By Warren Kozireski —
Hauppauge’s James Hagens and Ithaca’s Will Moore lead a gaggle of New York State natives atop the NHL Central Scouting Gamers to Watch checklist for the 2025 Entry Draft.
Each are listed as “A” gamers that means they’re projected to be chosen within the first spherical.
Hagens, thought by some to be the most effective participant and probably the primary general choice subsequent yr, is in his freshman marketing campaign with Boston School. The 5’10”, 178 lb. ahead led the staff with 9 assists and tied for first with ten factors by means of the primary six video games this season.
Final season Hagens led USA Hockey’s Nationwide Staff Improvement Program Underneath-18 staff with 63 assists, 102 factors and 1.76 points-per recreation in 58 video games.
Moore stands 6’2” and 175 lb. and is taking part in in his second season with the U.S. Nationwide Staff Improvement Program. In a mixed 19 video games towards faculty applications and within the USHL, he had 4 targets with 12 factors after registering 68 factors in 85 video games a season in the past.
Moore is dedicated to Boston School in 2025.
East Greenbush’s and Moore’s teammate Jack Murtagh is slotted as a “B” draft prospect indicating a projected second or third spherical choice. The 6’0”, 200 lb. left wing is dedicated to Boston College in 2025 after finishing his second season with the USNTDP.
He spent two seasons with the Bishop Kearney Selects prep program in Rochester previous to heading to Plymouth, Michigan. This season he had 11 factors in eight video games.
Tonawanda’s Matthew Lansing is listed as a “C” draft prospect indicating a projected fourth or fifth spherical choice. The 6’0”, 188 lb. heart spent 4 seasons with the Buffalo Jr. Sabres program along with his ultimate yr cut up between there and Waterloo within the USHL. This season with Waterloo and the USNTDP he had 4 factors over the primary 12 video games.
Fellow East Greenbush native Donato Bracco is tagged a “W” indicating a sixth or seventh spherical projection. Additionally with the U.S. Nationwide Staff Improvement Program, the 5’10”, 166 lb. left shot defenseman had 11 factors by means of the primary 22 video games this season and is dedicated to Harvard subsequent fall.
Locust Valley’s Matthew Grimes can be a “W.” A 6’0”, 184 lb. left shot defenseman with Sioux Falls within the USHL, the College of Minnesota commit had one assists by means of the primary 12 video games this season.
Brooklyn’s Jesse Orlowsky is listed as a “W.” A 6’2, 213 lb. heart with Waterloo within the USHL and Harvard-bound, he had 4 assists within the first 13 video games for the Black Hawks.
John (Jack) Parsons, handed over in final yr’s draft, is slotted with a “W.” The previous USNTDP goaltender is dedicated to Windfall however is with Chicago within the USHL this season the place the Ithaca native sported a 3.62 targets towards common and a .904 save proportion in ten video games.
Rochester’s Ethan Phillips is a “W” because the Bishop Kearney Selects 6’2”, 205 lb. goaltender had a 2.39 GAA and .923 save proportion in 11 video games with two shutouts. He’s dedicated to Windfall School in 2026.
And Northwood Prep and Camillus’ William Schneid comes with a “W” tag. The 6’0”, 174 lb. left wing and former West Genesee HS participant already has 15 targets and 32 factors in 20 video games this season.
Unofficially the draft is reported to be held in Los Angeles in late June.
