LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Under the bright lights of the 2025 NHL Draft, the Boston Bruins made their move, selecting James Hagens with their first-round pick. A high-IQ center with explosive skill and relentless drive, Hagens’ name has been on scouts’ radars for years. But for those who know him from the rinks of Long Island, this moment was more than just a draft pick. It was the culmination of a journey rooted in grit, loyalty and quiet determination.
“James played for our 2006 group from Mites through Bantam Major,” said Steve Rizer, longtime leader and coach of the Long Island Royals. “He even jumped up a birth year to help his dad’s 2005 Royals team, skating alongside his brother Mike. I had the pleasure of coaching him for over 10 years. You didn’t have to be a scout to know he was special — you just had to watch him for five minutes.”
In the fiercely competitive Atlantic Youth Hockey League, Hagens honed his game against some of the best. The battles with teams like the Colonials, Jr. Flyers and Titans helped shape a player defined not just by talent, but by his unshakable will to win. “We never won the AYHL with our ‘06 group,” Rizer said, “but the league pushed him. He never bounced around from program to program. He stayed, competed and wanted to beat the best.”
Back then, he wasn’t a phenom. He was just “Jimmy — 4.” Quiet, focused, and always the first on the ice and the last to leave.
Now, as he puts on the black and gold of Boston, the Royals couldn’t be prouder. “The Hagens family truly is the definition of our Royal Family,” Rizer said.
