Michigan recruit expected to continue NHL draft program’s long winning streak in the first round

Michigan’s hockey program has had at least one player or recruit selected in the first round of the NHL Draft for seven consecutive years.

That streak is set to be extended to eight years at the 2024 draft in Las Vegas on Friday night, with rounds 2 through 7 taking place on Saturday. Most major draft experts and media outlets rank Michigan rookie Michael Hage among the top 25 available prospects, making him a near-certain first-round pick.

The 6’1″, 185kg forward is coming off an outstanding 2023-24 season with the Chicago Steel, finishing fourth in the United States Hockey League with 75 points (33 goals, 42 assists) in 54 games.

NHL.com ranks him as the No. 10 North American figure skater in the 2024 draft, while a group of top draft experts – Corey Pronman and Scott Wheeler of The Athletic, Chris Peters of FloHockey, and Craig Button and Bob McKenzie of TSN – all rank him between Nos. 15 and 25.

ESPN ranks Hage 18th.

“There are many aspects of Hage’s game that scouts like beyond his physical ability,” wrote ESPN’s Rachel Doerrie. “He wins puck battles, gets in front of the net and makes his teammates better. He will improve his skill set by improving his ability to make contact and use it to his advantage. The details of his game are a strength. He supports the puck well and his ability to impact play will only improve as his skating progresses. The model sees him as a midfielder with an outside chance to reach his potential on the second line.”

Teams typically prioritize centers over wings when drafting, which could mean Hage is selected higher than his ranking suggests.

Wheeler predicts in his latest mock draft that Hage will go to the Vegas Golden Knights at No. 19, but notes that he has heard “rumors” that the right-handed center would go sooner.

Hage is considered a latecomer in the draft after scoring 27 points in his final 14 games last season. Adam Kimelman and Mike Morreale of NHL.com project the Mississauga, Ontario native to be selected No. 17 and No. 18, respectively.

According to Daily Faceoff, Hage is also going to the Chicago Blackhawks with the number 18 pick, while Pronman sent him to the Detroit Red Wings with the 15th pick.

Regardless of where Hage is selected, he will likely play a big role for the Wolverines in 2024-25. The program has had 16 first-round picks since 2014, including eight in the previous three drafts, but only one is expected to still be on the roster next season.

Winger Rutger McGroarty, the No. 14 overall pick in the 2022 draft, has announced his intention to return for his junior season, but the team lost center Frank Nazar, the 13th overall pick in 2022, who signed with the Blackhawks following Michigan’s semifinal loss to No. 1 Boston College in April.

In addition, two other top-50 picks on the team left school early and signed professional contracts: forward Gavin Brindley, last year’s leading scorer, and defender Seamus Casey, one of the most accurate defenders in the country.

TJ Hughes, who scored 48 points in 41 games as a sophomore last year, is expected to be Michigan’s No. 1 center next season, but it’s likely Hage could jump straight into a top-9 role.

“A big, right-handed center who is a dual threat in the offensive zone and has shown one of the most promising development curves of the season? Check. Check. Check,” Doerrie wrote. “Hage is a dynamic puck transferr and an intelligent player who can pick apart defensive schemes in transition with ease. He gets the puck off the wall and into dangerous areas of the ice better than most players in the draft.”

“The deception of his shot and the variety of his shots make him equally dangerous with or without the puck. He can pull the puck to himself and shoot through defenders just as easily as he can receive and release it in one motion. Hage is a head-heavy player who knows how to manipulate defenders and open up shot lanes. If he can increase his speed, he will be able to take advantage of the compromising situations he puts defenders in.”

The names of several other Michigan recruits were also called during the draft.

Defenseman Gabriel Eliasson, forward Christian Humphreys, forward Aidan Park and goalie Stephen Peck are all listed in Pronman’s seven-round mock draft. Eliasson is expected to be selected first of the group and go in the second round (No. 43 overall) to the Buffalo Sabres. Michigan has not yet announced its incoming freshmen, so it’s unclear which newcomers will be on the team this year. Humphreys and Hage are both listed on the student roster, a strong indication they will be on the 2024-25 roster.