NY Islanders GM Mathieu Darche confirms team tried their best to bring Hagens home

2025 NHL Draft
2025 NHL Draft | Bruce Bennett/GettyImages

The New York Islanders made a splash on draft night, but one name they didn't call left a bittersweet taste for fans: James Hagens, the Long Island-born phenom, who went earlier than the team could reach. Speaking with ESPN following the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft, GM and Executive VP Mathieu Darche confirmed what many suspected — the Islanders tried to trade up in hopes of drafting the hometown kid.

“We looked at a lot of options tonight,” Darche said during the broadcast. “We tried to move up, but we ended up getting guys we never thought would be there at 16 and 17, so we are really excited about that because we ended up with Victor and Kashawn.”

Despite landing top defense prospect Mathew Schaefer first overall and adding Victor Eklund and Kashawn Aitcheson with picks 16 and 17 following the Noah Dobson trade, the buzz among the fanbase remained fixed on Hagens. A highly skilled forward with ties to the area, Hagens represented not just elite talent, but a feel-good story Islanders fans were craving.

Darche’s admission confirms the organization was aggressive and ambitious — a sign of a front office willing to swing big. But in a night filled with drama, including the Dobson deal and three first-round selections, the inability to land Hagens stung.

Still, Darche expressed confidence in the results. Eklund, a high-motor winger with offensive upside, and Aitcheson, a rugged two-way defenseman, both bring NHL potential and strong character. But for some fans, watching Hagens slip out of reach was the one that got away. The Islanders walked away with talent and upside, but the story of draft night 2025 will always include what almost happened.