Habs Fans: What You NEED TO KNOW About Michael Hage!

What do the Montreal Canadiens need to know about Michael Hage — and is there a development blueprint they should follow?

In this episode, Shaun Starr and Marco D’Amico break down everything you need to know about Hage, one of the most intriguing prospects in the Canadiens pipeline. From his projected arrival timeline to the big decision ahead — should Hage sign with the Habs or continue developing before making the jump?

We also explore whether Montreal could take a similar path to what the Boston Bruins did with James Hagens, and what that means for Hage’s future.

Should Hage go straight to the NHL?
 Is Laval the smarter route?
 Or is patience the key to maximizing his upside?

We dive into the pros and cons of each development path, what the Canadiens typically prefer, and what gives Hage the best chance to succeed long-term.

If you're a Habs fan tracking the future of this team — this is a must-watch.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

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SPEAKER_01 2:29

Yeah, so just for those to understand, when you reach this point in the season and your and it your NCAA season is over and you're you're ready to turn pro because there's always those that do go back for another year. We saw it with the New York Islanders and Danny Nelson. Um, you have the opportunity to do two things. If you want to play in the American Hockey League, or if the team wants you to play in the American Hockey League, like we we saw with the Bruins and the New York Islanders with Cole Eiserman, they sign what they call amateur tryouts, ATOs or professional tryouts, PTOs, to allow them to go and play in the American Hockey League for the remainder of the season and the playoffs. Why would they sign those? Well, because if you sign an entry-level contract, your NHL contract, because it's signed after the trade deadline, you would have to stay and only play in the NHL. You wouldn't be able to be sent back down. And if that player turns 20 or is 20 before December 31st of the calendar year in which they sign, they burn the first year of their entry-level contract right away. Um, and that has repercussions positive and potentially negative, obviously, but more positive than negative, uh, down the line. And so the decision that the Canadians are going to have with Michael Hage is the same that the Bruins had with uh a certain James Higgins. What I what usually ends up happening, and for those of you that I know pay attention, last season the Canadians went the AHL route with Jacob Fowler. If everybody remembers, he signed his ATO, or it's actually correction. He signed a one year, he finished the year on a on an AHL contract, didn't even sign an ATO, AHL contract straight up, and then also at the same time signed his entry-level contract effective July 1st. You know, and that's usually the strategy. Why is it different with one James Haggins? Because James Higgins did not sign his entry-level contract effective July 1st. It leaves the Boston Bruins open to letting Hagins, who will at the moment of you seeing this, will have probably already played uh his first game in the American Hockey League. It will allow him to get his feet with in the American Hockey League. And then if they so choose, it gives them the opening, the flexibility to sign him to his entry-level contract then and there to finish the season in Boston. That's the strategy right now with James Hagins. But Sean, I see I I I part of me wonders, would the Canadians try that with Michael Hage?

SPEAKER_00 5:11

I don't know if this is a hot take, but I kind of prefer that. I kind of prefer the whether it's the ATO situation that we're talking about with James Hagen, which is a Hagen's, which is a very interesting path to take for a seventh overall selection. I mean, it's not that the rarest.

SPEAKER_01 5:27

We've we have, I can't remember the last top 10 pick to go this way.

SPEAKER_00 5:32

And I want to ask you about the pluses and minuses. I want to ask you about the pluses. What's the plus of Michael Hage um going the other way versus what how Boston treated James Hagins? What's the negative to that? I want to talk about that, but you know, let me just finish up. I I think I preferred, I'm I'm very slow and patient. I don't know if it was the Yasperi Kok and Yemi treatment that kind of burned me, that persuaded me to be more patient with younger players, even though we've seen the Lane Hudson of the world kind of develop in real time. Demidov, Uri Slavkovsky, um, who was you know integrated into the National Hockey League system and more or less never looked back. But there's something about Michael Hage, there's something, Marco, about how this team is currently constructed that I skew more towards. Let's just be patient, everybody be cool, let them go play pro hockey, talking about Hage on a very good and well-coached Laval Rocket team. Why don't you expand on that? What's your personal preference? Let me throw it back to you in return, serve.

