NTDP’s Track Record of Developing High-End NHL Talent Continues with Eiserman and Hagens

The U.S. National Team Development Program has produced many top prospects in recent NHL drafts. Young stars Cole Eiserman and James Hagens could very well prove to be the next in that lineage.

Every year since 2018, there has been a player drafted in the top five of the NHL draft who was a product of the U.S. National Team Development Program. There have been multiple first-rounders drafted from the NTDP in every draft since 1999 except for 2008, which still had one first-rounder.

The reputation that the NTDP has built as a pipeline for incredible young talent is second to none. This year’s under-18 group with the NTDP features a number of highly regarded prospects – including a pair of players who have been mentioned as possible challengers for first overall in their respective drafts.

Goal scorer extraordinaire Cole Eiserman has been near the top of the 2024 NHL draft since he arrived in Plymouth, Michigan with the NTDP thanks to putting his name in the NTDP record books. James Hagens, a top 2025 NHL draft prospect, is the second-youngest player in this iteration of the squad but he’s been the most dynamic presence in the lineup on a night-in and night-out basis.

“Since we came here to Plymouth, that’s how it’s been,” Hagens told The Hockey News. “The two of us have led the team but we couldn’t have done it without the guys that we play with each night.”

This season, that especially rings true as the duo hasn’t played with each other nearly as often. Players such as Teddy Stiga, Kamil Bednarik, or Brodie Ziemer among others have developed to the point where the NTDP has been able to spread out the scoring. The talent level around Hagens and Eiserman has risen which has taken some of the load off their backs.

“A guy like Stiga can do it all,” proclaimed Hagens. “He works hard, plays fast, he’s a good finisher and helps you play your best. He’s a guy that makes playing with him easy.”

The depth that ‘The Program’ boasts every year is one of the biggest advantages that they have. They routinely have talented players up and down the lineup. Hagens and Eiserman may be the main event, but the rest of the group consistently elevates their game, impressing scouts and analysts alike.

“I love playing with Bednarik, just a smart guy,” Eiserman explained. “The way he sees the ice makes him great. He works so hard.”

Recently, Eiserman and Hagens have been reunited and they’ve been putting together some impressive performances. The U18 Five Nations tournament kicked off earlier this week and the duo has been quite good against some of the best competition from their age group from around the world.

Hagens has been the driving force, seemingly involved in every play all over the ice. His agility and pace combined with his puck skill and creativity make him a lethal offensive player every time he was on the ice. His ability to read the play at such a high level, identifying minuscule passing lanes or playing off of the defender's heels, allows him to create for everyone on the ice.

On the flip side, Eiserman’s off-puck play and ability to find and settle into pockets in the offensive zone, make him invisible despite his reputation as the most dangerous shooter on the ice. His one-timer is an absolute hammer and he knows when to charge the net and find a loose rebound to bury it from in tight.

“He’s a guy that finishes at a high level. You kind of know that when you get him the puck, it’s going to go in. When you play the way I do, with creativity and skill, looking to pass the puck when the shot isn’t there for me, it’s a good fit on the ice.” Hagens said.

The Hagens-Eiserman pair has been a perfectly matched set of skills. Hagens covers up the flaws in Eiserman’s game, bringing the intuitive on-puck game and playmaking that Eiserman needs to thrive. Eiserman can bring some physicality and finishing ability that allows Hagens to create and drive play. They are perfect compliments of each other.

“It’s been a lot of fun to play with this team and with James,” said Eiserman. “He makes it easy for a guy like me. I just try to get to my spots, he does his thing, dangles around, and then finds me for easy goals.”

Sometimes, it really is as simple as that. Hagens makes something out of nothing. Eiserman buries pucks with the best of them. The NTDP’s latest dynamic duo will be making their mark in the NHL in just a few years.