James Hagens could be a potential steal for the Chicago Blackhawks at No. 3

After the dust settled on the NHL Draft lottery, the Chicago Blackhawks were left with the 3rd overall pick, moving down one spot from their projected second selection.

Getting the third pick is nothing to sneeze at. The Blackhawks have a unique opportunity to add yet another high-impact player to their already growing cadre of impressive young talent.

If we go back to 2022, the Blackhawks got Kevin Korchinski with the seventh-overall pick. Then, 2023 netted the Hawks the big one, Connor Bedard. Last season, the Blackhawks landed Artyom Levshunov with the second-overall pick.

That’s two potential franchise blue liners plus a top-line center in three years. That is why logic seems to dictate the Blackhawks should utilize this year’s pick on a forward.

That’s where James Hagens’ name fits into the conversation.

James Hagens could be the second franchise center the Blackhawks need.

According to NHL.com’s draft rankings, Hagens is ranked third behind blue liner Matthew Schaefer and forward Michael Misa. If NHL.com’s rankings hold up, the New York Islanders should take Schaefer with the first-overall selection, and then the San Jose Sharks would take Misa.

The conventional wisdom would be the Islanders taking Schaefer with the Sharks taking the next player available. If that’s their approach, that could very well be Hagens. Misa makes sense for the Sharks as he can play center or wing. The Sharks already have two potentially top-six centers in Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith. So, Misa makes sense.

But then again, the Islanders could shock the world once again and take someone like Misa or Hagens as their cornerstone franchise center. In that case, the Sharks will more than likely pounce on Schaefer.

Getting Misa or Hagens would be a huge move for the Blackhawks. But Hagens, in particular, has to be the player they’re hoping to land at #3.

Why James Hagens would be a great fit for the Chicago Blackhawks

Let’s assume that the Islanders take Schaefer and the Sharks take Misa, as expected. That situation leaves the Blackhawks with Hagens. That has to be what the Blackhawks are hoping materializes.

There’s a simple reason for that.

The Blackhawks already have a franchise center in Connor Bedard. But after Bedard, the depth down the middle gets pretty thin.

Sure, the Blackhawks can find some stop-gap solutions to fill out the lineup down the middle. But the fact of the matter is that Hagens provides the Blackhawks with a second-line center to play behind Bedard within a couple of seasons.

Think about it this way: Bedard and Hagens could be what Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have become for the Edmonton Oilers. It seems to be working out pretty good for Edmonton on the cusp of back to back Stanley Cup Final appearances.

The Oilers have two franchise centers on their roster, who can play together, or split up depending on the game’s circumstances. That possibility has to be extremely appealing to the Blackhawks.

The same scenario could unfold if the Blackhawks are left with Michael Misa. He could slot behind Bedard as the 2C without missing much of a beat.

Ultimately, the Blackhawks must be crossing their fingers, hoping that Hagens will still be on the board by the time they’re on the clock. It will be a very interesting next few weeks as teams make up their minds regarding who they will take in the 2025 NHL Draft.