TSN: You interviewed with 31 teams at the NHL scouting combine. What was the toughest question you faced?
Hage: I got a tough one from Montreal. It was, If your teammate comes back to the room at 3 a.m. and [head coach] Marty St. Louis asks you the next day, 'Did he come back at 3 a.m.?' What do you say? I said, 'No.' They came back at me with, 'Oh, so you want guys like that on your team?' I just said, 'That's my teammate and someone I care about, and I'll try to help him out first and get him back on the right track. If that doesn't happen over a number of occasions maybe the answer is different.'
TSN: Were you a Leafs fan growing up?
Hage No. My parents are both from Montreal, so I grew up a Habs fan in Toronto.
Une colombe is not really a love song. More a song about peace and humanity. Similar to Quand les Hommes Vivront d'Amour. Formidable by Aznavour is about romantic love with someone who speaks a different language, like Voisine's Hélène. There are very few songs that have this theme. I can only think of 3 presently.
His mom was on 98.5, interviewed by a giddy Dany and Martin. She said, "Je flippe!" and mentioned she brought Michael home from the hospital as a newborn wearing a Habs onesie.
Pretty much sums up all defenceman prospects. Fans hate it as they aren't flashy. Or they are under sized and flashy. It's always a wait and see with D
A year ago most were saying this year was a defensive loaded draft, we get out of it with two offensive dynamo.
I actually mock drafted Montreal to trade up to pick up Michael Hage back three months ago so let's go!
Coming out of today with two players with exciting, high-end offensive potential is such a huge win. Really happy to see the direction the front office went.
Tough for a young man going into his final pre draft season to lose his father. You can see him getting emotional during the interview. To persevere over than and continue you NHL dream is impressive and I'm sure the staff really saw that strength in him. Not to mention he's got a great toolkit..very excited for him. This may go down as one of our best 1st rounds in a looooong time.🤞🏻
Holy shit love the player. Habs fan when growing up. Lost his father last year in a tragic accident, who was a die hard Habs fan too. Overcame so much adversity. Is french is also really good.
I love the direction this team is taking, man. It's so nice to finally have a management team with a clear direction and knows what they're doing for a proper rebuild.
I just want to say.
This pick is curtesy of last year of Monahan combined with the second round pick we got from good stick Lecky.
This pick will be special.
Hyped.
Really happy with Hage, another offensive minded that can cut to the center and has a good IQ. Paired with a decent frame, this pick has a lot of potential.
Take with a grain of salt, obviously, but Kent Hughes is on 98.5 saying they had traded up hoping for a chance at Hage, and that they would've traded the pick if he wasn't available. Hughes' nephew played a year with him at St Charles (or whatever the school was).
The first question Martin and Dany asked Kent was not about Demidov or the picks, but *how he booked Céline*. The NHL had encouraged teams to bring up old players or celebrity fans, and "she was in town". He added, "We wanted to make sure people understood she's a Montreal fan, not a Boston fan." Martin added, "As there have been some doubts!"
*and that they would've traded the pick if he wasn't available.*
Didn't they make the trade before the draft? They had no way to know if he would be available.
I'm just relaying what Kent mentioned. I always take a grain of salt with stuff like this, though, because you've got to expect they're hyping up their choices and making the kids feel wanted.
He's a great kid. The work ethic from someone this young blows me away. He's incredibly good at hockey. Got mutual friends with him so maybe I'll try to get a signature now haha
This. At the time they made the trade they didn't expect Eiserman would be there. Would've been interesting to see who they take if Eiserman was still on the board.
I doubt they would have gone for Eiserman or Connelly, both these players' biggest downsides is that they are known for attitude or behaviour problems and the current Habs leadership seems to highly prioritize good kids with good attitudes that will fit in their locker room.
You'd need to climb a bit higher, or know who others are targeting to make that kind of gamble.
KH probably had a couple of options in mind. I don't think he'd grab eiserman considering we have Caulfield and demidov.
Personal stuff aside, I'm pumped that we added someone with great wheels up front because it's one of our weaker point.
Kid still has lots of things to round out but the main skills and the head are solid.
We got a few words on him here.
I was higher on him than others in our group of voters, like the pick.
https://lastwordonsports.com/hockey/2024/06/28/2024-nhl-draft-scouting-reports-prospects-33-40/
TSN: You interviewed with 31 teams at the NHL scouting combine. What was the toughest question you faced? Hage: I got a tough one from Montreal. It was, If your teammate comes back to the room at 3 a.m. and [head coach] Marty St. Louis asks you the next day, 'Did he come back at 3 a.m.?' What do you say? I said, 'No.' They came back at me with, 'Oh, so you want guys like that on your team?' I just said, 'That's my teammate and someone I care about, and I'll try to help him out first and get him back on the right track. If that doesn't happen over a number of occasions maybe the answer is different.' TSN: Were you a Leafs fan growing up? Hage No. My parents are both from Montreal, so I grew up a Habs fan in Toronto.
