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The Leafs wanted to draft Michael Hage

Originally posted on Dose.ca | Last updated Mar 31, 2026 6:26 PM ET

In 2024, the Canadiens held the 26th overall pick in the first round of the draft.

But Kent Hughes moved up to the 21st spot to select the player he wanted.

That player's name is Michael Hage. And today, nearly two years after the draft, Hage is regarded as one of the top prospects in the National Hockey League. Time really does heal all wounds!

It's also worth noting that Hage was on the Maple Leafs' radar. The Toronto team held the 23rd pick in the first round and planned to use it to draft Hage.

Ultimately, seeing that the Canadiens had pulled a fast one on them, the team decided to trade down to the 31st pick to select defenseman Ben Danford.

The Maple Leafs wanted to draft Michael Hage at the 2024 NHL Draft.

TOR was slated to draft at 23rd overall, while MTL was set to draft at 26th.

MTL jumped up to 21st overall to pick ahead of TOR and nabbed Hage. The Leafs then traded down to 31st and picked up Ben Danford.

— Marco D'Amico (@mndamico) March 31, 2026

In a way, the Leafs weren't lucky.

But we have to tip our hats to Kent Hughes, who wasn't afraid to make a trade to move up. He probably knew that certain teams had their eyes on Hage and decided to act to select him in the first round.

And what's even more special is that this decision could really pay off for the Canadiens for years to come…

Good for the Habs organization. Not only were they able to draft a talented player, but they also dealt a blow to their longtime rivals in Toronto by selecting the player they wanted.

I can't wait to see Hage light it up against the Leafs.

Because we'll be able to say this: imagine if the kid were playing in Toronto… hehe.

In a nutshell

– We'll see how this plays out in the coming weeks.

Don't underestimate the impact of losing Alexandre Carrier…!#lesickpodcast @TonyMarinaro @DGauthierRDS @alavoiemartel pic.twitter.com/gemwT0NPWY

— The Sick Podcast with Tony Marinaro (@thesickpodcasts) March 31, 2026

– Yeah.

Like the Habs, the Lightning can't take a breather https://t.co/6iJJ80z8eV

— TVA Sports (@TVASports) March 31, 2026

– Well done.

Closing out our Franchise's Top 25s with none other than Johnny Hockey! pic.twitter.com/K6Cdoz82p8

— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) March 31, 2026

– He's going to be good.

Get to know the 2025 sixth overall pick, Porter Martone, who is making his NHL debut tonight with the @NHLFlyers! pic.twitter.com/bFFPTuGX6p

— NHL (@NHL) March 31, 2026