Commonwealth Avenue Runs Red White and Blue as Hagens and Eiserman Arrive
Image Courtesy: New England Hockey Journal (Left), The Hockey News (Right) | Eiserman (L) and Hagens (R) playing for the USA U-18 team
from allies to adversaries, usa hockey’s star men take their next step toward greatness
WRITTEN BY JAMES BLENNAU
From Team USA linemates to two local rivaling teams, allies to adversaries, James Hagens and Cole Eiserman begin their college careers this season with more to play for head-to-head than just bragging rights between themselves.
Hagens, the 17-year-old Happague, NY native forward arrives in Chesnut Hill to a Boston College team with a chip on its shoulder following its loss against Denver in last year’s national championship, hoping to fill the void left by scoring forwards Cutter Gauthier and Will Smith’s NHL signings.
Eiserman, on the other hand, the 18-year-old Newburyport, MA native and Islanders first-round pick forward arrives downtown to Boston University, looking to win their first national championship since 2015 and replace star defenseman Lane Hutson’s production as he signs with the Montreal Canadiens.
While the two face each other only twice this year barring a Beanpot final matchup, their influence across the city will create shockwaves throughout college hockey.
“What James is so good at, seeing the ice, his skating and his ability to make plays, to have somebody to play with him like Cole, that is just so good at scoring, to to be able to put those guys together for a good chunk of those 130 games was it was a good thing to be able to do,” said USA National Development Team Head Coach Nick Fohr, who coached the two throughout their pre-college careers. “Their game is such an offensive, attacking style of hockey and it really fit well with how we do things.”
Parts of each player’s game, as always, didn’t show up on the ice or the score sheet.
“They're both engaging kids and if you bump into them at the rink and or if they're out doing something on the ice with little kids, they're engaged, they have fun with them,” said Fohr. “That's the biggest thing for me is just how they operate, how they act, how they treat others.”
Something else that won’t show up on the ice or the scoresheet is the expectations surrounding these two players. Being the superstar prospects they are, media and fans alike understand how much each player can bring to their respective program.
“So far the hype is going to be pretty good if not already pretty high because of football,” said Conte Cast Co-Host Anthony Smith, recognizing how much hype is buzzing throughout Chesnut Hill between a ranked football team and projected top hockey prospect. “It’s only going to get better from here.”
Image Courtesy: Daily Faceoff | Hagens in warmups while playing for the USNTDP U-18 team.
The hype is not the only thing separating Hagens from the rest of his Eagle teammates, however. “The way he's able to command both sides of the puck [is special],” Smith added. “What I like about Hagens is that even after scoring around 102 points last year for the U18 program he was out there on the penalty and killed quite a bit.”
Eiserman on the other hand, on his way west of Chesnut Hill into the heart of Boston has done nothing short of creating hype around his own game.
“I wanted to shoot the puck like Alex Ovechkin,” Eiserman said in an interview with NHL Digital. “The goalie even knew where the puck was going and Ovi still scored, to me that’s unbelievable.”
Image Courtesy: Eyes On Isles | Eiserman after being drafted by the Islanders
Eiserman’s goal-scoring brought him to where he is, but certain shortcomings in his game caused him to slide down to pick 20 in the 2024 NHL draft. While his game may be raw for some teams, his ability to work under pressure will be tested unlike anything else with his linemate-turned-rival.
“I think that with the rivalry, they don't need to add a whole lot to make it exciting and fun for the fans and for the people that are involved,” noted Coach Fohr. “To go to the rink and watch a kid that was drafted 20th overall and to go watch him and what he can do while at the same time watching a guy that's potentially got a chance to be the first overall pick in the draft this coming year, that just adds to the excitement.”
“Every one of those guys is going to play a big part for their teams, Eiserman is going to be a big goal scorer, I think that's no secret,” noted Anthony Smith. “And then Hagens is going to do the rest of the work for BC, so I think that's just important to carry this rivalry forward and I couldn't think of two better names to keep that going.”
Image Courtesy: BC Interruption | BC and BU in a special Frozen Four rivalry matchup
From the end of the Northern State Parkway to the greens of Chesnut Hill, James Hagens is ready to show the world who he is, while from the waterfront of Newburyport to the towers in the heart of Boston, Cole Eiserman begins sharpening his game before entering the show. USA Hockey amid the future of the game becoming the present proves itself not just a player development organization, but developing the sport at all levels across the nation.