SPEAKER_01 6:32

Um, I'm always about the opportunity, but then there's also the business side of the of the puck, as we see. Absolutely. So there's two ways of looking at this if you're the Montreal Canadians. You could sign Michael Hage immediately at the end, and we're gonna get into what that timeline looks like, but you could sign Michael Hage immediately at the end of his NCAA season, burn the first year of his entry-level contract, but if he doesn't play 10 games season end playoffs, then it doesn't count as an as a professional year for him. And what does that mean? That means that at the end of his entry-level contract, so the summer of I'm gonna do math here, 2026, 2027, 2028, the summer of 2028, when that contract expires on July 1st of 2028, Michael Hage would be ineligible for an offer sheet. He would be ineligible for arbitration. The Canadians would have all the negotiation leverage, and the salary cap at that point is supposed to be somewhere around the lines of 125 to 130 million, with the Canadians already having most of their core locked up, and Ivan Demidov likely soon to follow.

SPEAKER_02 7:44

Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 7:44

So pros and cons. You'd have full control over the player when it's gonna really matter, which is all is that second contract, but cons you lose that one cheap year of ELC just as the Canadians are gonna be taking off. My viewpoint is I don't think the Canadians care about the the that extra year of of cheap labor. I don't really think they care if it helps them keep his number down for the subsequent long-term contract that they're gonna sign him to. And so a clear example of that would be Lane Hudson's situation. If Lane Hudson had not burned the first year of his entry-level deal out of out of the University of Boston at the end of the 2024-2025 season, or sorry, 2023-2024 season, how much money would he make on his next deal, knowing what we know now? Sure. Right? Last imagine last year was the first year of his contract. This is the second, and he'd be going into this summer signing an eight-year deal. He'd have to make you have to be making 9.510 million dollars.

SPEAKER_00 8:52

I was thinking 10. I was thinking it's gonna cost him another under 2 million bucks.

SPEAKER_01 8:55

Yeah, yeah, I think it would cost him an additional million because the offer on the table at the time of his signing was eight times nine. He took a little less, but you'd have to be you'd have to be looking at 10 million dollars, a point per game defenseman at age 22. You know, that's that's an automatic, it's 10 million. So there is an advantage to that, and so that is why you have to keep that into consideration as a potential positive, especially with Kent Hughes being the one that negotiates those contracts and not necessarily a negative.

SPEAKER_00 9:24

The march to 15,000 subscribers begins with each and every single one of you. So thanks so much for being with us. As uh as always, we encourage you to like and subscribe to the Star and Demico show as we continue to grow the community alongside you. There's also the internal evaluation, like you talk about the business side, which I think is a very, very important component when we talk about the potential of what the Canadians are going to do with Michael Hage's future, if and when he turns pro. And it's very likely he's gonna turn pro when the Wolverine season ends. And if it goes the distance, more or less, they believe the Canadians would have two regular season games to go in that context.

SPEAKER_01 9:56

Well, let's talk about timeline. How about that? Um, so Friday is the opening of the NCAA championships. Michigan, the team that Michael H plays for, is the number one ranked team. Yeah, so they're playing Bentley on Friday. And if they were to win that game, game be taking place in Albany, in the Albany uh leg of the NCAA championships, they would play the winner of Penn State or Minnesota Duluth, Penn State being where Gavin McKenna plays. And so those two teams have history so far this season as well. The potential, the first I think Michigan will will defeat Benwin. I do, I do believe that. But Sunday's game against the winner of Penn State and Minnesota Duluth has the potential for upset. Especially, I feel like Minnesota Duluth is a more uh I would say structured, mature team that could potentially shut down the top offensive players on Michigan. That is when I could that is when I could potentially see it happening. If Michael Hage's season ends on Sunday, he is able to sign with the Montreal Canadians. I believe they'd have uh five or six games left before the end of the season. If that's the case, I would be I would wonder if they would go the James Hagen's route. I would wonder if they were to sign him to an ATO, let him play three or four two or three games with Laval over the first weekend, and then take sign him to his entry-level contract and take him on the road for the final two games against the New York Islanders and the Philadelphia Flyers because of the timing and because of the opportunity. And then obviously he could stick around uh you know, if and when the Canadians qualify for the playoffs. But if Michigan wins on Sunday, Sean, then that sends them to the frozen four in Vegas, uh, which are the semifinal and final of the NCAA championships, those are the 9th and 11th of April. If the if if Michigan goes to the final or wins the whole damn thing, then the earliest that Michael Hage would be available for the Canadians would be the 12th of April. And I believe they play on the 14th, right? Against uh in the last game of the season against the Philadelphia Flyers. That's a fact. That opens up further conversation. In the information that I've had speaking to Michael Hage's camp, the opportunity is gonna be the most defining aspect of how Michael Hage decides to move forward. I don't think that the Canadians are gonna try to play any games with Michael Hage, right? You look back at what happened with Cutter Goate and the Philadelphia Flyers, right? They tried to make Cutter Goate go down to the American Hockey League after having one of the most dominant NCAA seasons in a post-draft scenario. They played with fire, they did. Cutter Goate got very offended, and uh, you know, uh they they at the end of the day they decided he wasn't gonna sign there, and they eventually traded him to Anaheim Ducks. And I think uh, you know, you look at uh Pat Verbeek, I think he's very happy about that. I don't think the Canadian is gonna play that game. If Hage is comfortable going to the American Hockey League, that'll be a conversation they're willing to have because the opportunity would be good, as you pointed out, because there is the opportunity to go on a lengthy playoff run and have a premier role on the team. But at the same time, having him with Montreal during the first year of his contract, giving him that signing bonus right off the top, you know, um, having him around the team, getting him into at least a game before the end of the season as a as a good job for all the hard work you've done. There's also a little bit of that, and it gets him a taste so that he goes into this summer, having already been familiarized with the environment, already familiarized with the coaching staff, already familiarized with the uh the uh yeah well, the style, the coaching, the uh installations is what I was looking for. And then he's able to hit the ground running next year in September and come training camp. There are pros and cons to each section. The one thing that wouldn't surprise me though is if Michael Hage goes all the way and there may be more pressure towards the end to see him in the American Hockey League. My gut is I think we see him in Montreal regardless of what happens. Interesting. My gut. My gut, but I wouldn't be surprised if he wound up in Laval. Just just if if if if you if if you look at the Laval Rocket and you slot Michael Hage on that second line, and then you move Owen Beck down to the third, they have one of the strongest center lines in all in the entirety of the AHL. And if Jacob Fowler is eventually sent down as well, because he can go down for the playoffs, they could go on, they could put they could potentially go all the way, and that may be too tantalizing an opportunity for the Montreal Canadians to ignore.

