Michael Hage Nominated As Freshman Of The Year
Michael Hage on draft day in 2024 - Photo credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie - Imagn ImagesThe Big 10 Conference of the NCAA announced its nominees for various awards yesterday and Montreal Canadiens' prospect Michael Hage is nominated as Freshman of the Year alongside Charlie Cerrato and Gavin Morrissey.
Hage, a soon-to-be 19-year-old center, was drafted 21st overall by the Canadiens at the 2024 draft. According to multiple reports, the pick was almost traded to the Anaheim Ducks alongside right-shot defenseman Logan Mailloux in return for Trevor Zegras, but the trade was aborted when GM Kent Hughes was able to draft Ivan Demidov with the fifth overall pick. Had the Canadiens been forced to draft yet another defenseman, Hage would have ended up elsewhere.
After the season he's had in the Big 10, though, the Canadiens' brass must be ecstatic to have kept the pick. In 33 games with the Michigan Wolverines, the young man managed to record 34 points, was assessed 23 penalty minutes and finished his season with a minus-nine rating.
Penn State' Cerrato has picked up 36 points in 34 games and is a 20-year-old center while 22-year-old forward Morrissey gathered 32 points in 37 contests with the Wisconsin Badgers.
According to our own Russ Cohen, there should be no talk of Hage turning pro next season, he should be heading back to Michigan and spend his sophomore season further honing his skills, he could definitely stand to improve his faceoff efficiency.
While the Canadiens are very thin at center, I don't see them rushing Hage's development. Hughes has said time and time again that he wants to build a perennial contender and to do that, you cannot live simply in the now, you have to be mindful of the future.
It appears unlikely that Montreal will be able to fill its need for a second line center internally and I expect Hughes to go hunting either on the trade market or in free agency this Summer. It wouldn't make any sense to rush a prospect of Hage's quality.
The winner of the Big 10 Freshman of the year award will be announced on March, 18. Hage will hope to be the first Canadiens' prospect to win the award since Jakub Dobes was a co-winner alongside Luke Hughes in 2021-22 and Cole Caufield won it in 2019-20.
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