Last season, college hockey was home to several freshmen that would go on to make immediate impacts on their respective programs. From Macklin Celebrini to Ryan Leonard to Miko Matikka, young talent was not hard to find.
Fast forward to the 2024-25 college hockey season and it’s another batch of incoming freshmen that will impress. Let’s take a look at five freshmen to watch.
– Forward James Hagens, Boston College – Undrafted
Boston College has had no shortage of talented freshmen and James Hagens will be no different. Hagens is likely to be the number one overall pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft this June. Hagens comes to Boston College out of the USNTDP where he had 102 points in 58 games.
Hagens is a special player and success has followed him every where he has gone. In two games with Boston College he has two assists. At the 2024 U18 worlds, Hagens surpassed Nikita Kucherov to set a new tournament record.
– Forward Michael Hage, Michigan – Drafted by Montreal; Round 1, Pick 21
Right out of the gate, Michael Hage was thrown to the wolves, playing a top-six role for Michigan. Hage certainly has responded. Through four games, Hage has scored three times and added three assists.
As skilled as Hage is with the puck on his stick, he still manages to play a heavy game, he plays well along the boards. Hage’s 6-foot-1, 190-pound frame helps with that.
– Defenseman Cole Hutson, Boston University – Drafted by Washington; Round 2, Pick 43
The younger brother of Quinn and Lane Hutson, Cole has followed his brothers to Boston University. Some have said that Cole is the better of the brothers. Seeing how well Lane did in his two seasons at BU and what he’s done already at the NHL level, that is saying something.
It did not take long for Hutson to find the back of the net, scoring his first collegiate goal in the second period of his first NCAA game. Hutson picked up an assist in the Terriers’ second game of the season.
– Forward Cole Eiserman, Boston University – Drafted by New York Islanders; Round 1, Pick 20
Replacing Macklin Celebrini will be no easy task. However, if anyone can do it, it’s Cole Eiserman. His success at the NTDP was historic, ranking first in program history with 127 goals. His ability to score goals with ease is what makes him such a threat. Eiserman has a goal in each of Boston University’s two games to date.
The concern with his 200-foot game is part of the reason why he fell to the 20th pick and into the lap of the New York Islanders. At 18-years old, there’s still plenty of time for Eiserman to grow his game.
– Forward Sacha Boisvert, North Dakota – Drafted by Chicago; Round 1, Pick 18
If Sacha Boisvert’s debut with North Dakota was any indication of how his season is going to go, buckle up for this ride because it’s going to be fun. The two-way center looked every bit the part in North Dakota’s victory over Providence College.
A very smart player, Boisvert can score and dish the puck with the best of them. A very talented two-way center for North Dakota. And one drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks. Where have we seen that before?
Anthony has been writing about hockey for over 10 years now with previous stops at Bruins Daily and Hockey Buzz, covering the Boston Bruins. He currently covers Hockey East and Atlantic Hockey for College Hockey News. His passion for hockey has turned into a love for writing. His favorite part of the gig is the peace he finds when the rink is empty and the ice has freshly been resurfaced. Follow him at @A_Travalgia on Twitter/X or for more at https://www.collegehockeynews.com/
Thoughts? Questions? Suggestions? Then remember to tune in each week to get all the latest news in the world of hockey. For more hockey news, different takes or if you want to chat about anything hockey give us a follow on YouTube, at https://twoguysandhockeytalk.com/ for all things hockey.
