Tony Marinaro: “I think Michael Hage will be a 2nd center in Montreal”

Dose
Crédit: TEMPE, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 12: Michael Hage #19 of University of Michigan Wolverines before a faceoff against the Arizona State Sun Devils during the third period at Mullett Arena on October 12, 2024 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Zac BonDurant/Getty Images)

Ah… the famous subject of a 2nd center in Montreal. We’ve been talking about it for a long time, after all. And to this day… there haven’t really been any answers to these questions. The Canadiens didn’t get their hands on a top-six center this summer, and we know how much that’s been the talk of the town. Because no: Oliver Kapanen isn’t going to fill that chair in the first game of next season. We’re talking about a 21-year-old (22 in four days) with just 18 games of NHL experience. And we’re also talking about a guy who – in the eyes of the Snake – doesn’t have enough offensive potential to fill that chair. At least, not in the short term…

The Snake and Tony Marinaro discussed the matter on last night’s episode of The Sick Podcast and tried to come up with a “solution” for the future.

The two guys share the same point: Michael Hage has the qualities of a player who can play 2nd line center in the National Hockey League. It won’t happen tomorrow, and probably won’t happen next year either… but he has the potential to make it happen.

[content-ads] I saw Michael Hage be really (but really) good at the Canadiens’ recent development camp.

He was better than the other players there, he showed his skills every time he was on the ice – especially in intra-team math – and he really looked like he’d improved compared to last year, when he was just drafted by the Habs.

It’s going to take some time to see him develop into the center of a 2nd line, but it’s true that, at first glance, it’s possible to get your legs excited about the idea.

The problem? The window of opportunity for the Canadiens is going to open soon with the guys already in place.

And there’s a world out there in which the Habs don’t have the luxury of waiting for Michael Hage to finally be ready to become the player we think he can be.That’s why, in fact, the idea of picking up a 2nd center this summer was popular.

And it will be as long as Hage is ready to face the music… [spacer title=’Overtime’] – I remember!

– Oh.

– Hey boy…