We’ve reached the top spot in our annual Montreal Canadiens top 20 prospect rankings, as chosen by Habs fans.
Supremely skilled centre Michael Hage, who ranked in the top three last year, takes over as the top prospect in the organization.
N.B.: To qualify for the project, prospects must be 23 years old or younger and currently playing outside the NHL. In other words, even though Canadiens players such as Lane Hutson, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Ivan Demidov are young enough to qualify age-wise, they’ve already established themselves as NHL players and are no longer considered prospects.
Previously Published Montreal Canadiens Prospect Profiles
Canadiens Prospects Who Just Missed the Cut
Canadiens Prospects Ranked 20-16
Canadiens Prospects Ranked 15-11
No.10 – Towering Hayden Paupanekis
No. 9 – Truculent Florian Xhekaj
No.8 – Highly Skilled L.J Mooney
No.7 – Extraordinary Bryce Pickford
No.6 – Cerebral Owen Beck
No.5 – Highly Mobile Adam Engstrom
No. 4 – Enigmatic David Reinbacher
No. 3 – Brilliant Alexander Zharovsky
No. 2 – Stoic Jacob Fowler
Michael Hage
1. Center, Shoots Right, 19, University of Michigan (NCAA), 6’1″, 198 lb. Picked 21st overall in 2024.
While there was some uncertainty regarding the rankings of the other players involved in this project, there were few doubts that Michael Hage would end up as the top prospect, as voted on by Habs fans.
Hage’s rookie season with the University of Michigan was the epitome of encouraging. With 13 goals and 24 assists in 33 games, he managed to produce more than a point-per-game in a lineup that lacked firepower, a testament to his impressive potential.
It’s important to remember the jump from the USHL to the NCAA represents one of the greatest challenges most players will face throughout their careers. While the USHL is a good league, the NCAA is where young players truly learn how to work in defensive systems, how to improve critical factors such as nutrition and fitness, not to mention the various other details that prepare them for life in the professional ranks.
In that vein, there was a certain risk that Hage’s excellent production in the USHL would not immediately translate.
But Hage did not require a grace period.
In fact, his first taste of NCAA action resulted in a pair of assists. He scored his first NCAA goal the very next day, as the Wolverines beat Minnesota State 4-1.
With a solid rookie season in the books, Hage ensured his sophomore season would also be a success by featuring incredibly consistent production, to the tune of 13 goals and 33 assists in 45 games. It should be noted that Michigan is considered one of the top teams in the country this year, with Hage’s offensive impact playing a big part in their improved ranking.
Strengths
Some prospects manage to feature high-end skating.
Others can have fantastic hand-eye coordination.
But only a rare few can combine both skills, providing dynamic shifts in the offensive zone on a nightly basis.
That’s where Hage separates himself from the pack. He’s a great skater who has the ability to carve our precious ice in the offensive zone. He has elite playmaking, which allows him to find his teammates via the passing lanes he quickly creates as he causes opposing players to fall into a state of chaos due to his speed of execution.
He constantly drives the net with aplomb, a man on a mission to generate high-danger scoring chances. Speed in transition is the name of the name of the game whenever Hage is on the ice.
While he prefers to pass rather than shoot, he does possess a good shot, which features a sneaky release, or a well-timed toe-drag to fool the opposing goaltender.
Beyond his excellent skill set, he also has the type of confidence necessary to pull off highlight plays with regularity, yet another encouraging sign when evaluating his long-term potential.
His play at the 2026 World Junior Championship was a perfect example of his excellence, especially since it took place against players of his own age, rather than older opponents in the NCAA.
He was robbed of a spot in the World Junior Championship All-Star Team, but no one can deny that he was among the most impressive players at the tournament, as evidenced by the fact that he finished with 15 points in 7 games. No other player managed to produce more points than Hage, and if we’re being perfectly honest, he could have had a few more points if he had a little more shooting luck, and his linemates did a slightly better job finishing plays.
Regardless, it was clear that Hage stood out as one of the best players on the international stage, yet another situation in which he rose to the occasion.
Weaknesses
Hage is not a perfect player, but there are very few aspects of his game that would be considered weaknesses.
At times, he can carry the puck for a little too long, which exposes him to big hits.
The good news is that he continued to drive the net even after an opponent landed a big body check, indicating that he doesn’t shy away from the high-scoring areas just because he had to deal with a heightened level of physicality.
I’d argue that he has to improve his defensive play before being ready for professional hockey, but again, it’s not necessarily a weakness. A 19-year-old, offensively-inclined prospect needing a little work in the defensive zone is par for the course.
There are some that may criticize the giveaways that invariably occur in the offensive zone, however, Hage is far from a turnover machine. He carries the puck more often than most, and that always leads to a higher turnover rate. You could go as far as suggesting players who turn over the puck with a high frequency are usually the best players in any various leagues. As it stands, Nathan MacKinnon leads the NHL in turnovers, and by a wide margin, too. You’ll note MacKinnon and Hage share very similar skill sets.
What To Expect From Fowler Moving Forward
Seeing as Hage is one of the most productive players in the NCAA, there’s a healthy chance the Montreal Canadiens will want to graduate him at the end of the 2025-26 season, perhaps even giving him a few games in Montreal so that he can dip his toes in the chilly waters of professional hockey.
I’d stop short of proposing he’s NHL ready at this exact moment, which means we may end up seeing him in the AHL, or even back in the NCAA for a third season, but the fact remains that Hage represents Montreal’s best chance of having a prospect make a significant impact as early as next season.
He’s also the best internal option to find a long-term solution to the second line, one of the most pressing issues when evaluating the Canadiens’ roster construction.
Simply put, Michael Hage has everything it takes to one day become a star player in the NHL, and a key member of the Montreal Canadiens.
Montreal Canadiens player statistics via Elite Prospects.
Marc has been covering the Habs for over a decade. He previously worked for Journal Metro, The Athletic, The … More about Marc Dumont