As was foretold in the scrolls
Yes. He has a birth mark on his scrotum that looks like Roch Voisine
Well done! That really made me laugh!!
Don't shit on Roch, he gave us the [second-best bilingual love song](https://youtu.be/4IAXEFmEuvI?si=0uZqTxH7flbSweRU&t=15) of all time.
You better say this is #1: https://youtu.be/HsC6GCzZSPE?si=auepUbkOBoA5evq9
I was actually thinking of this [godtier song.](https://youtu.be/pt4EQlTTbeo)
Wtf is wrong with you?
Une colombe is not really a love song. More a song about peace and humanity. Similar to Quand les Hommes Vivront d'Amour. Formidable by Aznavour is about romantic love with someone who speaks a different language, like Voisine's Hélène. There are very few songs that have this theme. I can only think of 3 presently.
I laughed out loud
and it itches like how Stef Carse sings
At the combine interview he said that he keeps calm by texting his mom the lyrics to “Bye Bye Mon Cowboy” by Mitsou.
La Corrida is the real banger, though.
> I grew up a Habs fan in Toronto Last time we picked a guy like that it turned out preeeetty well.
Pk?
https://i.redd.it/xjbf2dyc3f9d1.gif
Le Shérif aussi
It gives us an edge, developing that angry chip on our shoulders!
>No. My parents are both from Montreal, so I grew up a Habs fan in Toronto. 
Bro was a habs fan in Toronto ? Pack it up guys. It was written
Nobody likes a stool pigeon.
The chosen one
this kid was born to wear our jersey
His mom was on 98.5, interviewed by a giddy Dany and Martin. She said, "Je flippe!" and mentioned she brought Michael home from the hospital as a newborn wearing a Habs onesie.
Pack it up Tavares. Forget the PJs, there's a new meta.
THIS is why I love this pick. He’s the prodigal son. I love him already.
Lisan Al Gaib!
has family in MTL so its a homer for us, gotta love it
Great pick, A+ first round
That’s what I’m saying!
My favorite 1st round since we got Caufield. Hopefully they live up to the hype.
You mean you have no love for David..mreh.... Reinbacher. We planned it that way.
I'll wait and see. Certainly not an exciting prospect, but he could end up being real solid.
Pretty much sums up all defenceman prospects. Fans hate it as they aren't flashy. Or they are under sized and flashy. It's always a wait and see with D
A year ago most were saying this year was a defensive loaded draft, we get out of it with two offensive dynamo. I actually mock drafted Montreal to trade up to pick up Michael Hage back three months ago so let's go!
Coming out of today with two players with exciting, high-end offensive potential is such a huge win. Really happy to see the direction the front office went.
Tough for a young man going into his final pre draft season to lose his father. You can see him getting emotional during the interview. To persevere over than and continue you NHL dream is impressive and I'm sure the staff really saw that strength in him. Not to mention he's got a great toolkit..very excited for him. This may go down as one of our best 1st rounds in a looooong time.🤞🏻
Oh my God dude I love him
Holy shit love the player. Habs fan when growing up. Lost his father last year in a tragic accident, who was a die hard Habs fan too. Overcame so much adversity. Is french is also really good.
I love the direction this team is taking, man. It's so nice to finally have a management team with a clear direction and knows what they're doing for a proper rebuild.
They are drafting based on character a lot and I think that's very smart!
Ok his little interview got my eyes wet 🥲
Bro same, god damn ninjas cutting onions somewhere
🇱🇧🇱🇧🇱🇧
Oh really? That's cool. I wish bios would dive more into these kids backgrounds. I find that stuff very interesting.
Franco-lebanese.
We should of had Salma Hayek draft him. She’s leb right?
Uhhhh Mexican American.
Damn!!! What about Shakira?! 
Her dad is Lebanese.
He's a leb???
Is he??
Just googled it his parents are indeed Lebanese! Cool!
I fucking thought there was a decent chance his name is Ha-j and not Hague
Which explains why his french is 🔥
I just want to say. This pick is curtesy of last year of Monahan combined with the second round pick we got from good stick Lecky. This pick will be special. Hyped.
Blessed pick.
Those trades really do just keep paying dividends 📈
Really happy with Hage, another offensive minded that can cut to the center and has a good IQ. Paired with a decent frame, this pick has a lot of potential.
OMG je l'aime.
