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New York Times
27-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Why James Hagens dropped down NHL draft boards, and the Islanders' unique predicament at No. 1
James Hagens entered the 2025 draft cycle coming off an MVP performance at the 2024 U18 World Championships and a dominant season in the USHL. He was projected by many — including myself and several NHL scouts I spoke to — as the No. 1 prospect for this class. He had a very good draft season. Hagens posted a point per game as a freshman at Boston College, playing major minutes on one of the top teams in college hockey. He centered the top line for Team USA at the World Juniors, where they won gold. He has a rich history of prolific scoring and being one of the very best players in his age group. He is among the very best skaters and puck handlers in this draft. Advertisement We've been spoiled recently with the years Macklin Celebrini and Adam Fantilli had in college in their draft seasons. Hagens didn't do what they did, but his season compares to what Matty Beniers and Kent Johnson did at Michigan when they were top-five picks in 2021. Hagens has outplayed several top draft prospects he's being compared to — or has apparently been surpassed by — at various events. He was way better than Porter Martone at this year's World Juniors and arguably just as good or better than him at the U18 Worlds last spring. At that tournament, where Hagens was a top player, Caleb Desnoyers was a fourth-line forward for Canada. Hagens also outplayed Michael Misa at their U17 Challenge two years ago. So why isn't he considered in the conversation for the best player in the draft anymore? There are a few variables. While he played very well this season, evaluators have minor questions about how Hagens' game would translate to the NHL. At BC, he had stretches this season where he was hard to notice at even strength and had too many games where he was invisible. He struggled to consistently get to the inside against bigger college defenders. He also struggled to score goals this season. At barely 5-foot-11 and without a physical edge, his profile becomes harder to project as a top-line NHL center who you can win with. His compete level is decent and looked good at the World Juniors, but I wouldn't call it a standout trait. If Hagens turns into the most offensively productive player from this class, I wouldn't be shocked, and frankly, I would call him the most purely talented offensive player in the class. But winning in the NHL is about more than scoring. Several players — such as Misa and potentially Anton Frondell, Desnoyers or Martone — may go ahead of Hagens simply because the profile they project as (bigger, two-way players, most as centers) is more valuable to NHL teams than a dynamic, scoring small player who may or may not be an NHL center. Advertisement The scouts who are bullish on Hagens, though, would argue that if he were playing junior hockey instead of college, he would have lapped some of those other players. Which brings us to the New York Islanders, who now face a fascinating decision. As soon as they won the draft lottery, buzz around Hagens started up among a vocal part of the fan base. Hagens is from Long Island. He grew up an Islanders fan. For a franchise that lost their last No. 1 pick when John Tavares signed with Toronto as a free agent, the idea of drafting one of their own carries real emotional weight, especially given his profile as a projected No. 1 pick at some point. That, however, is not the state of the draft currently. Right now, there's one player most teams believe is fitting of the No. 1 pick: Matthew Schaefer. A minority leans toward Misa, but that is the extent of it. Frankly, from the scouts I've talked to, there are as many who feel Hagens isn't a top-five player in the draft than who feel there's a meaningful challenger to Schaefer at No. 1. 'Schaefer is the only truly special player in this draft,' said one NHL scout, with an executive we talked to stating, 'Other than maybe Misa, Schaefer is in a tier of his own.' Schaefer is a 6-foot-2 defenseman with tremendous skating ability who makes a lot of plays, competes hard and has the ability to control games from the back end. He projects as a star 25-minute-per-game NHL defenseman who helps you win playoff games. He dominated almost every game he suited up in this season, even if his playing time was limited due to injury. His offensive upside isn't elite, but the total package is. Even if he wasn't clearly ahead of Hagens a year ago at this time, Schaefer is nearly a full year younger than Hagens, and as he continued to develop this season, the separation became clear. Advertisement If the Islanders had the No. 2 pick, the Hagens conversation would make sense. He's not my No. 2 ranked player, or that of almost any NHL scout I've talked to, but it's perfectly within the realm of possibilities that Hagens ends up the pure best player in the class, surpassing Schaefer, and even more reasonable that he could end up the best forward in the draft. This isn't a Connor Bedard or Macklin Celebrini draft where the difference from 1 to 5 is gigantic. But Hagens becoming the best player in the draft is not the likely outcome, and taking Hagens over Schaefer would be the move of an organization that is unserious about winning the Stanley Cup and putting a priority on other variables. 