The Canadiens are more in need than ever of a second-line center

Félix Forget
The Canadiens are more in need than ever of a second-line center
Credit: X

In the last few minutes, we've heard some big news from the CH: Michael Hage has finally decided not to make the jump to the pros. Instead, the prospect will return to the NCAA for a third year.

And this, even though he's been absolutely dominating over the past few months.

Obviously, this comes as a surprise, given that we expected to see Hage join the organization. Whether in Montreal or Laval, we expected him to sign a contract.

That said, given that Hage isn't likely to join the club before the end of next season, this raises an important point: he clearly won't be the one to solve the second-line center problem in 2026-27.

He'll certainly be better prepared by the time he arrives… but he clearly won't be an option next year, except perhaps at the very end of the season.

And in reality, this hurts the club on many levels in its search for a second-line center. Because not only does it eliminate the option of Hage taking on that role in 2026-27, but it also reduces Kent Hughes' leverage if he wants to negotiate for a top-6 center on the trade market.

The club would have looked less desperate and more willing to pay a high price if it had Hage. Right now, its only leverage is Oliver Kapanen… who's been struggling for the past few months.

Given that the team is starting to win games by the bucketful and Ivan Demidov will eventually need help, waiting another full year isn't ideal. This means Hughes will clearly have to get creative to find a viable solution by 2026-27.

And given that one of the names most frequently mentioned is Nico Hischier and that the Devils will have a new GM this summer, that option could also prove risky. Either way, it puts the Habs in a precarious position.


Quick Notes

– Hey, Cole.

– Will he get it tonight?

– Wow.

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