Michael Hage’s decision to head back to Michigan instead of jumping to the NHL has left the Canadiens staring at a glaring hole in their top six, but his future college teammates clearly see the move as a win.
Cam Reid, speaking recently with Marco D’Amico, made it plain that Hage’s return is a major boost for Michigan’s room.
"“It shows the character he has and the person he is,” Reid said. “We’re going to Michigan and we want to develop, but we also want to win that natty. It’s a cool opportunity to have Hage coming back.”"
Reid, a Nashville Predators first-round pick taken 21st overall in the 2025 NHL Draft, is viewed as one of the stronger defensive prospects in that class. He spent this past season in the OHL and put up 56 points in 57 games.
For Hage, the pull of Michigan seems to go beyond simply putting up numbers. He was electric last season, leading the NCAA with 38 assists and finishing seventh in points per game at 1.34. Even with that production, there’s still unfinished business in Ann Arbor.
One of the biggest items left on Hage’s checklist is the Hobey Baker Award, given to the top player in NCAA hockey each season. If he were to win it this year, he would join future teammate Cole Caufield, who took home the award in 2021.
The bigger prize, though, is the one Michigan came painfully close to last year. Hage and the Wolverines reached the Frozen Four semifinals before falling 4-3 in double overtime to the University of Denver. Denver went on to capture another title, its third in five seasons.
The Canadiens have publicly handled Hage’s decision the right way, with Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton saying they support it while leaving the door open for him to join Montreal if he changes course. Still, the signs point the other way, and the Canadiens may need to get ready to open the season without him in that second-line role.
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For Hach, the move is more than just another stop in pro hockey. A lifelong Canadiens fan, he now gets his first chance to work inside the organization he followed from afar, a fitting next step for a player whose hockey background runs deep. His father, Conrad Hach, spent seven seasons as an NHL linesman, so the family has already had a long connection to the league, even if this opportunity is the one that puts Braden directly in Montreals orbit. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Prospect Alexander Zharovsky Is Building Real Buzz For A Reason
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Former Canadiens goaltender Zachary Fucale has added to the buzz by pointing to Zharovskys talent and work ethic, while also suggesting that time spent in Montreal can only help when the next stage arrives. The bigger picture for the Canadiens is obvious: if Zharovsky keeps trending this way, he could become another important piece in a young core that already has plenty of promise, which is exactly why his progress is getting such close attention. [Read more 🡒]
Michael Hage Delays Canadiens Timeline In A Way Fans Will Feel
Michael Hages path to Montreal is staying on the college track a little longer, and the timing matters for Canadiens fans keeping one eye on the future. Brandon Naurato, who coaches Hage at Michigan, said in a recent interview that the forward is set to return for his junior year instead of joining the Canadiens this season, with the emphasis squarely on Hage making the move only when he feels fully ready for the NHL.
Naurato also made it clear this was Hages call, not a decision driven by money or outside pressure. For Montreal, it means the wait continues on one of its more closely watched prospects, and the timeline for seeing him in a Canadiens sweater gets pushed back even as the organization still has a young player focused on taking the next step the right way. [Read more 🡒]