The New Jersey Devils don't have a first-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. They traded it to the Calgary Flames as part of the Jacob Markstrom trade. Markstrom was a major reason the Devils made the playoffs this season, so the Devils hardly regretted the trade. However, they would likely love to have the 18th overall pick in the draft right now.
That's because there is a chance there might be some absolutely wild times in the draft. This is considered a "bad draft" in terms of top-level talent. The New York Islanders won the number-one overall pick, but nobody knows who they might take.
The overall sentiment is that the Islanders should draft defenseman Matthew Schaefer. He's the most talented player in the draft in terms of upside, plays a premium position, and he appears to be a really good human. He's taking a step forward from the rest of the pack, and his floor already seems to be established as a really good, top-line defenseman.
A few other possibilities include forwards Michael Misa, Anton Frondell, and Porter Martone, but the signs are pointing towards Schaefer. The wild card is actually the former consensus for the number-one pick.
Prior to the season, James Hagens was the top prospect in the 2025 NHL Draft. However, after some questions popped up in the 2024-25 season, he's falled down draft boards. We have seen this happen before, and the drops can be extreme. Players like Aatu Raty and Brad Lambert have dropped dozens of picks for one reason or another. Some are questioning Hagens' compete level after a good-not-great season with Boston College.
Those questions might be unfounded, but they have real impacts on a player's draft stock. Hagens grew up on Long Island, rooting hard for the Islanders, but that only goes so far. It sounds like the Islanders aren't going to draft the hometown boy, no matter how much we wish they would.
Who will draft James Hagens in the draft? This is where the New Jersey Devils come in.
But first, let's take a look at a little history. Take the time machine to 2019. The Devils held the number-one overall pick in the draft, and they were taking Jack Hughes. The future Devils' star was joined in the draft by many of his U.S. NDTP teammates. Alex Turcotte (fifth overall), Trevor Zegras (ninth overall), Matthew Boldy (12th overall), Spencer Knight (13th overall), and Cam York (14th overall) all went in the top 15, representing their home country.
One player who fell further than expected was Cole Caufield. Many thought Caufield was set to be drafted by the Sabres at seventh overall, but they went for Dylan Cozens, who they just traded this season. Meanwhile, Caufield is becoming an elite scorer. In 2019, his size was a factor in his draft position, but the Devils would have loved sending a big price to get back into the first round and taking Caufield.
Could a similar drop happen with Hagens? Could we see a former top pick fall down to the teens? If that's the case, the Devils should call the Columbus Blue Jackets and see what they could move to get there.
Yes, it's a long shot with no first-round pick, but the Devils have a lot of really good defensive prospects, some interesting players the Blue Jackets might want, and they have two second-round picks.
Could the Devils make the move into the first round? It's a long shot, but it's the type of move the Devils should target. Hagens would extend their window if they develop him correctly. Teams are learning from previous mistakes, and the Devils could take advantage of those teams' worries.