With the 21st pick of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, the Montreal Canadiens have selected Michael Hage from the Chicago Steel of the United States Hockey League (USHL)
About Michael Hage
Michael Hage is an intriguing center prospect from the USHL who put up some sensational numbers for a 17-year-old. Just for reference, he had more points (75) in the same amount or fewer games (54) than the following in USHL history: Adam Fantilli, Kyle Connor, Johnny Gaudreau, and Brock Boeser. Hage had the seventh-most points among age-17 players in USHL history, putting him in some elite company, to say the least.
Related: 2024 NHL Draft: Live Tracker
Hage’s offensive upside is easy to recognize. He is a terrific skater and sees the ice extremely well. Even though he needs to work on his defensive game, a top-six forward projection seems fair to him. It will be very interesting to see what kind of player he can become with more development as well as being in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in 2024-25; he committed to the University of Michigan.
THW Prospect Profile Excerpt
“Hage is a small forward who possesses quickness, agility, and intelligence, like most of his peers in the position. However, his greatest attribute is his excellent skating ability. His pristine edgework and powerful first three strides allow him to move quickly and overwhelm his opponents. He combines his speed with his hands to blow by defenders and create numerous scoring opportunities. He has a unique way of using his hands on his shot, creating dominant deception angles that make it nearly impossible for the goalies to predict where his shot is headed. When he combines the deception angles with his quick release, the goalie stands no chance of saving the puck when he has the space to shoot.
“Hage exhibits a high level of intelligence in all three zones, which is something many young players require assistance with. This enables him to be in the right place at the right time. It frequently causes opposing teams to lose possession of the puck as he anticipates its trajectory and adopts the appropriate angles to chase down opponents. Despite his relatively small size, his positioning and hard work enable him to be effective in his own zone. Like most young players, He is expected to grow and develop physically, which will make him a more well-rounded player in all facets of the game.
Related: 2024 NHL Draft Guide
“With increased strength, Hage’s shot will become more complex and eventually become a deadly asset. Additionally, his size will better equip him to play against larger players within the league and protect the puck more effectively. He is a well-respected and outgoing individual known by his peers around the rink. If he works hard to gain strength and size, he has the potential to become a game-changing forward at the next level.
Full player profile can be found here.
How This Affects the Canadiens’ Plans
Now with a pretty loaded offense consisting of Juraj Slafkovsky, Ivan Demidov, Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Kirby Dach, Alex Newhook, and more, the Canadiens’ forwards look pretty solid. They have superstar potential with the first two, while the rest can be high-end top-six players—Hage can be another.
Hage is a really solid value pick for Montreal with the 21st pick. While they might have wanted a player like Cole Eiserman to fall to them, they ultimately did really well here. Hage can provide them with offensive upside that they could really use if and when he makes the jump to the NHL. There’s some second-line upside with the 18-year-old centerman.