Over the weekend, Montreal Canadiens fans were waiting for Michael Hage's decision, and the expectation was that he would be making the jump to the NHL. He is a talented forward who probably could have helped the Canadiens this season in the playoffs.
However, that didn't end up being the case as Hage elected to return to Michigan next season, and on a recent episode of 32 Thoughts, Elliotte Friedman provided some insight into what went into that decision.
"Michigan lost a game they dominated. Denver got great goltending and beat them in overtime in the Frozen Four and then won the National Championship," Friedman said. "If you have been looking, the transfer portal opens tomorrow and Jeff Marek tonight that they've got some reinforcements coming from the OHL next year and Michigan's going to be ridiculous."
"I definitely think there is some unfinished business there."
Michael Hage might not even been able to help the Montreal Canadiens this season
Hage, who was the Canadiens' first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, had an excellent season in Michigan, had 13 goals and 39 assists, and finished with 18 more points than in his freshman season. He certainly could have been a good fit for the Canadiens at center and helped provide some depth at the position in the playoffs.
However, Friedman noted in his podcast that Hage is nursing an injury, so even if he did sign over the weekend, he might not even have been able to help the Canadiens right now.
The biggest consequence of this decision, however, is that it delays when he could join the Canadiens organization. Now that he is returning, he will have to wait until the Wolverines' season is over, so it probably won't be until this time next year that he could join and put the team and player in the same situation.
Ultimately, the Canadiens left the decision up to Hage, and it is tough to fault a player who came so close to a National Championship this season, wanting to go back and give it one more try. He is a valuable prospect and one that should help the Canadiens down the road.