Michael Hage at center in the NHL: His coach has no doubts

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Michael Hage at center in the NHL: His coach has no doubts
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Ever since the CH drafted Michael Hage in 2024, many people have viewed him as the team's future second-line center. There's a need to be filled in the city, and we know Hage has the talent to hold his own on a top-6 line.

And since he's been playing center for the past few years, he's (logically) seen as a candidate.

That said, doubts remain about whether he'll stay at center at the pro level. He isn't particularly dominant in the faceoff circle, and some wonder if he's better suited to play wing.

But Brandon Naurato, his coach at Michigan, believes his protégé is capable of playing center in the NHL. There's no doubt in his mind that the kid is, at his core, a center.

That's what he mentioned in passing to the Basu & Godin Notebook.

Naurato also feels that the Montreal fanbase is overreacting a bit on this issue. He explained that seeing Hage play on the wing last season caused quite a stir in Montreal… even though, in reality, he only used him on the wing twice.

The other 38 games Hage played were as a center, his coach notes.

Naurato is aware, however, that Hage still needs to work on his faceoffs (which he doesn't see as a weakness in his player, but he likes that Hage wants to turn them into a strength) and on his ability to play in the defensive zone. That said, Hage is aware of all this and is working hard to improve.

He's completely transformed his physique since arriving at Michigan, says Naurato, and he wants to make sure he's strong enough to hold his own against big guys when the going gets tough. For example, he wants to be able to battle in the corners against a player like Aleksander Barkov, who isn't exactly small.

It's safe to say that Hage's future as a center in the NHL will, in fact, hinge on his ability to improve in these two areas. That said, he seems motivated to succeed and is taking the necessary steps to achieve his goals.

And if he succeeds, the Habs won't be (really) unhappy.


In Brief

– News about Vinzenz Rohrer.

– Note.

– Too bad.

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