Recently, Boston was back-to-back at the 32 spot in the pipeline rankings. A couple of years later, with some non-late first-round picks developing well, and especially after drafting James Hagens, its system is immediately respectable. Outside of Hagens, though, there isn’t much in the system that has upper half of the lineup potential.
2024 ranking: 29
2025 NHL Draft grade: B
Player Ranking
1. James Hagens, C
November 3, 2006 | 5-foot-10 | 185 pounds | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 7 in 2025
Tier: leading of the lineup player
Skating: Above NHL average
Puck skills: High-end
Hockey sense: Above NHL average
Compete: NHL average
Analysis: Hagens played well for Boston College this season. His production wasn’t as elite as some would have hoped after a sterling U.S. NTDP career, but he was still an important player on a great team. Hagens was also a go-to player for Team USA as they won gold at the World Juniors. He has a dynamic combination of skating and skill reminiscent of American centers Logan Cooley and Jack Hughes. Hagens’ edge work is high-end, and he’s extremely elusive in open ice. He makes a ton of difficult plays on the move and is a high-end playmaker. Hagens isn’t that big or physical, and can stay on the outside too much, but he gives a decent effort, and coaches tend to lean on him. He has the potential to be a play-driving leading-two-line center in the NHL.
2. Fraser Minten, C
July 5, 2004 | 6-foot-2 | 192 pounds | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 38 in 2022
Tier: Middle of the lineup player
Skating: Below NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: High-end
Shot: Above NHL average
Analysis: Minten played well in the AHL when healthy this season. He was a part of the Brandon Carlo offer at the deadline, sending him from Toronto to Boston. Minten has strong skill and playmaking ability, and a good shot, although I don’t view him as a big point producer at the next level. The appealing part of his game is his two-way play and compete. He’s a detailed and hardworking center who will earn a coach’s trust. His skating is just OK. I think it’s good enough to play in the NHL as a middle-six/third-line forward, but the NHL pace could be an issue for him.
3. Dans Locmelis, C
January 21, 2004 | 6-foot-1 | 179 pounds | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 119 in 2022
Tier: Projected to play NHL games
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Shot: Above NHL average
Analysis: Locmelis was good at the college level, but he was excellent versus men in the AHL and at the World Championships for Latvia. He’s a skilled center who can create offense from the flank and interior. He sees the ice well and has legit playmaking skills, even if his numbers don’t reflect that. Locmelis’ pure skating isn’t amazing for an average-sized player, but he’s quick enough and can create controlled entries. Locmelis won’t dazzle you with skill, but he’s a detailed, hardworking center with enough offense to chip in at the NHL level. He projects as a bottom-six forward.
4. William Moore, C
March 24, 2007 | 6-foot-3 | 174 pounds | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 51 in 2025
Tier: Projected to play NHL games
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: NHL average
Analysis: Moore was a tough evaluation this season. He was arguably the most talented player on this year’s U.S. NTDP. He has a lot of tools that will appeal to NHL teams as a big forward whose played some center, skates well, has good puck skills and can make creative plays with the puck. I wouldn’t describe him as a leading-tier playmaker, but he sees the ice well enough. Moore’s compete has come into question at times this season, and he’s certainly inconsistent, but he has the ability to be effective down low and can kill penalties. There’s nothing that truly stands out about his game, but the sum of the parts could lead to him being a bottom-six winger with a chance to be an NHL center, too.
5. Dean Letourneau, C
February 21, 2006 | 6-foot-7 | 214 pounds | Shoots right
Drafted: No. 25 in 2024
Tier: Projected to play NHL games
Skating: Below NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: NHL average
Shot: Below NHL average
Analysis: Letourneau had a very tough freshman season coming out of prep hockey in Ontario. He struggled to get consistent ice time for a leading team in Boston College, ending the season with zero goals and three points. Despite this, I remain optimistic he will play in the NHL due to his tools. He skates very well for 6-foot-6. He has legit skill as well. He can beat defenders at a pro pace with his puck handling. Letourneau isn’t a high-energy compete type, and some scouts question his effort at times, but he gets to the middle well enough and isn’t afraid of using his body. If you are a forward, though, you need to score, and he didn’t. I expect next season will be different with more opportunity. Letourneau currently projects as a bottom-six forward in the NHL.
