Manon Rhéaume has no doubt: Canadian hopeful Michael Hage will one day play in the NHL.

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She has a good chance of getting a leg up on the 18-year-old forward as he plays at the University of Michigan with her son, Dakota Rhéaume-Mullen.

“Michael has very good talent, he is intelligent, he sees the game well, he has a lot of skills and he is a real goalscorer. He is impressive,” said the former goalkeeper without hesitation upon her induction into the Panthéon des Sports du Québec Hall of Fame on Monday evening.

In his first NCAA season, Hage has already climbed to the top of his team’s scoring charts with four goals and seven assists in six games.

“I saw him play a little last season when he competed against my husband [dans la USHL, une ligue junior aux États-Unis] and I noticed it. But that’s on another level. It’s his first time playing against college guys and he made an immediate impact and adapted easily,” Rhéaume continued.

The latter does not speak through her hat. It’s his job. She supports 12 young Los Angeles Kings players in their development.

Already several responsibilities

According to Rhéaume, the second choice in the first CH round, selected on the 21st^e Rank of the last draft (after Ivan Demidov in 5th place^e Echelon) was able to take advantage of the early departures of some players, including attackers Gavin Brindley, Rutger McGroarty, Dylan Duke and Frank Nazar among the professionals.

“It gave him a chance to be on the power play right away and play on the first two lines. “He really took advantage of the opportunity,” said the only woman to play in NHL preseason games with the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 1990s.

Michael Hage in a University of Michigan uniform. – Photo courtesy of the University of Michigan

Privileged access

Additionally, the Michigan resident, who returns to Quebec several times a year to visit family and attend QMJHL games, is fortunate to have privileged access to Hage.

“He’s my son’s roommate! He’s a good little guy off the ice. I met his mother who speaks French and is from Montreal, so we’re practicing our French! “Michael would like to practice it, but it’s harder for my husband to speak French, even if he understands it,” said Rhéaume, whose other son, Dylan St. Cyr, is a 25-year-old goalkeeper who plays in France.

The 52-year-old is therefore convinced that Hage, a 1.85 meter tall, 70 kilogram center, will one day be able to put on the blue, white and red uniform if he continues to make good progress.

Until then, she will keep an eye on her youngest, who is due to be drafted in June. At 17 years old, Rhéaume-Mullen is a 6-foot-1, 180-pound defenseman. In six games he recorded one assist, one penalty and achieved a +1 differential.

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