Michael Hage and the Michigan Wolverines' season came to an end on Thursday night in a thrilling double overtime matchup with the Denver Pioneers in the NCAA Frozen Four. It was a crushing defeat for the Wolverines, who had the lead late in the third period before the Pioneers equalized with less than three minutes to go. Now that Hage’s season is over, it will be interesting to see what the Montreal Canadiens do moving forward. All signs point to him agreeing to his entry-level contract with the Canadiens, but will he finish the season with the Laval Rocket, or will the organization immediately call him up to the NHL?
There is always a small chance Hage could return to Michigan after falling short of winning the National Championship, but after the season he has had, he is ready to make the jump to the next level. Not only did he dominate in the NCAA, recording 13 goals and 52 points in 39 games, but he also showcased his elite-level talent at this past year’s World Junior Championship. Despite Canada not winning gold, Hage showed why he is the Canadiens' top-ranked prospect. Hage scored two goals and added an astonishing 13 assists, leading the tournament in scoring while taking home the bronze medal. It is clear that Hage is ready for a step up in competition, but with the Canadiens in the midst of a battle for the top spot in the Atlantic Division, he might have to wait a bit longer before making his NHL debut.
Before the season started, if someone said Hage could be added to the lineup before the end of the season, very few people would be against it. However, with three games left in the season and first place up for grabs, it would be a difficult decision to change up the lineup now. We saw the Canadiens in a similar situation last season with Ivan Demidov, where he came into the Habs lineup with two games left in the season and played in their short playoff run. The difference is that the Canadiens were fighting to get into the playoffs last season, whereas this season they have been one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference and adding another player to the team’s already crowded roster might cause some unrest in the Canadiens locker room.
Canadiens’ captain Nick Suzuki has already mentioned how close this team is, and by adding Hage now, you would be taking someone out of the lineup who has been there and fought with this team all season. The media and fans were already in dismay when the Canadiens decided to healthy scratch Brendan Gallagher earlier this season, and it would only add more unwanted attention if they took someone else out of the lineup to bring in Hage. The Canadiens have a good thing going right now, and while Hage will one day be a staple in the Habs lineup, the best course of action would be for him to finish off the season with the Rocket and have him start next season in the NHL.