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

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

Of course, not every prospect develop the same way. Suzuki never had the tools of Hage but he is a more cerebral player than Hage and more reliable defensively too. The only point I was trying to make that having a 19 years old prospect with some flaws in his game and still developing is normal. I think Hage is in a good situation with Michigan and then next year the Habs.

Oh yeah 100% I was in agreement just wanted to add the development curve stuff. Wasn’t saying you were ignoring that. Sorry if it came off that way!

 

[montreal]

 

[montreal]

 

[Pompeius Magnus]

All the more reason to draft Spence now !

 

[Adam Michaels]

Draft hopeful Malcolm Spence is going to Michigan. He’s going to play with our boy Hage. Even more reason to take this beast who will now get to properly train like NCAA kids and become stronger.

And IF there is truth to the rumors that Gavin McKenna and Porter Martone will go to the NCAA, they've been linked to Michigan, they will be a solid team. Hage could actually have real good players he can play with.

 

[KevSkillz4]

Can't wait to see Michael Hage with a better team. He should have put more than 34 pts in 33 games with a better team. I really hope we don't put him in a trade for a 2C... this guy is the real deal. The fact he wanted to be a Habs with the father dead and have been a huge Habs fan. This guy will put everything to become the best possible player for Montreal Canadiens.

His skillset are very very good, his first NCAA year, give me big hope for him. I think he have huge chance to become a solid top 6 player in NHL and a chance to become a 1st line player aswell.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Can't wait to see Michael Hage with a better team. He should have put more than 34 pts in 33 games with a better team. I really hope we don't put him in a trade for a 2C... this guy is the real deal. The fact he wanted to be a Habs with the father dead and have been a huge Habs fan. This guy will put everything to become the best possible player for Montreal Canadiens.

His skillset are very very good, his first NCAA year, give me big hope for him. I think he have huge chance to become a solid top 6 player in NHL and a chance to become a 1st line player aswell.

Reinbacher, Fowler, and Hage just simply aren't going anywhere.

 

[KevSkillz4]

Reinbacher, Fowler, and Hage just simply aren't going anywhere.

That's all my prospect I would don't touch in a hockey trade. The rest, we can put that in a trade.

They are have all tools, attitude, talent, size to become very very solid pieces. They will join great young pieces who are already here aswell.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

Can't wait to see Michael Hage with a better team. He should have put more than 34 pts in 33 games with a better team. I really hope we don't put him in a trade for a 2C... this guy is the real deal. The fact he wanted to be a Habs with the father dead and have been a huge Habs fan. This guy will put everything to become the best possible player for Montreal Canadiens.

His skillset are very very good, his first NCAA year, give me big hope for him. I think he have huge chance to become a solid top 6 player in NHL and a chance to become a 1st line player aswell.

Being a PPG as a freshman is fantastic. And to do it with practically no help is even more impressive. His ‘weak’ 2nd half wasn’t even that weak.

I don’t think people have turned on him but not seeing him as a dynamic potentially big piece is silly just because he didn’t keep up his insane first half pace. He needs work but if he takes the same leap Caufield did in his sophomore season we’re in business

 

[montreal]

Can't wait to see Michael Hage with a better team. He should have put more than 34 pts in 33 games with a better team. I really hope we don't put him in a trade for a 2C... this guy is the real deal. The fact he wanted to be a Habs with the father dead and have been a huge Habs fan. This guy will put everything to become the best possible player for Montreal Canadiens.

His skillset are very very good, his first NCAA year, give me big hope for him. I think he have huge chance to become a solid top 6 player in NHL and a chance to become a 1st line player aswell.

some of it's on him though, kind of like Mesar in that when you only work hard when you feel like it is not a good sign. But that's a part of growing up and maturing. He will either figure it out or he won't, but with that elite skating and high end offensive abilities, he's going to play in the NHL at some point. Not sure he's a center until he can do a much better job defensively, add a good bit of mass and strength, improve FO's.

 

[KevSkillz4]

Being a PPG as a freshman is fantastic. And to do it with practically no help is even more impressive. His ‘weak’ 2nd half wasn’t even that weak.

