the past for how high people from Long Island have gone.”
James helped lead the United States to the world junior hockey title in January, posting five goals and four assists in seven games. He played two seasons for the U.S. National Team Development Program before heading to Boston College.
Michael, a 20-year-old, 5-11 defenseman who is also draft-eligible, played in all 37 games for Boston College and had a goal and seven assists. He attended the Toronto Maple Leafs’ development camp last July.
Both brothers gave speeches to the West Islip hockey players at the banquet.
“To be honest, I'm a Rangers fan,” said Sal Randazzo, a West Islip JV assistant coach. “But to see that the Islanders won the draft lottery the year that he becomes eligible to be in the draft, to be able to come home and play hockey for the team that you grew up rooting for, I think that's a pretty special storyline that any hockey fan can root for.
“So we'll see if it happens or not, but it's pretty amazing that this Long Island-grown hockey player is going to be possibly back home playing in front of his family and friends.”
Ben Dickson is Newsday Sports' general assignment reporter. He joined Newsday’s high school sports staff in 2023 after graduating from Maryland, where he covered several of the Terrapins' teams.
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