At the Canadiens’ development camp in July, Michael Hage said one of his goals this season was to make Team Canada for the IIHF World Junior Championship.
In order to do that, the 19-year-old centre — selected by the Canadiens in the first round (21st overall) of the 2024 NHL Draft — said it would be important to get off to a good start in his sophomore season at the University of Michigan.
On Friday night, Hage scored two goals and added three assists as Michigan, ranked No. 12 in NCAA hockey, opened the season with an 11-1 win over Mercyhurst at Yost Ice Arena in Ann Arbor, Mich. Last season, Hage was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year after posting 13-21-34 totals in 33 games.
Hage was one of two Canadiens prospects — along with Owen Protz, a defenceman with the OHL’s Brantford Bulldogs — invited to Hockey Canada’s Summer Showcase ahead of the world junior championship, which begins Dec. 26 and runs through Jan. 5 in Minnesota. The Canadiens selected Protz in the fourth round (102nd overall) of the 2024 NHL Draft.
“What impressed me most about Michael is you kind of under-appreciate his 200-foot game,” Rob Rassey, an associated head coach at Michigan, told The Gazette in an interview this summer when asked about Hage.
“It’s still an area where he has to grow and develop to play at the National Hockey League level. But for me seeing how engaged he was and willing to learn the responsibilities of playing a 200-foot game and a complete hockey game, not just skill. Because he has the skill to be able to take over games, but as he moves up that’s harder to do.
“I thought he still made some plays this year that make you go wow, but I also feel like throughout the course of the year he really developed and grew into a 200-foot player. He can make plays with the best of them. He’s extremely, extremely talented,” Rassey said.
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