Canadiens Prospect Rankings – Supersonic Michael Hage

There are only a handful of players left to profile in our annual Montreal Canadiens prospect rankings, with electric forward Michael Hage nabbing the No.4 spot.

As a reminder, to qualify for our list, Habs prospects must under 24 years old and have fewer than 75 NHL games under their belt. The rankings are based on the votes from almost 10,000 Canadiens fans.

If you would like to check out the prospect profiles that have already been published, scroll to the bottom of the article.

4. Michael Hage, 19, Shoots Right, Centre, University of Michigan (NCAA), 6’1″, 198 lb. Picked 21st overall in 2024.

There was an era when only one or two prospects possessing a combination of speed and puck-handling were draft-eligible, typically selected first or second overall, depending on the rest of the draft class.

Things have changed considerably in the modern hockey landscape, as players tend to develop impressive skill sets from a much younger age. This leads to high-end prospects being available beyond the first few picks, part of the reason the Montreal Canadiens managed to draft Hage with the 21st overall pick at the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. The Habs also had to trade up to ensure they could pick the Mississauga native, a rather wise decision given how well he performed during his rookie season in the NCAA.

Hage epitomizes exciting hockey, and he’s smoother than a fresh jar of Skippy.

Have you ever had a chance to watch a falcon hunt?

Once they establish their target, they torpedo towards them with blistering speed and steadfast focus, making their mark before the prey has a chance to react.

Well, that’s exactly how Hage attacks the offensive zone, owing to his fantastic skating and elite puck-handling skills.

Hage is on FIRE! His first career goal and he has points on EVERY Michigan goal this weekend pic.twitter.com/UeNc4IaDej

— Michigan Hockey (@umichhockey) October 5, 2024

On top of executing plays at full speed, Hage has a penchant for unleashing his great shot before he’s done burning the unfortunate defenceman tasked with shutting him down. This often catches goaltenders off guard, as they don’t have time to get set, and we all know a moving goalie is a vulnerable goalie.

Michael Hage’s Freshman Season In The NCAA

Hage did not waste any time making a positive impact in the Wolverines lineup. He notched two assists in his first NCAA game, and followed it up with a goal the following day. In fact, it took until October 19 for a team to keep Hage off the scoresheet, a testament to his impressive ability to quickly acclimatize to his new surroundings.

He finished the season with a point-per-game pace, scoring 13 goals and 21 assists in 33 games, a very respectable production rate for a freshman playing on a team that established an 18-15-3 record. The only teammate who managed to outscore Hage happened to be four years older, and featured in three additional games.

His excellent rookie season led to an invitation by Team Canada to participate in the World Juniors Summer Showcase, where Hage stole the show alongside fellow Montreal Canadiens prospect Aatos Koivu. It must also be said that Hage managed to improve his standing among Canadiens prospects, a rather difficult proposal seeing as most fans already considered him to be among the team’s best young players.

What’s Next For Montreal Canadiens Prospect Michael Hage?

Every prospect has weaknesses, and Hage is no different.

However, if I’m being perfectly honest, you have to look hard to find a nit to pick in his case.

Adding a little more muscle to his frame could improve his chances of winning 1v1 puck battles, and his defensive awareness is far from elite.

He also absorbed a few heavy hits throughout the season, which led to him missing a few games, though that’s par for the course considering his dynamic style of play. He loves cutting to the inside of the ice after making a wide turn while entering the offensive zone with control of the puck.

Simply put, Hage checks all the boxes for prospects with strong odds of reaching the NHL, making him one of the most important young players in the Montreal Canadiens’ organization, a very exciting situation considering he’s just getting started, and the best is yet to come.

Previously Published 2025 Montreal Canadiens Prospect Articles:

Canadiens Prospect Rankings: Introduction, 2024 Retrospective

Canadiens Prospect Rankings: The Departed And Traded

Canadiens Prospect Rankings: The Honourable Mentions

Canadiens Prospect Rankings No.20 – Filip Mesar

Canadiens Prospect Rankings No.19 – Luke Tuch

Canadiens Prospect Rankings No.18 – Aatos Koivu

Canadiens Prospect Rankings No.17 – Sean Farrell

Canadiens Prospect Rankings No.16 – Vinzenz Rohrer

Canadiens Prospect Rankings No.15 – Jared Davidson

Canadiens Prospect Rankings No.14 – Bogdan Konyushkov

Canadiens Prospect Rankings No.13 – Hayden Paupanekis