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

[TomKosto]

A little depressing to see how Hage’s season has gone. After a great start, and all the glowing comments about him, I thought we finally found our future impact #2 C

Now I honestly don’t know what we have in him as a few red flags have come up which were never mentioned before (Consistency,Engagement )

Add to this his offensive slowdown and lack of strength and I guess it’s same old same old when it comes to the Habs - our prospects being overhyped

I get that he’s young and the team is not that good and that he’s targeted by the opposition, but those same excuses were being used for Poehling and look at how that turned out

If he was a sure thing 2C, he wouldve been drafted higher. I always though he was a project. We tend to overhyped our prospects a lot. A guy told me in an other thread he was a sure thing to put up 42pts in his nhl season which seems unlikely, and we could get the equivalent of Rantanen with adding our first rounders this year, which I don’t believe either.

He will need time, which is ok but if we can package him for a 2C this summer, I would do it.

 

[417]

A little depressing to see how Hage’s season has gone. After a great start, and all the glowing comments about him, I thought we finally found our future impact #2 C

Now I honestly don’t know what we have in him as a few red flags have come up which were never mentioned before (Consistency,Engagement )

Add to this his offensive slowdown and lack of strength and I guess it’s same old same old when it comes to the Habs - our prospects being overhyped

I get that he’s young and the team is not that good and that he’s targeted by the opposition, but those same excuses were being used for Poehling and look at how that turned out

Should probably take a break from following prospects if his season depressed you.

 

[TomKosto]

Should probably take a break from following prospects if his season depressed you.

Spring is coming, gonna help us all lmfao

 

[covfefe]

I too am disappointed in our 21st overall selection.

I was fully expecting him to score at least 1 more point that this year's presumptive 1-4 OA choice, who he's the same age as....

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

Should probably take a break from following prospects if his season depressed you.

9 pts in his last 10 games. Finished over a PPG as a freshman with zero support.

Where’s the fire guys lol

 

[Tyson]

9 pts in his last 10 games. Finished over a PPG as a freshman with zero support.

Where’s the fire guys lol

Well said!

 

[montreal]

A little depressing to see how Hage’s season has gone. After a great start, and all the glowing comments about him, I thought we finally found our future impact #2 C

Now I honestly don’t know what we have in him as a few red flags have come up which were never mentioned before (Consistency,Engagement )

Add to this his offensive slowdown and lack of strength and I guess it’s same old same old when it comes to the Habs - our prospects being overhyped

I get that he’s young and the team is not that good and that he’s targeted by the opposition, but those same excuses were being used for Poehling and look at how that turned out

The same red flags were known about him at the draft, it was said that he wasn't 100% going to be a center due to his size and defense.

 

[windycity]

I thought you meant physical hits for a minute, and so I was confused

It's PTSD from the Therrien days, he'd try and turn both into grinders

 

[montreal]

The NCAA is broken up into 2 semesters, the 1st half the top teams schedule games against weak comp from conferences like the CCHA, Atlantic, ECAC and the Ind teams. In the 2nd half that's when the schedules get much tougher because they are mostly or all conference games.

Hage 1st half - 15-10-8-18 +7 6 pims
Hage 2nd half - 18-3-13-16 -16 17 pims

 

[CheldishGamibno]

A little depressing to see how Hage’s season has gone. After a great start, and all the glowing comments about him, I thought we finally found our future impact #2 C

Now I honestly don’t know what we have in him as a few red flags have come up which were never mentioned before (Consistency,Engagement )

Add to this his offensive slowdown and lack of strength and I guess it’s same old same old when it comes to the Habs - our prospects being overhyped

I get that he’s young and the team is not that good and that he’s targeted by the opposition, but those same excuses were being used for Poehling and look at how that turned out

Hage reading this

 

[Favster]

His season was very similar to Caufield's first in the NCAA tbh, very hot start and a drop in overall play and production in second half. I'm not concerned at all. If we want him to be the best he can be down the road he needs to face adversity, it's essential in any players road to the NHL.

 

[EXPOS123]

Ok so Im

The same red flags were known about him at the draft, it was said that he wasn't 100% going to be a center due to his size

And the inconsistency and engagement?

 

[EXPOS123]

Well said!

Hage reading this

So the fact that he’s listed at #40 in a recent prospect ranking after I was expecting him to be in at least the top 30 after the supposed great season he’s having not a cause for concern?

Color me jaded, and can you blame me?

After all this is the same board where I was told Jacob de la Rose was a great #2 C with untapped offensive potential and Hudon was a top six forward

 

[WeThreeKings]

A little depressing to see how Hage’s season has gone. After a great start, and all the glowing comments about him, I thought we finally found our future impact #2 C

Now I honestly don’t know what we have in him as a few red flags have come up which were never mentioned before (Consistency,Engagement )

Add to this his offensive slowdown and lack of strength and I guess it’s same old same old when it comes to the Habs - our prospects being overhyped

I get that he’s young and the team is not that good and that he’s targeted by the opposition, but those same excuses were being used for Poehling and look at how that turned out

Poehling never had a single offensive tool that Hage possesses.