SPEAKER_00 15:10

That's my preference, as I mentioned minutes ago. That's that's my personal preference, right? But I am not a Michael Hage savant, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 15:17

But I think I think it's LC in that context, though, right?

SPEAKER_00 15:21

Like, let me have let me let me be the devil, let me be the hater, let me be the guy with the two feet on the ground. Like, we're not talking James Haggins is a seventh overall pick. That is not Michael Hage, that's not his draft stock. We're not talking about you know a top 10 overall pick, right? I know fans are in this market are excited to see him. Well, I get that. Sean, I'll I'll just I'll let you finish. Where's he gonna go?

SPEAKER_01 15:43

I'll let you finish.

SPEAKER_00 15:44

Where's he going to play in the world where he comes in? Let's let's just say he plays on the Tuesday on the 14th against the Flyers, and that's it, right? Um, is he gonna play that one game? Fine. Then into the playoffs. I mean, I'm not so sure. I kind of like the way this roster is built. I I like Alex Texier on this team. I like Josh Anderson, I like Brendan Gallagher, I like Phil Deneau, I like Jake Evans. Like, you tell me, you tell me where the puzzle is.

SPEAKER_01 16:07

As was put to me by an NHL executive when I was talking about, you know, guys jumping in from the NCAA at the end of the season, and where do you fit them? And this and that. He goes, he told me, and I think these are such wise words. He goes, the reality of an NHL roster can change so aggressively on a day-to-day basis that that window of opportunity could be shut on one day and wide open on the following because you don't know what kind of injuries you're gonna go to going to go into, you don't know what the needs of that club is gonna be at that moment. Um, you don't know if a player completely falls off and they're just like, you know what, we need to we need a spark. And I think the best example I can give anybody is how Cole Caulfield was brought along, right? Cole Caulfield was brought along in a year where the trade deadline was in April. Never happened before, right? It was so late in the season because it was an elongated but late starting season due to COVID. They only ended up starting, I believe, in January, if not February, and it went all the way to mid-May. So Cole Caulfield was able to finish at Wisconsin, win the Hobie Baker, jump to the American Hockey League with an ELC in hand because he signed before the trade deadline, which was in April, and then was able to get called up and finish the year in Montreal. And then only as of uh as of the middle point of the first round against the Leafs did he get to draw into the lineup. That could also be the blueprint of what ends up happening with Michael Hage. Though, though, I don't he wouldn't be able to sign his entry-level contract and go to Laval. It would have to be more the James Hagen's route of ATO, and then when they deem him ready, ELC and come to Montreal.

