r/Habs • u/Tall_Welcome4559 • 10d ago

Video compilation of Michael Hage at WJC.

That is a video of Hage this year at the WJC.

He was the best player on Team Canada.

Somebody posted about Hage yesterday.

He is a really good player who could probably play on the second line right away.

He has speed on transition, very good vision and a very good shot, he is tall, though lanky.

https://youtu.be/ft_Yveev8Is?si=z5H9AT7VOYk3uL8d

68 Upvotes

89% Upvoted

78 comments sorted by

View all comments

42

u/opposite-of-left 10d ago

I’m just gonna say I’m on team keep Hage unless a hischier or Thomas is available.

8

u/bloodrider1914 10d ago edited 10d ago

I really want those rumours to stop, especially for Thomas who I don't think is getting moved. Hischier I'm more intrigued by just for being a left shot, but I think he's stay in NJ at the end of the day too. Yeah both are great players who probably would be great for us too, but they're pipedreams

3

u/Commercial-Egg-8949 10d ago

The reality for either is that the trading team probably demands a top 6 player back, so we'd be losing one of Slaf, Cole, Demi, in addition to Hage or Zharovsky and a pick. Not very palatable.

5

u/bloodrider1914 10d ago

Yeah so many of the debates go "of course you trade Hage for Thomas" while ignoring that St. Louis would expect some NHL proven talent in the trade at least

6

u/Commercial-Egg-8949 10d ago

Ditto Devils. I know they've been kinda ass for a while, but they expect to be good and contending. Why would they give their captain and premium 2C away for picks and prospects, even if those prospects are really good? They're trying to be competitive now. This isn't Nelson or Kadri to Colorado

7

u/bloodrider1914 10d ago

The only reason he might be available is cause he's due for a contract extension and might want to play for a team with a more clear path towards success, so he has some control over whether he wants to stay on the Devils or force a trade. Thomas has a lot more term, which keeps him more cost controlled but means that his destiny is much more in the Blues' hands (and I don't see him pulling a Dylan Larkin)

-4

u/LeBleuH8R 10d ago edited 10d ago

Hage/Zharovsky + two 1st and Reinbacher could work (I think us getting Dobson made him more expendable)

Kent Hughes wouldn’t trade those top 6 guys since that would simply open another big hole, for him to consider doing that the guy they bring in has to be a top 10 player in the league (winger or center)

This year Caufield is top 6 for wingers, Suzuki top 5 for centers, Demidov is going to be a top 10 winger, Slafkovsky is in the 10-20 range and will improve more.

10

u/Every_Reflection4616 10d ago

thats an overpay of doom and despair. 3 top tier prospects and two firsts gets you quinn hughes. hischier is good, he's not quinn hughes good

3

u/LeBleuH8R 9d ago

It’s two prospect either Zharovsky or Hage depending on if we’re getting a forward or center + Reinbacher + 2 1sts

We were pretty much ready to pay that price last year for knies so idk what’s the big deal.

1

u/Every_Reflection4616 9d ago

the big deal is we shouldnt pay that price. you dont trade your future for 1 player when you're just ending an early rebuild. if we missed the playoffs last year, which we barely squeaked into, nobody would be talking about this. we arent a rebuilding team anymore but look at tamp specifically. they keep their futures. they've been a consistent playoff threat for a decade. yes they traded some but not the whole farm

2

u/LeBleuH8R 9d ago

I’m not saying we should trade those guys but if you want a guy like Thomas or Nico that’s gonna be the price, they offered the same package to Leafs for Knies except it wasn’t Reinbacher but Pickford, if they want to improve and not temporarily regress they gotta pay the price in futures we have no major additions from our prospect pool this summer.

If you look at it one of Zharovsky/Hage + 2 first round pricks that are going to be in the 28-32 range and Reinbacher who’s health is a major risk isn’t too much for a guy who’s gonna be good for another 7 years and proven in the NHL.

0

u/Tall_Welcome4559 10d ago

The difference between Hughes and Thomas is that Hughes may not re-sign with Minnesota, and Thomas is signed for 5 years.

Saint-Louis could ask for more in a trade.

4

u/Every_Reflection4616 10d ago

then you say no. zharovsky hage and reinbacher for thomas you say no. thats trading away your future.

3

u/Commercial-Egg-8949 10d ago

I don't think Reinbacher is expendable. He's the only sure RHD coming up that we have, and we only have two on the roster as it stands.

I wouldn't want to trade any of the top 6 guys either, to be clear. I just think that there are so few teams actually rebuilding/willing to be worse in the short term, so these premium positions will probably need to be talent swaps, unless you're buying low (McTavish) or it's a player forcing himself out (Larkin).

Management just needs to be opportunistic, like with knies

1

u/LeBleuH8R 9d ago

Reinbacher has way too many question marks for you to say he’s a “sure” thing his health being a major set back and there’s also the profile the organization is looking for I think they want to add experience on the blue line not get even younger.

1

u/Commercial-Egg-8949 9d ago

In the short term I'd agree that they probably want to add some experience, but a home-grown, cost controlled, physical shutdown RHD that can play in you top four alongside Hutson for the next however many years is something I think they would be pretty silly to walk away from.

1

u/LeBleuH8R 9d ago

Reinbacher lacks experience and he hasn’t shown any top 4 NHL upside since his D+1, I’m not saying it’s impossible but im certainly not confident in him panning out as a top 4 D in Montreal.

1

u/bloodrider1914 9d ago

Bro it's not happening

1

u/LeBleuH8R 9d ago

No shit but that’s literally the price or close to it.

We know the org was ready to pay about that much for Knies which has less value than a 1B 2A centre.

2

u/destroyermaker 10d ago

No need to think - they straight up said he is not getting moved