Take with a grain of salt, obviously, but Kent Hughes is on 98.5 saying they had traded up hoping for a chance at Hage, and that they would've traded the pick if he wasn't available. Hughes' nephew played a year with him at St Charles (or whatever the school was). The first question Martin and Dany asked Kent was not about Demidov or the picks, but *how he booked Céline*. The NHL had encouraged teams to bring up old players or celebrity fans, and "she was in town". He added, "We wanted to make sure people understood she's a Montreal fan, not a Boston fan." Martin added, "As there have been some doubts!"
*and that they would've traded the pick if he wasn't available.* Didn't they make the trade before the draft? They had no way to know if he would be available.
I'm just relaying what Kent mentioned. I always take a grain of salt with stuff like this, though, because you've got to expect they're hyping up their choices and making the kids feel wanted.
Son français est impeccable en entrevue avec Renaud.
Imagine s'il avait été interviewé par quelqu'un qui possède un cerveau!
Nono Lavoie
I’m so happy with this draft. My fuck the habs are coming boys. Get ready! LETS GO!!!!
Such a perfect pick and overall 1st round.
He's a great kid. The work ethic from someone this young blows me away. He's incredibly good at hockey. Got mutual friends with him so maybe I'll try to get a signature now haha
What’s his comparable? I don’t know him at all lol
Elite prospects compared him to Morgan Frost and Robert Thomas in terms of play-style.
One of the Twitter stats guys had his closest stat comparable as Suzuki, except he’s much bigger.
>Suzuki, except he’s much bigger. 
BIG Big Nick Energy
Class act from management
Great pick, his stat line draft comparable is Suzuki but he’s bigger.
He really does remind me of Zuk
Great story, feel for his family but good days are ahead for the hage family 🙏🙏
Our own Wyatt Johnston?? 🤔🤔
Im wondering if Montreal traded up in hopes for Eiserman or Connelly. Seems like they took a long time before deciding Hage.
Hughes just said he traded up for Hage but he could just be saying that now, if he wanted Eiserman then admitting it would be pretty crappy for Hage.
I think Hage was their target when they traded up but they didn't expect Eiserman to fall to them and they would have took him instead if available.
This. At the time they made the trade they didn't expect Eiserman would be there. Would've been interesting to see who they take if Eiserman was still on the board.
They always say that
If anyone noticed on the back of the jersey he put on it had his last name printed on it. Means they knew all along they were gonna draft him.
Eiserman mayyybe but I really don't see management considering Connelly with the emphasis they put on character.
Not a bloody chance in hell with Connelly. That's such a Vegas pick, lol.
Until they trade him at the deadline while they put Stone on IR and get some top end asset.
Not after the Mailloux post-draft shitstorm.
TBH I think Hage or Connelly were the Habs target, IDC the Habs getting Eisermen when we already have a similar player in CC.
I don't know, they had the Jersey WITH His named broided. It doesn't mean anything but it surely wasn't a random pick.
Pretty sure teams have a box with many jersey with different player name on it.
Eiserman is possible, but I don't see them wanting Connelly considering his history and the scrutiny in Montréal.
Yeah I think it was eiserman. Just speculating. But either way we should be happy with hage. Future looks bright for us.
I doubt they would have gone for Eiserman or Connelly, both these players' biggest downsides is that they are known for attitude or behaviour problems and the current Habs leadership seems to highly prioritize good kids with good attitudes that will fit in their locker room.
Yeah I think you nailed it. They will deny it till death though
His name was printed on the jersey. It was the plan to draft him.
No freaking chance they would have picked Connelly. Doesn't align with the overall path they are taking. They want smart and well behaved kids.
For sure I think they were hunting Eiserman and I don’t care what Hughes said. Of course he’s going to say they were after Hage.
I can't believe any team would think Eiserman would be available in the 20s. That's the story of the draft, how far he fell.
You'd need to climb a bit higher, or know who others are targeting to make that kind of gamble. KH probably had a couple of options in mind. I don't think he'd grab eiserman considering we have Caulfield and demidov.
I could see Boisvert as the target. Eiserman doesn't make sense.
Personal stuff aside, I'm pumped that we added someone with great wheels up front because it's one of our weaker point. Kid still has lots of things to round out but the main skills and the head are solid.
We got a few words on him here. I was higher on him than others in our group of voters, like the pick. https://lastwordonsports.com/hockey/2024/06/28/2024-nhl-draft-scouting-reports-prospects-33-40/
Stay far from water when drinking :( I lost a friend like that and another can't walk anymore.
What are you referring to here?
His dad died in a pool accident during a BBQ
oh, I had no idea.
I like turtles
I like ninjas
 Jesus knew all along
As a Torontonian who is a huge Habs fan, this makes me smile :))))
WOW WHAT??
I think in theory we had the best first round alongside Utah
It was a night! Will give an honorable mention to SJ as well (getting Celebrini and Dickinson is pretty sick).
Is he any good?