 

[montreal]

Ok so Im


And the inconsistency and engagement?

I believe so, would have to go back and read scouting reports as I didn't see him play until after the draft.

 

[Redux91]

A little depressing to see how Hage’s season has gone. After a great start, and all the glowing comments about him, I thought we finally found our future impact #2 C

Now I honestly don’t know what we have in him as a few red flags have come up which were never mentioned before (Consistency,Engagement )

Add to this his offensive slowdown and lack of strength and I guess it’s same old same old when it comes to the Habs - our prospects being overhyped

I get that he’s young and the team is not that good and that he’s targeted by the opposition, but those same excuses were being used for Poehling and look at how that turned out

So

Have you ever actually 'watched' him play orrrrrr...?

 

[MTL Dirty Birdy]

Mtl is famous for revering the undersized middle 6 forwards.. just so vanilla in todays nhl.
We need dynamic offense.

Hage isn't a vanilla player.. id say he falls somewhere between Caufield and Beck

I don’t think he plays with Becks edge and 200 ft game…

 

[MTL Dirty Birdy]

The same red flags were known about him at the draft, it was said that he wasn't 100% going to be a center due to his size and defense.

Defence ? Sure. But over 6’ and 190 lbs as a teen is no slouch.

 

[Miller Time]

A little depressing to see how Hage’s season has gone. After a great start, and all the glowing comments about him, I thought we finally found our future impact #2 C

Now I honestly don’t know what we have in him as a few red flags have come up which were never mentioned before (Consistency,Engagement )

Add to this his offensive slowdown and lack of strength and I guess it’s same old same old when it comes to the Habs - our prospects being overhyped

I get that he’s young and the team is not that good and that he’s targeted by the opposition, but those same excuses were being used for Poehling and look at how that turned out

Hage delivers standout freshman year at University of Michigan | Montréal Canadiens

Habs prospect and Michigan await NCAA Tournament fate on March 23

www.nhl.com

 

[Andrei79]

So

Have you ever actually 'watched' him play orrrrrr...?

I thought he had a good season but wasn't impressed with last games. Made a lot of soft plays, poor puck decisions. The skill is there though and the skating is fantastic. Montreal is right when he says he needs to bulk up, he has no upper body. His game is also raw and needs a lot of fine tuning without the puck if he wants to be a center in the NHL.

 

[EXPOS123]

I thought he had a good season but wasn't impressed with last games. Made a lot of soft plays, poor puck decisions. The skill is there though and the skating is fantastic. Montreal is right when he says he needs to bulk up, he has no upper body. His game is also raw and needs a lot of fine tuning without the puck if he wants to be a center in the NHL.

Thank you. This is what I want - an unbiased opinion that confirms his season was far from being as incredible as people make it out to be

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

Thank you. This is what I want - an unbiased opinion that confirms his season was far from being as incredible as people make it out to be

It was pretty incredible when you consider that there was very little to work with on the team.

 

[JIMVINNY]

He didn't finish the season as well as he started, but my opinion of him is exactly the same as it was at the start of this season. He's got top-6 NHL skill, but the difference between a motivated Hage and a lazy Hage will keep him out of the NHL if he doesn't sort it out. The increased size and weight of NCAA players definitely took it's toll as welll, and he wasn't anywhere near as effective as he was earlier in the season. If he can get stronger, both mentally and physically, the talent is definitely there for him to be a top 6 NHLer, but whether he can or not remains to be seen.

 

[Redux91]

I thought he had a good season but wasn't impressed with last games. Made a lot of soft plays, poor puck decisions. The skill is there though and the skating is fantastic. Montreal is right when he says he needs to bulk up, he has no upper body. His game is also raw and needs a lot of fine tuning without the puck if he wants to be a center in the NHL.

Thats's way better analysis, good job lol

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

He didn't finish the season as well as he started, but my opinion of him is exactly the same as it was at the start of this season. He's got top-6 NHL skill, but the difference between a motivated Hage and a lazy Hage will keep him out of the NHL if he doesn't sort it out. The increased size and weight of NCAA players definitely took it's toll as welll, and he wasn't anywhere near as effective as he was earlier in the season. If he can get stronger, both mentally and physically, the talent is definitely there for him to be a top 6 NHLer, but whether he can or not remains to be seen.

He will have to get stronger but he was targetted because he was the only good player on the team. And probably no one to come to his aid. There will be lots of good forwards on the Habs when he graduates. The opposition won't be able to concentrate on him.