ahmedou
DOU
- Oct 7, 2017
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Prospect Info: [2024 - 21st] Michael Hage, Chicago Steel (USHL), Committed to U of Michigan
- Thread starter LastWordArmy
- Start date
LaP
Registered User
imo it's Mustard in the locker room with a bag full of pucks
Habs Halifax
Loyal Habs Fan
It's early but who are the closest comparables in the NHL today? Scheifele?
You know what the NHL should be embarrassed about? When I go to NHL.com and the stats area to filter for centers, guys like Huberdeau and Taravainen are listed as a center.
You know what the NHL should be embarrassed about? When I go to NHL.com and the stats area to filter for centers, guys like Huberdeau and Taravainen are listed as a center.
WeThreeKings
Demidov is a HAB
No Scheifele is very one-timer dependent for his goal scoring. Hage doesn't really one-time pucks.
He's Jack Eichel lite.
DAChampion
Registered User
- May 28, 2011
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Hage is the best Habs prospect to play for Michigan in no less than 17 years.
I remember the excitement over Pacioretty after his D+1. Timmins said that he would become a guy like Shayne Carson, that you can count on to score 20-30 goals every year.
I remember the excitement over Pacioretty after his D+1. Timmins said that he would become a guy like Shayne Carson, that you can count on to score 20-30 goals every year.
Grate n Colorful Oz
Pure Laine Hutson
Hage is 11th overall in PPG, which is great nonetheles.
Estimated_Prophet
Registered User
- Mar 28, 2003
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What am I missing here???? He certainly is not the leading scorer in the NCAA, I am assuming this is solely including the 2024 draft class...?
ChesterNimitz
governed by the principle of calculated risk
- Jul 4, 2002
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Hage is a much more fluid and explosive skater than Scheifele. I see shades of Troy Terry in Hage's game. Just a bit smoother and a higher top speed. Hage has to fill out but should be pressing for a place on the team in 26/27.
Habs Halifax
Loyal Habs Fan
I rather find a center to compare too. But it's possible Hage ends up a winger at the NHL level. Who knows
JeffreyLFC
Registered User
- Sep 29, 2017
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Let's get real, I love Hage and he was my guy even prior we drafted him. He is doing very good offensively with Michigan but I have some worries about him defensively. He has a tendency to float and cheat a bit. Physically he also need some more development. That being said he is elite at transitioning from defense to offense with the puck and his vision, edge, hands and shots are all pro material. I am just still unsure if he has what it takes to play center in the NHL, I am seeing him more as a top 6 right winger unless he drastically improve his defense and commitment to defend. It's also part of the reason why he should remain at Michigan for one more season. His defensive game need significant development.
Deebs
Take my strong advice, always think twice
- Feb 5, 2014
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You can always teach the defensive side of the game if the student is a willing participant. There's been nothing I've heard that makes me believe Hage isn't willing to put in the work but we won't know until it happens. Until then, he's an extremely exciting prospect and it will be fun to watch him move forward in his career.
This is true of most young players, especially skill forwards whom aren’t immediately considered superstar/generational.
Hage will almost certainly play another year in the NCAA, if for whatever reason the team and him decide going pro is best for him I’d imagine that looks more like Laval than Montreal right now.
ChesterNimitz
governed by the principle of calculated risk
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Yes, the center position is in flux for Montreal over the next few years. It will all come down to what Hughes does with Evans ( I think he is resigned) and Dach, if he is moved to the wing. If Evans is re-signed, Dach is kept at center and Beck makes the team, there may not be a center role for Hage. Suzuki, of course, will remain the team's number one center. Of course, injuries and other acquisitions (through trade and free agency signings) and other players' unexpected development (Davidson, Kapanen, Xhekaj, future high draft choices, etc.) may completely change the current calculus of the team's projected center depth.
Nevertheless, whether as a center or winger, Hage is a highly talented forwarded who, along with Demidov and Beck, is, in this writer's opinion, as certain a future player for the Canadiens as we currently have and can so project.
Habs Halifax
Loyal Habs Fan
Our center position looks solid. Of course we would prefer an upgrade over Dach but that might be either Demidov of Hage but that will required time to figure out. Then you mix in Beck and Kapanen and we should be solid up the middle and some of them play wing.
No idea what we do with Evans. I read something recently that Hughes said Evans needs to lower his expectations if he wants to remain in Montreal. I bet you Hughes knows how Evans likes being in Montreal and part of our team and is playing the.... if you want to stay, take a fair deal card.
I feel we will have better information with Hage after next season. His 2nd NCAA year and should be on team Canada at the world juniors. Will he be a center for team Canada or play wing. Something to watch out for next season.
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ChesterNimitz
governed by the principle of calculated risk
- Jul 4, 2002
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This is well said.
As I have often written: the most certain thing in hockey is the uncertainty of any young player's rate of development. Sometimes you are pleasantly surprised and in some cases there is disappointment. Hage may plateau next year and never get a sniff of the NHL. All we can do is project, and hope for the best.
I have been watching this game for almost seventy years and for the past decade + I have done it professionally. Both myself and my staff, have made mistakes in both underestimating a kid's projected development and in overestimating other kid's rate of development. It's an inexact science and a completely maddening one.
What is the top of Hage's developmental range? One can only project. And hope. But if it's of any comfort to the reader, in my opinion, Hage, Demidov and Beck are as certain future NHL players as we have. As to which of them emerges as the best player among the three, I will leave it to others who have (or at least claim to have) a better crystal ball than this writer.
Habs Halifax
Loyal Habs Fan
None of us know. Hage could disappoint once he turns pro but all we can do is look at their track. I really like his game and I do value what he is doing as a 18 year old in his 1st NCAA season with very little pt/game talent round him. It looks very good today
montreal
Go Habs Go
- Mar 21, 2002
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he will need to bulk up a good bit and i've heard the talk that unless he doesn't he may not be a center in the NHL. But he's so young so there's lots of time for him to figure things out. I've just been so impressed with his offensive game, I mean he's been more impressive then Caufield was in his Freshman year and he's doing it with almost no help in terms of NHL draft picks as he is Michigan's offense
