When the Montreal Canadiens traded three picks to the Los Angeles Kings in order to move up in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft, it was anyone’s guess who they were targeting. With Kent Hughes’s history suggesting he prefers to trade for more experienced players selected in previous drafts, the going theory was that they wouldn’t be picking at all, instead moving that selection to acquire a player further along in their development.
As it turned out, Michael Hage had greatly impressed them during their pre-draft interview, and ended up being the pick for them at 21st overall.
A product of the GTHL, Hage was selected by the Kitchener Rangers in the first round of the 2022 OHL Priority Selection, but chose a less conventional route for Ontario-born players. Rather than taking a stab at an OHL career, he went south of the border to the USHL’s Chicago Steel, a team that has seen the like of fellow Habs prospect Sean Farrell. Showing some promise in a short 2022-23 campaign, Hage would join the team full-time last season.
Despite perhaps less visibility in the USHL versus the OHL, Hage’s improvement throughout the 2023-24 season saw him quickly rise on draft boards. With 75 points in 54 games, punctuated by a torrid pace toward the end of the year, he was ranked pretty consistently in the first-round by most outlets. Where precisely he would fall in that round was up for debate, but he had shown enough to suggest he wouldn’t be making it to day two of the draft.
There couldn’t have been a better landing spot for him than Montreal. Hage is the son of two Montrealers, speaks fluent French, and grew up a fan of the Tricolore. The selection gives him the opportunity to realize a childhood dream, playing for the very team that he and his late father used to cheer for together.
Voting
Hage debuts on our list inside our top 15, with a pretty strong consensus from our panel that he belongs in that area as the lowest vote was 16th. He even earned two top-10 nods and should be a player to watch for in the top 10 next year if he can put together an impressive 2024-25 campaign.
As with most new prospects, there’s some hesitation to place Hage high on the list, with a portion of votes in the late teens to early 20s. But a larger section of the readership placed him in a high spot right away, with about a third of the votes falling in the top 10.
History of #13
| Year | #13 |
|---|---|
| 2023 | Rafaël Harvey-Pinard |
| 2022 | Lane Hutson |
| 2021 | Josh Brook |
| 2020 | Jesse Ylönen |
| 2019 | Cale Fleury |
| 2018 | Jesse Ylönen |
| 2017 | Michael McNiven |
| 2016 | Noah Juulsen |
| 2015 | Martin Réway |
| 2014 | Dustin Tokarski |
| 2013 | Artturi Lehkonen |
| 2012 | Yannick Weber |
| 2011 | Ryan White |
| 2010 | Ryan White |
Strengths
Hage was one of the more dynamic rush attackers available in the 2024 draft, using smooth skating and some very crafty hands to manoeuvre through defenders and create offensive opportunities. He uses lateral movement to get opponents guessing, then executes some very high-level moves to get right past them and toward the net. His skating isn’t quite in the realm of elite, but when you pair it with the puck-handling he’s capable of, he can force his opponents to play the game at his speed. There’s a Nick Suzuki comparison to be made in how skating may be an area some would point at as an issue, but in reality he’s very capable of making it work as is.
While he prefers to stick-handle his way through defenders and get to the net with the puck, he’s also very dangerous from distance, boasting a heavy shot that can beat goaltenders clean. If given too much of a cushion to account for his ability to get around them, he can pull the puck back and use a defender as a screen.
With how difficult he is to defend with the puck, it’s no surprise that one of his biggest strengths is his playmaking. His high-level puck skills and transitional ability get him to the offensive zone relatively easily, and from there he has the vision and touch to slow down and set things up for his linemates. He reads the play well, and has an innate sense of when it’s best for him to go for it himself, or delay and look for a pass option.
In short, he’s a transition monster with ankle-breaking moves, and a variety of ways to hurt you offensively. Throw in a rapidly improving defensive game, and it’s easy to see why this was one of the best upside picks the Habs could have made with their second first-rounder.
Weaknesses
Concerns around his compete level have been raised by scouts as a potential impediment to his NHL future. At times, a lack of urgency has been noted in his game, something that can lead to him leaving opportunities on the table. Passivity can be disappointing to see when you know the player is capable of such dynamic displays, so the hope is that he can develop more of a killer instinct, and really take the bull by the horns while playing in the NCAA.
His defensive game was almost universally noted to have improved throughout last season, but this is something he’ll need to continue working hard at if he wants to play centre as a professional. Defending in the NCAA will be a lot harder for him than it was in the USHL, and the degree of difficulty will only increase exponentially when he leaves college. This has to remain a top focus for him, otherwise the organization will have to consider moving him to the wing.
Projection
Hage’s second USHL season proved rather conclusively that he is in need of a step up in competition, and he is expected to get precisely that with the University of Michigan in the NCAA this year. With a relatively deep contingent of centres already available in the Montreal system, there is no reason to be impatient for Hage to make the jump. He has plenty of time to keep growing into his frame, and honing the defensive side of his play to show up as ready as possible when the time comes.
A top-tier program like Michigan is an excellent spot for him to keep working on his game. He’s likely a player who will need two seasons there before making the jump, but if he can keep showing positive progression in the NCAA, the Habs will be looking to sign him before long. If he has a true breakout season as a freshman, there is a chance he forces their hand, but again, the Habs are in no rush to get him to the show.
Whether or not he ends up being converted to the wing is likely to be a topic of conversation throughout his development, but the abilities he has give him clear top-six potential, regardless of where he lines up. His puck-carrying ability is something that seems to be best served in the middle of the ice, but wouldn’t hurt to have on the wing either. If his defensive game keeps going on the trajectory he’s been on, he could break into the league as a very capable third-liner, then work his way up from there.
With his size and improving defensive game, it also feels like a very safe floor exists with Hage. It would be surprising if he can’t at least carve out a middle-six role in the NHL, so he should be an NHL regular at some point. The question seems more about how productive he can be.
You don’t always find upside like this with late first-round picks, so he’ll be a player to keep an eye on for Habs fans for the next few years.
Michael Hage with Chris Peters of FLoHockey:
2:20 – Why did Michael Hage go to Chicago Steel? A tender and NCAA route.
7:00 – Could Michael Hage have been drafted earlier?
9:00 – Strengths / Weaknesses in Hage game, centre or wing?
13:00 – The new forward roles.
15:00 – Commercial Break
15:10 – A good season for Michael Hage at Michigan?
18:15 – Two or three years in NCAA
21:30 – Chris Peters said Jacob Fowler was the goalie to keep an eye on at the draft last year, in our draft preview. Is he surprised of Jacob Fowler’s fist season in NCAA?
