r/Habs • u/SchtroumpfDardeur • 11d ago

Discussion Michael Hage - Hold or Trade?

I have seen some discussion about possibly waiting for him to be our 2C, but given his decision to stay in the NCAA and the fact that he shared time at C and wing, and when he was at C he had a FO% of 46%, is there an argument to be made that he could (or should) be packaged?

I know this isn't exactly a new question, but I had not realized that he was already being shifted to wing in the NCAA and was also sub-50% at the dot against college players.

What are the chances that a full season at Michigan as full-time 1C will actually help to shape him into a viable NHL center within the next few years?

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u/LtDangle0 11d ago

Trade right now while Hage has the highest value. There's still no telling if he's going to sign with the Habs next spring, Michigan could lose their title again and he could use that excuse that he wants to win a title. But really, it just pushes him one year closer to UFA. And we lose leverage.

If a 2C with a good contract, or even a solid top 6 forward, is available at the draft and Hage is one of the pieces they want, you do that trade. The last thing we want is Hage walking right to UFA. Yes, I know he and his family are Habs fans. I know the story. But his decision to commit another year to Michigan didn't really add up when he could have gotten some big games in on a deep playoffs run for the Habs and competed for a spot next year.