6. Matthew Poitras, C
March 10, 2004 | 5-foot-11 | 181 pounds | Shoots right
Drafted: No. 54 in 2022
Tier: Projected to play NHL games
Skating: Below NHL average
Puck skills: Above NHL average
Hockey sense: Above NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Shot: Below NHL average
Analysis: Poitras played well in the AHL this season but struggled when he was called up to the NHL. Poitras is very skilled and intelligent. He makes a lot of difficult plays with the puck and can run a pro power play. He can create off the edge, while also showing no fear to attack the inside despite his 5-foot-11 frame. Poitras doesn’t have the typical athleticism of an NHL forward, though. On leading of his frame, he lacks NHL foot speed and isn’t overly physical. I like his effort level, and it’s allowed him to overcome those shortcomings, but he may not be dynamic enough to be a full-time leading-nine forward.
7. Andre Gasseau, C
July 3, 2003 | 6-foot-4 | 218 pounds | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 213 in 2021
Tier: Projected to play NHL games
Skating: Below NHL average
Puck skills: Below NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Analysis: Gasseau has developed quite well in his three years at Boston College, becoming an important piece of a leading team. He has several traits that could lead to him playing in the NHL. He’s a big center who moves reasonably well for his size. He has a solid two-way game and makes enough plays to produce secondary offense. Gasseau’s physicality has become more of a factor lately. That he’s added that element gives him a potential path to being a bottom-six NHL forward, given he won’t be a true offensive guy.
8. Fabian Lysell, RW
January 19, 2003 | 5-foot-11 | 181 pounds | Shoots right
Drafted: No. 21 in 2021
Tier: Projected to play NHL games
Skating: Above NHL average
Puck skills: Above NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Below NHL average
Analysis: Lysell’s production took a step backward this season in the AHL. He’s a very talented player, but he’s had a lot of ups and downs. He has clear NHL skill and skating ability. The plays he can make with the puck at full flight are very impressive. He has the leading speed and edge work to create a lot of controlled entries in the NHL and make defenders miss. He makes plays to others well enough, although his one-on-one play is better. Lysell’s main issue comes down to his size and compete. He plays on the outside and lacks physicality in his game. His ability should get him games, but the holes in his play, especially for a small winger, will make it hard for him to stick.
Has a chance to play*
Liam Pettersson is a 6-2 defenseman who can skate and make a good first pass. He has enough offense in his game while being a good stopper to have a legit chance to play games. William Zellers had a huge season in the USHL as one of the leading players in the league. He’s very quick and skilled, but he’s undersized, and I don’t see a ton of hardness in his game that you’d like at that frame.
Frédéric Brunet, D
August 21, 2003 | 6-foot-3 | 196 pounds | Shoots left | Drafted: No. 132 in 2022
Elliott Groenewold, D
February 4, 2006 | 6-foot-2 | 201 pounds | Shoots left | Drafted: No. 110 in 2024
Jonathan Morello, C
July 31, 2006 | 6-foot-1 | 192 pounds | Shoots left | Drafted: No. 154 in 2024
Christopher Pelosi, C
March 6, 2005 | 6-foot-1 | 181 pounds | Shoots left | Drafted: No. 92 in 2023
Liam Pettersson, D
January 4, 2007 | 6-foot-2 | 170 pounds | Shoots left | Drafted: No. 61 in 2025
Kirill Yemelyanov, C
January 8, 2007 | 6-feet | 170 pounds | Shoots left | Drafted: No. 165 in 2025
William Zellers, C
April 4, 2006 | 5-foot-10 | 170 pounds | Shoots left | Drafted: No. 76 in 2024
* Listed in alphabetical order
Player eligibility: All skaters who are 22 years old or younger as of Sept. 15, 2025, regardless of how many NHL games they’ve played, are eligible. Player heights and weights are taken from the NHL.
Tool grades: Tool grades are based on a scale with six separate levels, with an eye toward how this attribute would grade in the NHL (poor, below-average, average, above-average, high-end and elite). “Average” on this scale means the tool projects as NHL average, which is meant as a positive, not a criticism. Skating, puck skills, hockey sense and compete for every projected NHL player are graded. Shot grades are only included if a shot is notably good or poor.
Tier definitions: Tiers are meant to show roughly where in an average NHL lineup a player projects to slot in.
(Illustration: Will Tullos / The Athletic. Photo: Erica Denhoff / Getty Images)
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