Kent Hughes seems to believe that Michael Hage is ready to turn pro this season

Mathis Therrien
Kent Hughes seems to believe that Michael Hage is ready to turn pro this season
Credit: Twitter screenshot

Canada is having a fine tournament so far at the World Junior Championship, and we hope it continues.

Indeed, Team Canada Junior is putting in some fine performances, which is encouraging for the rest of the tournament, i.e. the semi-finals and potentially the final.

The next match, tomorrow at 8:30 p.m., will be extremely important, as Canada faces its nemesis of the last two WJCs, the Czech Republic, in the semifinals.

In short, we're all happy to see Canada perform, but as fans of the Montreal Canadiens, Canada's victories aren't what excites us most.

Instead, it's Michael Hage's performance that lights us up at this year's World Junior Championship, as the Habs prospect shines for Team Canada Junior with nine points, including two goals, in five games.

That's the second-highest tally of the entire tournament, which has all the Habs fans buzzing.

Hage is showing great things this season in the NCAA, and he's adding to them with his CMJ, so we can't wait to see him land in Montreal.

And Kent Hughes seems to believe that Hage is ready to turn pro this season.

During the intermission of last night's Canada game, Kent Hughes, who was present at the game and not on vacation like many general managers, spoke with Stéphane Leroux.

And listening to him talk about Michael Hage and his contractual situation, we could read between the lines that the GM would very much like to bring him to Montreal when his NCAA season comes to an end.

Hughes said it won't be his decision, but that the Habs need to be able to communicate with a player when they believe he's ready to turn pro.

Personally, I think it's pretty clear that the Habs GM will try to sign Hage as soon as the University of Michigan is eliminated from the NCAA.

We might have suspected as much with Lane Hutson and Jacob Fowler over the past two seasons, but now, hearing Hughes talk about it, it's much clearer.

It's an issue we'll be keeping a close eye on, and we're all eager to see Hage turn pro, given the high hopes he has of becoming the Habs' second center for many years to come.


Overtime

– Speaking of Hage.

– Indeed.

– The Rocket in action tonight.

– To be continued for the former Montreal CF coach.

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