Could the Islanders Land Both Schaefer AND Hagens?

The New York Islanders will run the 2025 NHL Draft. Debates have ensued in the three days since the 2025 Draft Lottery finished with the Islanders moving up to the top.

It centers around three players: LD Matthew Schaefer, C Michael Misa, and C James Hagens.

We’ve already dove deep into our initial breakdown of the three players.

All three are solid options, but it’s becoming clearer that Matthew Schaefer is the favorite. Schaefer would become the Islanders’ top prospect, and organizationally, he’s likely the best fit. If the debate is Schaefer vs Misa, it comes down to who has the higher ceiling and what the organization needs.

Schaefer v Misa:

Of the Islanders’ top prospects, Calum Ritchie and Danny Nelson are both right at the top. Cole Eiserman is in there as well, but let’s stick with centers. With Ritchie and Nelson, along with Bo Horvat, signed long-term, there’s hardly a dire need. It never hurts to add another blue-chip prospect, but when you look in the defensive pipeline, the needs become clearer.

On defense, the Islanders have a hodgepodge of prospects. Isaiah George played 33 NHL games last year, with initially strong results before things went a bit haywire. Jesse Pulkkinen, the 6’6 2024 second-rounder, is viewed very highly within the organization. Calle Odelius, a 2023 second-rounder, had a very positive year with Bridgeport.

Not one of those three is a slam dunk. All three project as a middle-pairing defenseman in the best-case scenario. Schaefer projects as a top-pairing defenseman with some of the best skating out there. High-end, smooth-skating defensemen do not grow on trees.

If the Islanders’ decision comes down to Schaefer vs Misa, it’ll be Schaefer when push comes to shove.

The Hagens of it All:

That, of course, brings us back to James Hagens. Hagens, the Hauppauge native, is under heavy consideration for the first overall pick. Hagens is an elite center prospect with high-end offensive talent and strong two-way results at the college level.

College players have had a significantly easier time adjusting to the NHL in recent years when compared to their CHL counterparts. Just look at the Calder Trophy. This year, the finalists include Macklin Celebrini and Lane Hutson, both rookies who came straight from college. The last Calder Trophy winner to go from the CHL without AHL time to the NHL directly is… Mathew Barzal.

. Scoring is significantly harder to come by in college. When Hagens started a bit slow while Schaefer and Misa scorched the competition, Hagens slipped behind through no fault of his own.

It’s been well-documented that Hagens is a diehard Islanders fan. Through Newsday, he made it clear just how badly he wants to come home and be an Islander.

I believe the Islanders would take Hagens over Misa, two prospects of a similar caliber, and not hesitate. The local appeal and heart x-factor all land in Hagens’ favor.

But when it comes to Schaefer and Hagens, it might prove to be too hard to pass up Schaefer. That’s a statement a lot of Islanders fans have been wrestling with. All that leads to one question: Can the Islanders then trade back in to get Hagens, too?

Islanders Trade Back In for Hagens?

The Utah Mammoth (FKA Hockey Club) also won the draft lottery on Monday. They moved from 14th to fourth overall. They’ve also made no bones about wanting to make the playoffs next season and truly contend.

If Hagens slips out of the top three, which, according to multiple mock drafts, is a distinct possibility, then the Islanders would have to at least call the Mammoth to see what they’d ask for in return.

Some fans have speculated that Noah Dobson could be included, but that doesn’t make any sense. Dobson is a righty, and the Islanders have nobody in the pipeline on the right side. Schaefer’s a lefty, and would fit in quite nicely alongside Dobson. Additionally, Utah has Sean Durzi, Michael Kesselring, and John Marino locked in on the right side. Dobson’s not a fit there.

Creating a package for a top-five pick without another first-round pick in this year’s draft is tricky. But Utah is the team most likely to bite. The Islanders could easily dangle Alexander Romanov or Adam Pelech as part of this deal. Both would have a heavy appeal to Utah as penalty killers, though again, Utah has Ian Cole, Mikhail Sergachev, and Olli Maatta under contract.

Perhaps Utah could use some veteran forwards. Jean-Gabriel Pageau fits that need to a tee, and would immediately improve their third line immensely. Utah would want roster pieces, and guys like Pageau, Romanov, and Pelech could be options, among others.

In addition, the Islanders would have to include either their own or Colorado’s 2026 first-round pick. Danny Nelson would figure to be included, along with one of Odelius, George, or Pulkkinen.

Even then, that may not entice Utah. But it’s a possibility. One that the Islanders could and should investigate if Hagens slips down. Yes, Schaefer seems to be the best prospect, but Hagens would be an absolute perfect Islander, no two ways about it.

This scenario is not overly likely to play out. But winning the lottery opens up the possibility. Plus, it can’t be any less likely than it was for the Islanders to win the lottery. Dare to dream, Islanders fans.