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James Hagens, Team USA (Rena Laverty / USA Hockey’s NTDP)

3 Centers the Hurricanes Should Target at the 2025 NHL Draft

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Conor Power | Last updated Jun 9, 2025 4:00 PM ET

We’re approaching the 2025 NHL Draft. With no gathering of the 32 hockey clubs this year, things will be different. However, the scouting process remains the same. The Carolina Hurricanes come in with the 29th-overall pick, and given the general feeling around this draft class, it could be a day the Canes find value. Carolina adores moving around in the draft, trading down wherever possible. They’ve also tried to trade into the early first round in other drafts. Last year, Carolina nearly acquired the fourth-overall pick.

I left my crystal ball at home today, so I’m unable to see the future. We can make predictions and assumptions, but only the Hurricanes’ brain trust knows what they want definitively. When we look at their prospect pool, there is a lot to like such as a ton of great young wingers close to breaking into the NHL and a defensive pipeline that’s going to support the team for years. One weaker area is down the middle. Like the Hurricanes’ roster, there isn’t a lot of hope for the future there. Part of this is because whenever they do draft a center, they get shifted to the wing. Look at Bradly Nadeau, Martin Necas, and Seth Jarvis. So, how can this draft help the Hurricanes down the middle?

James Hagens

James Hagens is more of a pipe dream, but what a talent this man is. Projected to go anywhere from second overall to fifth overall, he is a game-breaking talent. As one of the projected top picks in this draft, you’d expect him to be able to take over games and Hagens doesn’t disappoint in this regard. In 37 NCAA games with Boston College this season, he had 11 goals and 26 assists for 37 points. It’s not the eye-popping numbers we see from talents who go straight into the NHL, but as a freshman, that’s not bad.

He came into his draft year as the projected first-overall pick. There’s still an outside shot that happens, but it’s unlikely. With other talents passing him, he could fall a little. I mentioned Carolina tried to trade up to fourth overall last year, and the Utah Mammoth have made their fourth-overall pick available this year. There’s a world where Carolina can trade up, grab Hagens, and run out of this draft with a phenomenal answer to their second-line center position long-term.

Hagens’ skillset makes him a perfect Hurricane. He’s a smooth skater, smart with the puck, and intelligent under pressure. We saw when the Hurricanes played against the Florida Panthers in the playoffs that they could use more poise on the roster. Whether Hagens can go straight into the NHL or not is borderline. He’s one of those players that could go either way. He needs more time to develop, but his skill set is already good enough for the NHL. He ideally needs a little more size, but there’s a lot to love about him.

Jack Nesbitt

Jack Nesbitt isn’t as well-known as Hagens is, but he’s still a very intriguing prospect. He’s the opposite of what the Hurricanes usually go for. At 6-foot-4, his size is undeniable, and he’ll play with that edge Carolina lacks. He’s got a wicked release, thinks the game well, and has displayed intelligence during his time with the Ontario Hockey League’s Windsor Spitfires. His weaknesses lie in his skating, which isn’t uncommon for a man his size.

Nesbitt scored 25 goals and 39 assists for 64 points in 65 games for the Spitfires this season. They’re not earth-shattering, but they’re desirable numbers for someone of his stature. In the playoffs, he had another goal and nine assists for 10 points in 12 games. He’s got the ability to score, and that big frame will have many teams thinking about him. He’s not what the Hurricanes typically go for in the draft, but he could be a different option if the Hurricanes want to venture down a new path.

Nesbitt is interesting because he’s projected to be a late first-round pick or even slip into day two of the draft. He’s not as well-liked as others in this class. The Hurricanes could trade out of the first round, as they love doing, and still pick up a player like this. There is also a risk that a team trades up to grab him, which means they may look elsewhere, but he is an option.

Ivan Ryabkin

Recently, the Hurricanes have drafted a lot out of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). There are lots of Russians in the KHL that Carolina has NHL rights to. While Ivan Ryabkin isn’t being drafted out of Russia, there’s still something to like here. At 6-feet, he’s not as large in stature as Nesbitt, but is a promising talent more fitting of the traditional Hurricanes draft pick in terms of his skill set, and the excitement around this kid is intense.

Ryabkin spent this season with the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the United States Hockey League (USHL) after coming over from Russia. In 27 games, Ryabkin scored 19 goals and 11 assists for 30 points and followed that up with 16 points in 14 playoff games. They’re not absurd for the USHL, but for a player spending his first year on North American ice, they are solid.

It’s also worth noting that Ryabkin has already played professional hockey, making his KHL debut at 17 years old. While it was just two games with no production, already having that experience could sway teams at the draft. He played in the lower tiers in Russia more often, mainly in the MHL. However, that experience is always lovely to have as a prospect on draft day.

Ryabkin is still very raw. He’s got a long way to go defensively, and his hockey sense isn’t quite where it needs to be. However, there’s so much to like with his physicality and nasty shot. If the Hurricanes had that on the second line for the foreseeable future, they’d be in a better position. They need something, and he is a realistic option, given where they are scheduled to be drafting.

Only Time Will Tell What Hurricanes Do

It’s not certain the Hurricanes will draft a center. Knowing Carolina, they could trade out of the first round entirely. However, it’s fun to ponder the unknown. Carolina likes to be aggressive. However, they balance out that risk and reward for overall value. In the draft, trading up tends to be of poor value after a certain point, and with this draft class being described as weaker than others at the top of the class, that point will be sooner. All of that is to say the likelihood of the analytical-darling-Hurricanes trading up is thin. However, they have one of the most-entertaining front offices to watch in the NHL because of their aggressive nature so they’ll be worth watching.

In reality, they’ll go for the best player available, regardless of position. Assuming they have that pick when the draft rolls around, they will have to make a decision. Darren Yorke — Hurricanes’ assistant general manager and prospect guru — and his scouting staff will be busy getting prepared for the draft. Only time will tell what they have in store for the fans.