James Hagens, a freshman center at Boston College and projected top-four selection in the 2025 NHL Draft, is one of 28 players that will take part in USA Hockey's final evaluation camp for the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship.
The camp will be held Dec. 16-17 at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan, and will set the 25-player roster for the WJC, which will be held in Ottawa from Dec. 26-Jan. 5. The final U.S. roster is expected to be announced by Dec. 24.
Hagens, an A-rated skater on NHL Central Scouting's players to watch list, is tied for second on Boston College with 17 points (three goals, 14 assists) in 13 games this season. He was one of the final cuts from the 2024 WJC team that won the gold medal after defeating Sweden 6-2 in the championship game in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Washington Capitals forward prospect Ryan Leonard and New York Rangers forward prospect Gabe Perreault, Hagens' linemates at Boston College, are two of 10 players attending the camp that played at the 2024 WJC.
Also returning are goalies Trey Augustine (Detroit Red Wings) and Samuel Hillebrandt (2025 draft eligible), defensemen Zeev Buium (Minnesota Wild), Drew Fortescue (New York Rangers) and Aram Minnetian (Dallas Stars), and forwards Oliver Moore (Chicago Blackhawks), Danny Nelson (New York Islanders), and Carey Terrance (Anaheim Ducks).
"We've got an excellent group of players coming to our camp," U.S. general manager and USA Hockey executive director of hockey operations John Vanbiesbrouck said. "It's never easy to narrow it down and that’s a credit to so many who have helped in developing our players, including first and foremost those part of our grassroots infrastructure across the country."
In addition to Hagens, three more prospects eligible for the 2025 NHL Draft also were invited, including Hillebrandt (Barrie, Ontario Hockey League), and defensemen Blake Fiddler (Edmonton, Western Hockey League) and Logan Hensler (University of Wisconsin). Fiddler and Hensler each received an A rating from NHL Central Scouting in its preliminary players to watch list.
The United States will play in Group A at the 2025 WJC, along with Canada, Finland, Latvia and Germany, with preliminary-round games played at Canadian Tire Centre. Group B consists of Sweden, Czechia, Slovakia, Switzerland and Kazakhstan, with preliminary-round games at TD Place.
The U.S. and Canada will play Dec. 31 (8 p.m. ET; NHLN, TSN), the final night of the preliminary round, marking the first time the rivals will meet on New Year's Eve since the 2017 WJC in Toronto.
Canada also named its 32-player selection camp roster Monday.
USA HOCKEY WJC SELECTION CAMP ROSTER
GOALIES: Trey Augustine, Michigan State, NCAA (Detroit Red Wings); Samuel Hillebrandt, Barrie, OHL (2025 draft eligible); Hampton Slukynsky, Western Michigan, NCAA (Los Angeles Kings)
DEFENSEMEN: Zeev Buium, Denver, NCAA (Minnesota Wild); EJ Emery, North Dakota, NCAA (New York Rangers); Blake Fiddler, Edmonton, WHL (2025 draft eligible); Paul Fischer, Notre Dame, NCAA (Edmonton Oilers); Drew Fortescue, Boston College, NCAA (New York Rangers); Logan Hensler, Wisconsin, NCAA (2025 draft eligible); Cole Hutson, Boston University, NCAA (Washington Capitals); Adam Kleber, Minnesota Duluth, NCAA (Buffalo Sabres); Aram Minnetian, Boston College, NCAA (Dallas Stars); Colin Ralph, St. Cloud State, NCAA (St. Louis Blues)
FORWARDS: Austin Burnevik, St. Cloud State, NCAA (Anaheim Ducks); Trevor Connelly, Providence, NCAA (Vegas Golden Knights); Cole Eiserman, Boston University, NCAA (New York Islanders); James Hagens, Boston College, NCAA (2025 draft eligible); Ryan Leonard, Boston College, NCAA (Washington Capitals); Oliver Moore, Minnesota, NCAA (Chicago Blackhawks); Danny Nelson, Notre Dame, NCAA (New York Islanders); Christopher Pelosi, Quinnipiac, NCAA (Boston Bruins); Gabe Perreault, Boston College, NCAA (New York Rangers); AJ Spellacy, Windsor, OHL (Chicago Blackhawks); Teddy Stiga, Boston College, NCAA (Nashville Predators); Brandon Svoboda, Boston University, NCAA (San Jose Sharks); Carey Terrance, Erie, OHL (Anaheim Ducks); Joey Willis, Saginaw, OHL (Nashville Predators); Brodie Ziemer, Minnesota, NCAA (Buffalo Sabres)