SPEAKER_00 17:54

In parting, what you had just said in explaining the the options at Laval, I I find it it's interesting topic. I find it's an engaging conversation because it's so appealing to me about let's see Michael Hage in the pro hockey environment. I I love the coaching staff, the system, everything that you had mentioned in talking about Laval. And let's see. Let's see about playing center, meaningful games, playoff games on an experienced team that has been very, very good all year. I'm very much here for that level of experience. So let me ask you my final question. How much do the does the player's opinion matter when you talked about Cutter Gautier and what how it went sideways, explosive in Philadelphia? How much do you think Hage's opinion matters if in fact the Canadians have an appetite to hear his opinion on what he thinks about himself as a professional as early as um this spring?

SPEAKER_01 18:49

Well, I'm not gonna speak for I'm not gonna speak for Michael, but in my conversations with him, you know, he's always been very level-headed about the future and taking it step by step.

SPEAKER_02 19:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 19:00

Um, do I think you know, every every player wants to get to the NHL as fast as possible? It's it's innate that you want that. Yes, but I think you also have to take in what makes the most sense for your development long term into that equation. Now, if the Canadians are all too ready to give him his entry-level contract and just get him to Montreal as quick as possible, that's a different story. You're not, you're not, you're not gonna spit on that if you're Michael Hage. Um, now if you're asking me, can he be convinced to go to Laval? Look, his camp is open to all options, is what I was told. All options. They're not gonna say entry-level contract or bust, but I do think that obviously if you're an agent, you would you would prefer the entry-level contract. You would prefer having that in in-house, in bank, and going with it. And he has the necessary um he has the necessary accolades this season and shown the necessary progression over the last two years to deserve it. The only thing that really makes you want to scratch your head is where does he play? Well, that's up for Martin St. Louis to figure out. Uh, if you're Kent Hughes and Jeff Gordon, you also have to think about the player, the future of this team, and what those cut that contract situation is going to look like in 2028 or 2029. So, you know, that's why I'm saying there's a lot of moving parts. There's no clear-cut decision. But if I had to wager and put two bucks, I I would think that he ends this year one way or another with his entry-level contract. That he that he goes to the American Hockey League on an ATO, plays a couple of games, and then signs, or just signs outright, that'll, in my opinion, be in entirely dependent on when his season ends. The Michael Hage watch begins Friday, it continues on Sunday, and then after that, we'll tell we'll if if he if Michigan wins both games, we'll have another conversation in April and we'll see exactly where the Canadians are. Because again, if there are more injuries down the stretch and there's room for Michael Hage, then the decision is easy. He'll get his entry-level contract and he'll be straight in Montreal.

SPEAKER_00 21:03

It reminds me one time when I was um doing radio work uh for Montreal Junior hockey, Joel Bouchard, who now I believe is the coach GMO in Syracuse in the American Hockey League, was uh on Pascal Vincent's staff with the Montreal Juniors years ago. And uh I remember we had a conversation about Louis LeBlanc at the time, Angelo Esposito, Montreal Junior players, and um he mentioned to me in what you had just said about everybody, all these young guys, they want to be in the show, right? And Joel Bouchard delivered a great line. He says, Nobody dreamed as a kid about growing up to be an American hockey leader, to your point about jumping to the show. I get it.

SPEAKER_01 21:37

Well and yet, and yet, out of the 700 and sorry, I'm trying to do math here, but seven hundred and ten players in the NHL, over eighty percent of them have had have spent time in the American hockey.

SPEAKER_00 21:51

That's it. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, it's a rare thing, right?

SPEAKER_01 21:54

It's part of the process, it's the unsexy part of the process, but it gets you there.

SPEAKER_00 21:57

It does. It's that that other line, right? You No one ever said you spent too much time in the American Hockey League. Shout out Thomas Blakanitz, Hamilton Bulldog. Um, all right, brother. Good stuff as always. Make sure to like and subscribe. Big shout out to our sponsors, the cheapest t-shirts and McLean's Pub, The Real Deal on Peel. We'll be there Sunday late afternoon to four o'clock. Come by and say hi. Uh, the best in home security at cablotel.com.

SPEAKER_01 22:19

Sean, I was just gonna say we could also do the Michael Hage watch at the same time as watching the Canadians game on Sunday at McClain's. So make sure to be there because our live show is starting at 4 p.m. at McClain's, and then we'll be sticking around to watch the game with you all.

SPEAKER_00 22:32

Uh, shout out to Instacustoms and our friends at Little Bear Pet Supply on St. Catherine, Little BearOnline.com. They're Springs Savings Extravaganza, 50% off selected merchandise with the discount applied at checkout. Shop online at LittleBearOnline.com. Thanks, Marco.

SPEAKER_01 22:46

Always a pleasure, guys, and talk to you real soon.