Dylan Larkin's future now carries a Montreal twist, and Todd McLellan could see the Red Wings demand Michael Hage in any serious trade discussion.
That is the name suddenly sitting at the center of the Canadiens-Red Wings speculation. TVA Sports journalist Nicolas Cloutier reported that Detroit has real interest in Hage, Montreal's highly regarded prospect.
If the Canadiens ever push hard enough for Larkin, Hage now looks like the obvious starting point for what Detroit would want back. Not a secondary piece. Not a throw-in. A centerpiece.
Cloutier was adamant that Detroit knows Hage extremely well. The young forward plays at the University of Michigan, putting him directly in the Red Wings' backyard and making him an easy prospect for the organization to track closely.
There is another connection. Hage is also close to Will Horcoff, giving Detroit another layer of familiarity with the Canadiens prospect beyond ordinary scouting reports.
“Michael Hage, I'll put it this way, he's playing right in their backyard at the University of Michigan.
It can't be very far from where the Red Wings' executives are based.
And the Red Wings' interim general manager is Shawn Horcoff, and Shawn Horcoff has a son named Will Horcoff.
Will Horcoff is Michael Hage's roommate at the University of Michigan, so there are clearly connections and relationships that are very easy to establish.
I'm convinced the Detroit Red Wings know Michael Hage very well, and not only that, but they would have interest in him.”
- Nicolas Cloutier
That matters because a Larkin trade would require Montreal to put real value on the table. Detroit would be moving its captain, not shopping a depth player.
Michael Hage could become the price for Dylan Larkin
This is where the potential return gets interesting. If Montreal wants Larkin, Hage is exactly the type of asset Detroit could target: young, skilled, close to home and already well known within hockey circles around Michigan.
The Canadiens would almost certainly prefer to keep him. That is also why his name carries weight in these conversations. Detroit would need something painful enough for Montreal to surrender.
Nothing indicates a deal is finished, and Larkin controls a major part of the process through his no-trade protection. Montreal would need him willing to consider the move before negotiations could reach the finish line.
But the emerging picture is becoming easier to read. Montreal wants a major center, Detroit reportedly likes Hage, and any serious proposal would need premium young talent attached.
That does not mean Hage alone gets a Larkin trade completed. Detroit could seek another prospect, a roster player or draft capital depending on how talks develop.
Still, if Canadiens fans want to know which name could disappear first in a Larkin blockbuster, Michael Hage is now impossible to ignore.
Detroit's interest has put a potential price tag on the table. If Larkin ever lands in Montreal, Hage may be the piece heading the other way.
Would you trade Michael Hage in a package for Dylan Larkin?
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