'They'd be going way off the board in the eyes of most teams if they took Hagens,' said one NHL scout. The Tavares situation looms in the background, but it's not the same. It's understandable the organization feels overshadowed at times by the Rangers, but the Islanders aren't the team they were in 2018. They have stable ownership. They have a permanent home in UBS Arena and have had reasonable playoff success in recent years. The idea that Hagens would stay just because he's local isn't enough to make up for passing on the better player. Hagens is a fantastic NHL prospect with the potential to be an impact offensive player. He has the tools to be a consistent 60-80 point forward in the league or better. My NHL comparison for him is William Nylander. He's a legitimate top-five talent and would be a perfectly reasonable pick at No. 2 or 3. But as tends to be the case in many drafts, there is typically a distinction between the No. 1 prospect and the next best player. The gap isn't as wide this year, but in the mind of most evaluators, and I tend to agree, the pick is clear-cut. As difficult as it may be, the Islanders have only one correct decision to make, and that is drafting Schaefer.
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Macklin Celebrini is growing rapidly under the guidance of Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon at the IIHF Worlds
Image Via Twitter The IIHF Worlds provides way more to 18-year-old Macklin Celebrini than the usual event. Just icing the rink with hockey greats Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon, the Sharks' rookie is soaking up first-class lessons on and off the ice. Whereas Celebrini should still pretty much be transforming himself into a young pro, he has been demonstrating this unusually pondered air of maturity, composure, and competitive fire. This rare chance to train alongside two Stanley Cup champions can mold him into the next big NHL star. Macklin Celebrini's mentorship under Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon accelerates his development — NHL (@NHL) Macklin Celebrini, who is on a journey from top draft pick to Calder Trophy finalist, is taking an exciting turn at the IIHF World Championship by skating with some of the game's most talented veterans. Being placed on a line with Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby allowed Celebrini to learn through osmosis, observing Crosby's positioning and discipline as well as leadership. Meanwhile, Colorado Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon has provided some silent mentorship by saying in a recent interview that Celebrini is already "miles ahead" of where he was at that age. The difference between Celebrini and an ordinary athlete consists not only of his skills but also of his mind. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed! IC Markets Start Now Undo Coaches and teammates have talked lavishly about his competitiveness, emotional maturity, and relentless will. Try to argue against 63 points in the first NHL season, six more in seven games at Worlds, and you will be shut down. But beyond the statistics, his impact on the locker room stands out even more. Ryan Warsofsky, who coached Celebrini through the season and is now leading the U.S. team at Worlds, described Celebrini as a man of natural leadership and elite mentality. The exposure to and immersion in a team like Canada, full of battle-hardened veterans, are only sharpening his instincts. Every moment spent together, from dinner sharing to practice to strategizing for game implementation, has become a building block in his development. Even at 18 years of age, comparisons to older professionals are already being made in his play and personality. Also Read: Can the trio of Andrei Svechnikov, Sam Reinhart, and Frederik Andersen win Game 1 of the NHL Eastern Conference Final? For Macklin Celebrini, the IIHF Worlds are not simply an international stage but rather a boot camp for greatness. With the amazing supervision of Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon, his education could have no other possible outcome than to put his skills on a stage that no training camp could. With this kind of coaching, it would not be crazy to foresee a fast revival of San Jose's rebuild. Get IPL 2025 match schedules , squads , points table , and live scores for CSK , MI , RCB , KKR , SRH , LSG , DC , GT , PBKS , and RR . Check the latest IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Sharks Should Target Auston Matthews, If He's Available
The Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to make some massive changes this summer, and while Mitchell Marner and John Tavares are expected to test the open market, Auston Matthews is another potential trade target. In a recent article from Daily Faceoff, the idea of them trading Matthews was released, and the San Jose Sharks should be all over him. Matthews, who is 27 years old, is one of, if not the best, goal scorers in the NHL today. This season, he scored 33 goals and added 45 assists for 78 points through 67 games. In the previous campaign during the 2023-24 season, he had an incredibly impressive 69-goal campaign. He dealt with some injuries this season, which may have lessened his production, so if he is fully healthy next season, he could bounce back. Matthews has a $13.25 million cap hit and has a full no-movement clause (NMC), which gives him full power over whether he gets traded or not. In the rare case he's open to a move, and would consider the Sharks as a destination, they should be willing to put plenty of assets toward bringing him in. Bringing in an elite goal scorer like Matthews could elevate the Sharks from rebuilder to contender almost immediately. Placing him alongside Macklin Celebrini could also elevate Celebrini's game in a big way moving forward. It would be tough to convince Matthews to join a rebuilding team, but if the Maple Leafs are truly going for a complete retool, he may not want to stick around. Are The Sharks A Potential Landing Spot For Maple Leafs' Mitch Marner? The Toronto Maple Leafs find themselves in a tough situation. Their star forward Mitch Marner appears to be on the way out, after being very non-committal about returning to the organization following yet another early playoff exit. Sharks' Macklin Celebrini Scores Highlight-Reel Goal Against Sweden At Worlds Another day, another great moment by San Jose Sharks' Macklin Celebrini at the 2025 IIHF World Championships. On This Day 30 Years Ago: Ray Whitney Scores Iconic Double OT Winner Some may find it hard to believe, but Ray Whitney's iconic double overtime goal happened 30 years ago today.
Toronto Sun
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Toronto Sun
MacKinnon has three points, Canada finishes first in group with win over Sweden
Published May 20, 2025 • 1 minute read Canada's Macklin Celebrini, centre, celebrates scoring with teammates during the World Hockey Championship in Stockholm, Sweden, Tuesday, May 20, 2025. Photo by Fredrik Sandberg / AP STOCKHOLM — Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and two assists as Canada finished atop its group at the world hockey championship with a 5-3 win over co-host Sweden on Tuesday. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Travis Sanheim, Tyson Foerster, Ryan O'Reilly and Macklin Celebrini also scored as Canada bounced back from a 2-1 shootout loss to Finland on Monday with a statement defeat over the previously unbeaten Swedes. Travis Konecny had three assists, while team captain Sidney Crosby and Jared Spurgeon had two helpers apiece. Elias Lindholm, Marcus Johansson and Rasmus Andersson scored for Sweden. Jordan Binnington made 25 saves for Canada, while Jacob Markstrom stopped 19 shots for Sweden. Canada finished the preliminary first in Group A with 19 points from six regulation wins and an extra-time loss. Sweden was just one point behind the Canadians. Finland was third in the group with 16 points, and Austria took the group's final playoff spot, finishing fourth with 10 points. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Canada will face co-host Denmark in the quarterfinals on Thursday. Denmark secured its spot with a 2-1 shootout win over Germany on Tuesday to finish fourth in Group B. Sweden faces defending-champion Czechia, Finland meets the United States, and Austria battles Switzerland in the other quarterfinals. After a tight first half of the game, Celebrini's third goal of the tournament came after he took a crisp outlet pass from Crosby at Sweden's blue line, skated in on Markstrom and tucked the puck past the goalie's outstretched pad. MacKinnon added more insurance with his seventh goal, which tied Lindholm and Switzerland's Sven Andrighetto for the tournament lead. The extra cushion came in handy when Andersson scored with Markstrom pulled for an extra attacker. Toronto Maple Leafs Columnists Basketball Toronto Maple Leafs Columnists
CBC
20-05-2025
- Sport
- CBC
Canada clinches top spot in Group A at IIHF worlds
Macklin Celebrini scored the game-winning goal as Canada defeated Sweden 5-3 to clinch top spot in Group A. Canada advances to the quarterfinals which begin on Thursday.
