Michael Hage Returns to Michigan as Montreal Has No Issues With It
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, on Saturday Headlines on Hockey Night in Canada with Ron MacLean, was asked why Montreal Canadiens prospect Michael Hage decided to return to Michigan instead of turning pro.
NHLRumors.com Transcriptions
NHL Rumors: Montreal Canadiens, and the Philadelphia Flyers
Ron MacLean: “So Michael Hage, a lot of Montreal, because you see (Porter) Martone doing what he’s doing in Winnipeg and for the Philadelphia Flyers. Everybody, and you broke it that Michael won’t go to Montreal.”
Elliotte Friedman: “Well, there was certainly a lot of disappointed Canadiens fans. They were surprised. They wanted to hear that Hage, the talented young prospect, would be joining the Canadiens for the remainder of this regular season. But I’m here to tell them, there is no reason to panic, there is no reason to. They have his rights for two more years.
There is no reason to believe Hage is unhappy with the Canadiens, and there is no reason to believe the Canadiens are unhappy with Hage and will try to trade him. They met about two weeks ago. They had about a three-hour dinner. Kent Hughes pulled out the titanium card. He was there. John Sedgwick, the AGM was there. Hage was there, and his advisors were there. And they all laid it out. They talked about all the different situations.
The Montreal Canadiens Are Following Their Plan for Success
I believe at that time, the Canadiens let it be known that if they were ready for him to join pro, but they said there is no wrong decision here, and they left it up to him to make the call. And I think for Hayes, there’s a few things here.
Number one, increased role at Michigan next year, even more than he had this year. Number two, unfinished business. They lost in the Frozen Four. Number three, the possibility that his brother could join the Wolverines and play there.
So that was the decision he made. And I don’t think there’s any reason for Canadiens fans to panic. I think they just said, Look, we’re ready for you if you want to come. But there’s no wrong decision and no animosity.”
NHLRumors.com Note: Once Michigan lost to Denver, who ultimately won the National Championship against Wisconsin on Saturday night, speculation began about Michael Hage potentially turning pro. Now, there was a lot of talk all year about Hage, given that the Canadiens didn’t add a second-line center.
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However, as Marco D’Amico noted when he broke the story, the development curve was part of the decision. As TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button told Tony Marinano on the Sick Podcast, he didn’t believe he was ready.
If the Canadiens truly see him as a center, then what is the harm of him going back to college, where he will have an increased role? He gets bigger and stronger in the gym, putting on muscle because his schedule is lighter than in the AHL or NHL. Not to mention the NIL he could potentially earn by chasing a National Title.
If these types of players want to avoid going to the AHL, going back to college makes sense. Not to mention, he is coming off an ankle injury that probably would have kept others out of the lineup.
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