Prospect Info: [2024 - 21st] Michael Hage, Chicago Steel (USHL), Committed to U of Michigan

[WeThreeKings]

- His coach @ Michigan joked with him that he's no longer a freshman. He learned how to manage his time and build a routine with his school work while keeping up with the demands of the hockey program.

- They want him to play his best hockey in the 2nd half, he's been good but they want him to go to the next level. They're asking for more because they know he can handle it/

- Michael Hage is then quoted as saying that every time he goes to a higher level in hockey, the players are bigger, stronger and fast. But one thing remains the same is his "Vitesse d'esprit" (not quite sure how to translate this, I think it means his "hockey sense"). The biggest hurdle is the adaptation and how quickly a player can get up to speed to it and he feels it's one of his strengths.

Thank you very much!

 

[ahmedou]

English please.

Michigan coach about Michael Hage: ''I told him as a joke that he's not a 1st year player anymore. He learned how to manage his time, to build a routine, to go to his classes and learn well the requirements of the hockey program.''

''We want him to play his best hockey in the second half of the season, He was really goodm but we need to push him a level a little bit. If we ask him for me, that's because we know that he can took it. It's in these type of challenge that we know what he can do.

Michael Hage: , Everytime that I'll go to another level of hockey, there'll be guys that's more big, more stronger and more faster. But one thing that'll stay the same is my hockey sense. This biggest adaptation is the more faster that I can understand the game that's in front of me. I'm doing it very well.''

 

[417]

Michigan coach about Michael Hage: ''I told him as a joke that he's not a 1st year player anymore. He learned how to manage his time, to build a routine, to go to his classes and learn well the requirements of the hockey program.''

''We want him to play his best hockey in the second half of the season, He was really goodm but we need to push him a level a little bit. If we ask him for me, that's because we know that he can took it. It's in these type of challenge that we know what he can do.

Michael Hage: , Everytime that I'll go to another level of hockey, there'll be guys that's more big, more stronger and more faster. But one thing that'll stay the same is my hockey sense. This biggest adaptation is the more faster that I can understand the game that's in front of me. I'm doing it very well.''

This is a straight up Google Translation...I added a human touch.

 

[ahmedou]

This is a straight up Google Translation...I added a human touch.

Dou Translator

 

[Adam Michaels]

 

[ahmedou]

 

[SlafySZN]

 

[waitin425]

Really curious to see him at training camp next year.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Really curious to see him at training camp next year.

You won't. Back to NCAA, he will be at development camp only.

 

[yianik]

This is why he should absolutely go back next year to Michigan. Michigan should have a good class coming in next year which will shift Hage’s role to be more complete and focus more of his defensive game. I am sure the Habs will talk to him and Michigan about that as well.

I had hoped Suzuki would fall to us in his draft year so I kept an eye on him. In D+1 his numbers really didn't move and he said that Vegas wanted him to work on his defensive play, so that's what he did. In D+2 he said Timmins told him to work on doing everything quicker, so that's what he did.

Really important that most players have the time to work on their game before getting to the pro level. Important that their club allows them to do what the NHL team thinks they need to do.

 

[Hannibal]

You won't. Back to NCAA, he will be at development camp only.

With the new rule, a player from
Ncaa can attend camp now, am i mistaken?

 

[Habs Halifax]

I had hoped Suzuki would fall to us in his draft year so I kept an eye on him. In D+1 his numbers really didn't move and he said that Vegas wanted him to work on his defensive play, so that's what he did. In D+2 he said Timmins told him to work on doing everything quicker, so that's what he did.

Really important that most players have the time to work on their game before getting to the pro level. Important that their club allows them to do what the NHL team thinks they need to do.

Great context. The work they put in and how they comprehend their flaws is how they end up becoming impactful NHL players. Remember, Suzuki was not known as a sure shot grade A when we were shopping Patch. Glass was considered a higher grade. Suzuki started on wing for the Habs and busted his ass to improve his maturity.

Skill, Skating, Size are important but you got to have the hockey IQ and will power to overcome challenges. We see so many of them struggle when they turn pro.

 

[McGuires Corndog]

I’ve seen this before. This was Saku’s go to.

 

[yianik]

Great context. The work they put in and how they comprehend their flaws is how they end up becoming impactful NHL players. Remember, Suzuki was not known as a sure shot grade A when we were shopping Patch. Glass was considered a higher grade. Suzuki started on wing for the Habs and busted his ass to improve his maturity.

Skill, Skating, Size are important but you got to have the hockey IQ and will power to overcome challenges. We see so many of them struggle when they turn pro.

