Michael Hage is off to a great start to the NCAA season. Hage surprised some Montreal Canadiens fans when he chose not to sign his entry-level contract this offseason. Instead, he returned to the University of Michigan for his junior season. Hage’s 2025-26 season did not end as he had hoped. He suffered an ankle injury late in the season that troubled him throughout the NCAA playoffs. With Hage less than 100%, the Michigan Wolverines lost in the Frozen Four semifinal 4-3 in double overtime to the University of Denver Pioneers. Hage stated that he made the return to Michigan because he still has unfinished business, mainly trying to help the Wolverines win a National Championship. His start to the season is proving exactly that.
Hage beginning to build a Hobey Baker case
Hage wasted no time showing he can be the best player on a championship-level team. The Wolverines opened up the season with back-to-back games against the Bowling Green State University Falcons. Michigan thoroughly dominated the first game, winning 7-2. Hage was a major reason why. He scored his first of the season in the second period on the power play with a one-timer at the bottom of the left circle, giving the Wolverines a 3-1 lead at that point. He picked up his first assist of the season on the next goal. After Hage’s cross-ice pass bounced off the defender's shin, the puck found its way to Landon DuPont, who spotted Jayden Perron sitting alone at the back post with an open net. Hage scored his second goal of the game in the third period, but it was not as pretty as his first. A centring feed went off a falling Hage before redirecting off the defender's skate and into the back of the net. A goal is still a goal, and that gave Hage two in the season opener.
Game 2 was a lot closer, but Hage might have been even better. The Wolverines won a hard-fought 4-3 game after they fell behind by two early in the first period. Hage had a hand in every single one of Michigan’s four goals. He picked up an assist just 13 seconds into the second period, before tying the game just over seven minutes later. Hage picked up his second assist of the game on the Wolverines' third goal, giving them the lead. The Falcons tied it with under nine minutes left in the third, but less than a minute later Hage would snag his fourth point of the night, setting up Perron’s game-winning goal. With seven points through his first two games, Hage is putting his name in the Hobey Baker conversation.
Hage might have been right all along
Besides trying to help Michigan win a National Championship, Hage also had personal goals he wanted to accomplish. He outlined some of the things he still wants to work on before making the jump to the NHL. He wants to be viewed as one of the leaders on the team, helping guide younger players as they prepare for college hockey. He also wants the opportunity to be the first player on the lineup sheet, centring the top line and being a catalyst on the team’s power play. He has a standard he wants to set before making the jump to the NHL. When he does make the jump to the NHL and sign his entry-level contract, he does not want to be just another player, but someone who can impact the game. While some questioned his decision to return to Michigan, he might have been right all along.
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