Grant McCagg argued this morning that the Canadiens don't need to trade for a second-line center, they need to wait for Michael Hage.
The debate has been building all week in Montreal. Nick Suzuki is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury, and according to the latest injury report he is expected to be out until at least Nov 18. The Canadiens host the Jets tonight.
Here's what makes the timing awkward: the team keeps winning. Montreal is 9-3-2, fifth in the NHL, and riding a five-game winning streak with an 8-1-1 mark over its last 10.
Suzuki has played nine of those 14 games, so the sample without him is real.
| Date | Opp. | Result | G | A | P |
| Oct 31 | vs PIT | W 5-4 | Out | - | - |
| Oct 29 | at DAL | W 5-2 | Out | - | - |
| Oct 27 | at STL | W 2-0 | Out | - | - |
| Oct 25 | at WPG | W 2-1 | Out | - | - |
| Oct 23 | at CHI | W 4-1 | Out | - | - |
| Oct 20 | vs SJ | L 3-4 OT | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Oct 17 | vs BUF | W 4-3 OT | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Oct 14 | at WAS | L 4-5 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Oct 13 | vs BUF | W 4-3 SO | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Oct 10 | vs DET | W 1-0 SO | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 8 | vs NSH | L 2-5 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Oct 6 | vs CAR | L 4-6 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Oct 3 | at PIT | L 5-6 OT | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| Sep 29 | at TOR | W 3-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The idea of a blockbuster isn't new either. Pierre LeBrun was split 50/50 on a Michael Hage for Dylan Larkin swap last Thursday, and that conversation hasn't gone away.
McCagg's counter is simple. He noted that last year's Canadiens collected 106 points without blowing up the prospect pool for a second-line center, and that this year's group won five straight in regulation without Suzuki.
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Hage is 20 years old and was the 21st pick in the 2024 draft. He has yet to play an NHL game, regular season or playoffs, so the "wait for Hage" plan rests on a player with no NHL track record.
That's a real gamble, and it's still the right one. Spending a first-round center on a straight swap while the team is 5-1-1 on the road and winning with its captain out is a move to fix a problem that hasn't shown up in the standings.
What Suzuki's absence really costs Montreal
The cost is on the scoresheet. Suzuki has 12 points in nine games this season, with five goals and a +6 rating, and he had one power-play goal and one power-play assist before going down.
He was back on the ice in Brossard in full gear last week, a first sign of progress, but the injury listing still carries that Nov 18 estimate. Estimates move.
That's the part McCagg's argument doesn't fully answer. A five-game streak is a good cushion, and a long run without the top center is a different test. If the wins dry up before Suzuki returns, the Larkin conversation comes right back.
For now, Martin St-Louis and Kent Hughes have the luxury of choosing. Winnipeg arrives tonight, and the injury report will say a lot more on Nov 18 than a hot week does today.
Should the Canadiens keep Michael Hage and wait instead of trading for a second-line center?
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