I don’t think people have turned on him but not seeing him as a dynamic potentially big piece is silly just because he didn’t keep up his insane first half pace. He needs work but if he takes the same leap Caufield did in his sophomore season we’re in business

Even great top 6 forward in NHL they don't have put flashs like Michael Hage in their freshman season. If he put 50 pts in 30 games next year (Like you said), same production of Caufield, that will show his high potential.

I'm very confident that he will put great numbers next year, if it's more than 50 pts in 30 games, that would be a very high bonus, but same production of Caufield, it's perfect progression.

We will see!!

 

[montreal]

Even great top 6 forward in NHL they don't have put flashs like MIchael Hage in their freshman season. If he put 50 pts in 30 games next year (Like you said), same production of Caufield, that will show his high potential.

I'm very confident that he will put great numbers next year, if it's more than 50 pts in 30 games, that would be a very high bonus, but same production of Caufield, it's perfect progression.

We will see!!

He looked like he was on pace to have a better Freshman year then Caufield which is saying something but he really tailed off in the 2nd half, which in the NCAA is always the more difficult half as it's mostly all conference games vs the 1st half were teams beat up on Atlantic conference teams or other weaker programs.

 

[Junohockeyfan]

He looked like he was on pace to have a better Freshman year then Caufield which is saying something but he really tailed off in the 2nd half, which in the NCAA is always the more difficult half as it's mostly all conference games vs the 1st half were teams beat up on Atlantic conference teams or other weaker programs.

Didn't he suffer nagging injuries as well which held him back?

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

Every prospect is a project then. The tools do not dissapear. His skating, hands, vision, shots are all very good. He just has to become stronger and work on his defensive game but I think we have every rights to be excited by his potential.

No need to build a false equivalency as Hage is a very good prospect but he needs to work on more than you think and the post that you replied to was a far more realistic prognostication then Hage potentially being our full time 2C after next season. As his coach has already said, he did not dominate this season and needs to find more consistency in his game. Hage was the pick that I was hoping for and I was/am stoked about it happening. There is just a lot of silly.hyperbolic takes in this thread that need to be reeled in.

He has a long way to go defensively as well as significant improvement in his physical game and played/looked much more like a winger than he did a center on too many occasions this season.. It is much more likely that he initially makes it on the wing if he indeed does make the NHL after next season. This would not mean that he will not be a center but I don't see anything more than a pipe dream when people mention him as a 2C in Montreal 17 months from now. If you said 3 years from now I would be more inclined to agree although even that is close to best case scenario.

Hage will be in Michigan this season then likely in Laval next season and potentially in Montreal for stints but maybe on the wing. It is the year after that where he is more likely to make the team but again.....maybe not initially as a center if he is in the top 6.

I get that you used the caveat ("if he explodes" or something to that effect) and I agree that would/could expedite his ascension and that he has the raw talent to suddenly develop into a very dynamic player who is too good for the NCAA but playing center on a good in the top 6 of a talented NHL team requires mental development that doesn't typically spike in the same way that physical prowess does. This part will take time and maturity to properly develop and that is why I cringe a little at the assertion that a meteoric rise to an NHL 2C is a plausible expectation.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

He looked like he was on pace to have a better Freshman year then Caufield which is saying something but he really tailed off in the 2nd half, which in the NCAA is always the more difficult half as it's mostly all conference games vs the 1st half were teams beat up on Atlantic conference teams or other weaker programs.

Very good point.

To me that was the obvious tell that his development curve to the NHL is not likely a 1 or two year situation. I agree with the assertion that his team/linemates were far from impressive but he clearly was not nearly as effective/productive when the competition ramped up and that is ok as rookie.

I still love the kid as a prospect but wish people would just calm down with the the talk of him being on the verge of being a difference maker at the NHL level as they will likely be disappointed and then start calling him a bust before he is 23.

He will take 3-5 years to make the team imo and that is perfectly fine and hopefully fans will remain patient if he ends up closer to 5 years. I will be disappointed if he doesn't become a very good player for us as I believe in him but I think my expectations for his arrival are likely closer to the truth than some of the stuff that I am reading.