Contrast to Galchenyuk. I'm not sure if he had that IQ and maturity. But I do know ow that his lack of defensive play and all around game was a serious problem. Begs the question if that was the case years after the draft, that it must have been the case when he was drafted. So why in the world did we keep him up and let him play under a coach who stated clearly that it wasn't his job to develop players, instead of sending him back to juniors and work on that defensive game.

Maybe Galchenyuk was never going to be a top 6C , but Bergevin made sure he wouldn't have a chance due to his incompetence at handling him.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Contrast to Galchenyuk. I'm not sure if he had that IQ and maturity. But I do know ow that his lack of defensive play and all around game was a serious problem. Begs the question if that was the case years after the draft, that it must have been the case when he was drafted. So why in the world did we keep him up and let him play under a coach who stated clearly that it wasn't his job to develop players, instead of sending him back to juniors and work on that defensive game.

Maybe Galchenyuk was never going to be a top 6C , but Bergevin made sure he wouldn't have a chance due to his incompetence at handling him.

Well said. We have been guilty of rushing players in the past to fill holes. Galchenyuk started well but never had the hockey IQ or work ethic to be the guy we wanted him to be. Maybe he would have gained better momentum/confidence playing one year of Junior and one year of AHL (full time as a center). Regardless of how he turned out, it was the better development plan.

Reinbacher needs to play heavy min's in the AHL and we mix in some NHL games here and there so he understands the level he is at. This applies to Hage as well. Exceptions can be made for Caufield, Hutson, and Demidov but the exceptions should not be the rule.

 

[DAChampion]

Contrast to Galchenyuk. I'm not sure if he had that IQ and maturity. But I do know ow that his lack of defensive play and all around game was a serious problem. Begs the question if that was the case years after the draft, that it must have been the case when he was drafted. So why in the world did we keep him up and let him play under a coach who stated clearly that it wasn't his job to develop players, instead of sending him back to juniors and work on that defensive game.

Maybe Galchenyuk was never going to be a top 6C , but Bergevin made sure he wouldn't have a chance due to his incompetence at handling him.

In hindsight, the Habs should have traded the 2012 third overall pick for a king's ransom, but I'll stick to what should have been more easily obvious.

At the time, in 2013, many of us said that Galchenyuk should be sent back to junior. Though he was good enough to play in the NHL -- he had incredible rookie stats -- he needed to spend time as a center, to learn faceoffs and defensive play.

But Therrien's priority was always to win the next regular season game. He didn't think long term. I'm not sure if he was dumb, insecure, or both, or something else, but that's what it was.

Galchenyuk could have been better with better injury luck and better development. But he seemed to have a poor attitude, so he was extremely unlikely to ever reach his ceiling.

The same thing would happen with Kotkaniemi, who had better defensive, faceoff, and skating skills, but a lesser shot and lesser vision. The Habs wanted to win the next regular season game and so he made the team rather than spending a year in Finland and a year in Laval.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

Contrast to Galchenyuk. I'm not sure if he had that IQ and maturity. But I do know ow that his lack of defensive play and all around game was a serious problem. Begs the question if that was the case years after the draft, that it must have been the case when he was drafted. So why in the world did we keep him up and let him play under a coach who stated clearly that it wasn't his job to develop players, instead of sending him back to juniors and work on that defensive game.

Maybe Galchenyuk was never going to be a top 6C , but Bergevin made sure he wouldn't have a chance due to his incompetence at handling him.

I watched Galchenyuk when he was 16/17 and when he was regarded as one of the most dynamic players of his age group. Then he suffered a major knee injury which greatly limited his skating ability, particularly his lateral mobility. Bergevin took a huge gamble when he drafted Galchenyuk as high as he did. Those unfortunate resulting skating limitations played a much more impactful role on Galchenyuk falling short of his earlier potential than any of Bergevin’s misguided ministrations.

 

[Whalers Fan]

Well said. We have been guilty of rushing players in the past to fill holes. Galchenyuk started well but never had the hockey IQ or work ethic to be the guy we wanted him to be. Maybe he would have gained better momentum/confidence playing one year of Junior and one year of AHL (full time as a center). Regardless of how he turned out, it was the better development plan.

Reinbacher needs to play heavy min's in the AHL and we mix in some NHL games here and there so he understands the level he is at. This applies to Hage as well. Exceptions can be made for Caufield, Hutson , and Demidov but the exceptions should not be the rule.

Keep in mind, though, that both Caufield and Hutson played two years in the NCAA before coming to the Habs, and both were dominant there. Hage should follow that same time line with another NCAA season, and then be evaluated after that.

 

[Toene]

- His coach @ Michigan joked with him that he's no longer a freshman. He learned how to manage his time and build a routine with his school work while keeping up with the demands of the hockey program.

