MONTREAL – When Canadiens co-director of amateur scouting Nick Bobrov announced Michael Hage as the team’s 21st overall pick at the 2024 NHL Draft, the latter was met by the cheers of nearly 30 family members, coaches and friends in the stands at Sphere in Las Vegas.
It was a perfect moment for the bilingual 18-year-old centerman who grew up a Habs fan and who has many relatives residing in the city that bleeds bleu-blanc-rouge.
A native of Oakville, ON, Hage spoke with the Habs’ content crew about being drafted by his childhood team, dealing with adversity, his style of play and more.
Please note answers have been modified for clarity and conciseness.
Was there an element of surprise when your name was called by the Canadiens, or did you have a feeling that moment was coming?
I think I had a good feeling about it. Obviously, nothing is ever guaranteed and you’re not sure what they’re thinking down there, but you’re feeling certain teams might like you and you have a good feeling about certain teams. It's always a surprise and a surreal moment when you hear your name. You can go through the moment 100 times in your head and think a team is going to pick you, and even if you know something is going to happen... to just hear my name called by management is still an unbelievable moment.
What were your impressions of development camp, from the facilities to the staff and players and everything in between?
Unbelievable, honestly. I think from the management to the guys we met, all super nice people. The facilities are unbelievable. I was amazed by it; you got everything you need there. If something is not there that you think you need, and you think that would help you, they’ll get it for you. It’s second to none. The camp was a lot of fun, working with the staff in the gym, Big Cat [director of hockey operations Adam Nicholas] on the ice, just competing. I like the way it was set up. I had a good time.