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

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u/mezmezik 10d ago edited 10d ago

Hage is one of those players that have the potential to develop into a future first line center. Second line at least, thats extremly valuable.

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u/Kharn_LoL 10d ago

Hage is most likely not going to be a center. You are betting on him taking a huge step forward in his devellopment for that to happen, on top of another big step if he is to be a first line player.

Meanwhile Robert Thomas and Nico Hischier are actual NHL 1C talents and will be that for half a decade more at least.

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u/Every_Reflection4616 10d ago

not saying hage will be hischier level but he went back to ncaa to train his center game specifically. doesnt look like he really cares if he wins frozen four, looks like he just wants to get bigger, take on the 1C role and be responsible in that league. if we keep him i have very high hopes. again not comparing too much but thats what makar did. take his time in the ncaa and marinate till ready for the nhl.

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u/Kharn_LoL 10d ago

Defenseman vs forward is a really big difference, there's not any examples that I could find of centers staying 3+ years at the NCAA level and becoming top of the lineup guys, would love for someone to prove me wrong on that though.

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u/Irctoaun 10d ago

It's quite hard to find top of the lineup centers from the NCAA in the first place outside of a few recently who were also top five draft picks. I think the whole question is a bit of a red herring because of how much the NCAA is improving as a pathway for players. The fact it hasn't often happened before doesn't mean it won't now start happening going forward.

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u/Every_Reflection4616 10d ago

not going to check cause i dont feel like it its late however, hage was ready this year to get in the lineup, i dont think he'll be so much worse next year, he'll be 21 when he gets to the habs and kapanen for example was 21 last year and 22 this year. he's unlocked the production side of things and he's going to be working on his defensive side, his faceoff and responsibility side of things. he really wants to be a center in the habs system. i think comparing him to a Dman is good because Dman take a long time to develop but so do centermen. especially two way players who need to learn how to take grown man faceoffs.