- They want him to play his best hockey in the 2nd half, he's been good but they want him to go to the next level. They're asking for more because they know he can handle it/

- Michael Hage is then quoted as saying that every time he goes to a higher level in hockey, the players are bigger, stronger and fast. But one thing remains the same is his "Vitesse d'esprit" (not quite sure how to translate this, I think it means his "hockey sense"). The biggest hurdle is the adaptation and how quickly a player can get up to speed to it and he feels it's one of his strengths.

Quickness of mind?

 

[yianik]

Well said. We have been guilty of rushing players in the past to fill holes. Galchenyuk started well but never had the hockey IQ or work ethic to be the guy we wanted him to be. Maybe he would have gained better momentum/confidence playing one year of Junior and one year of AHL (full time as a center). Regardless of how he turned out, it was the better development plan.

Reinbacher needs to play heavy min's in the AHL and we mix in some NHL games here and there so he understands the level he is at. This applies to Hage as well. Exceptions can be made for Caufield, Hutson, and Demidov but the exceptions should not be the rule.

We are not used to having talents like Caufield , Hutson and very likely Demidov. These guys just blew it out of the water. Typically it's the 1st or 2nd OA guys that only can do that, but it looks like we are catching up and whiffing for so many years at the Draft.

 

[yianik]

In hindsight, the Habs should have traded the 2012 third overall pick for a king's ransom, but I'll stick to what should have been more easily obvious.

At the time, in 2013, many of us said that Galchenyuk should be sent back to junior. Though he was good enough to play in the NHL -- he had incredible rookie stats -- he needed to spend time as a center, to learn faceoffs and defensive play.

But Therrien's priority was always to win the next regular season game. He didn't think long term. I'm not sure if he was dumb, insecure, or both, or something else, but that's what it was.

Galchenyuk could have been better with better injury luck and better development. But he seemed to have a poor attitude, so he was extremely unlikely to ever reach his ceiling.

The same thing would happen with Kotkaniemi, who had better defensive, faceoff, and skating skills, but a lesser shot and lesser vision. The Habs wanted to win the next regular season game and so he made the team rather than spending a year in Finland and a year in Laval.

The importance of the GM and coach. Galchenyuk would have had a better chance under MSL, and Hutson would not be a rising star under Therrien because of all the razzle dazzle stuff he does, like PK.

And it starts from the top. Molson said rebuild to Gorton, but under Bergevin it was the same acceptance of mediocrity that we have had for decades. We had such a great partial core back then if we had top 6Cs we could have really been a contender, but the goal was just to win the next game as you say.

 

[yianik]

I watched Galchenyuk when he was 16/17 when we was one of the most dynamic players of his age group. Then he suffered a major knee injury which greatly limited his skating, particularly his lateral mobility. Bergevin took a huge gamble when he drafted Galchenyuk. Those resulting skating limitations played a much more impactful role on Galchenyuk falling short of his earlier potential than any of Bergevin’s misguided ministrations.

Nice insight.

I have neither the ability or talent to assess a prospect ( unless it's patently obvious ), so I rely on others. What I don't understand is that's its often the case that a prospect is thought of as being a good skater or its never mentioned as being an issue, until at some point after the draft. Skating is fundamental to a game played on ice, it seems to be brushed aside all too often. I still wish he had gone back to junior as it could have only have benefitted him.

 

[sampollock]

You won't. Back to NCAA, he will be at development camp only.

yup
he is 2 years away, and then maybe a full year in Laval.
great to have this prospect, exciting
but time is needed. so Habs cant count on him to centre the 2nd line anytime soon

 

[ChesterNimitz]

Nice insight.

I have neither the ability or talent to assess a prospect ( unless it's patently obvious ), so I rely on others. What I don't understand is that's its often the case that a prospect is thought of as being a good skater or its never mentioned as being an issue, until at some point after the draft. Skating is fundamental to a game played on ice, it seems to be brushed aside all too often. I still wish he had gone back to junior as it could have only have benefitted him.

Skating is the one of the principal determinants that separates NHL and AHL players and Rep players from house league players. Before his injury, Galchenyuk was a dynamic skater, then that major injury. I was worried about the gamble we took selecting Galchenyuk after that injury and the uncertainty of the effect of same. Some players never fully recover from that degree of injury to their knee. Some, pardon the pun, skate right through it. Just look at Dach. Fortunately, he seems to have now turned the corner. But earlier in the year, he skated with all the facility and ease of a tool shed.

Bergevin, gambled. Unluckily for both the team and the player the gamble didn't payoff.

 

[ahmedou]

3 points (3 assists) in his last 5 games

8 points (2 goals and 6 assists) in his last 10 games