Canadiens Trade Talk – Examining Nicolas Hague Rumours

With the NHL Entry Draft looming, the trade rumours regarding the Montreal Canadiens have picked up, with Nicolas Hague being the latest player linked to the team.

According to Nick Kypreos, the Habs have kicked around the idea of trading for Hague, however, the Pittsburgh Penguins are also reportedly interested in the defenceman.

With that in mind, we’ll take a look at whether Hague is a fit with the current lineup, as well as what he could bring to the table for the Habs.

Nicolas Hage, 26, LD/RD, Vegas Golden Knights. 6’6″, 240 lb.

Although Hague shoots left, he can play on both sides of the blue line, which means he could fill the gap left behind when David Savard retired. His versatility would certainly be a plus, but we should guard against projecting him in a top-four role. For the most part, Hague played on Vegas’ third pairing, with his last partner being Zack Whitecloud (RD). His second-most common defensive partner was Alex Pietrangelo (LD).

His underlying numbers alongside Whitecloud were decent, hovering near the 50 mark in shot control and expected goals. In that vein, a third-pairing assignment with the Canadiens would be a logical approach, though the team already has players such as Arber Xhekaj and Jayden Struble ready to fill that role.

As soon as Hague played with Pietrangelo, Kaedan Korczak, or Noah Hanifin, his numbers collapsed.

A quick look at his RAPM at 5v5 reveals that Hague tends to be a significant drag, a clear red flag when we consider he’s a defensive defenceman, and he won’t be able to provide much in terms of even-strength offence.

via https://evolving-hockey.com/

Montreal Canadiens Brass Tacks

Beyond the stats, Hague does fit the bill when it comes to his frame. Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes has mentioned several times that he wants to improve the size of his players, while maintaining a certain talent level. The former rings true in this case, but the latter? Not so much.

It’s not just a matter of Hague struggling in the last season, either. If we evaluate his year-to-year progress, his results are in the midst of a complete nosedive since 2022.

Of course, just because he had a hard time in Las Vegas doesn’t mean he’ll flail in Montreal, but considering the discrepancy in talent between both lineups, it’s rather easy to argue he’d have a harder time in Montreal.

Hague will be a restricted free agent on July 1, coming off a three-year contract that carried a $2.3 million annual average value. We can safely assume he’s looking for a raise, and given that he’s only 26 years old, there is some logic in saying he hasn’t quite hit his prime yet, but if we focus solely on his numbers, a raise would represent another significant red flag.

Additionally, the Canadiens would have to outbid the Penguins to secure Hague’s services, which means they’d be spending precious assets to acquire a player who has been on a downward trend for several years.

All things considered, beyond his size, Hague simply does not move the needle for a team such as the Montreal Canadiens.

All Montreal Canadiens statistics via Natural Stat Trick or Evolving Hockey.