Michael Hage, C, Montreal Canadiens, 1st round (21st pick)
Hage (6-foot-1, 187 pounds), a forward for Chicago in the United States Hockey League, was fourth in the league with 75 points (33 goals, 42 assists) in 54 regular season games and four points (two goals) in two USHL playoff games. Hage, of Egyptian descent, was the recipient of the EJ Maguire Award, presented by NHL Central Scouting. The award is presented to the candidate who best embodies excellence, character, competitive spirit and dedication to athleticism. He dislocated his shoulder in September 2022 and missed five months after surgery. His father, Alan, died in a swimming accident last summer. Hage plans to attend the University of Michigan for the 2024-25 season.
EJ Emery, D, New York Rangers, 1st round (30th pick)
Emery, a defenseman in the United States Hockey Association's National Team Development Program, has been compared to New York Rangers defenseman K'Andre Miller, an NTDP alumnus, and he welcomes the comparison.
Emery, 18, a dual Canadian-American citizen, has appeared in 62 games for the NTDP U-18 team this season, recording 16 assists. He also appeared in seven games for the USA, recording six assists and a plus-15 rating, which is tied for the tournament lead at the 2024 U-18 World Championship.
“I don't think he'll run the power play, but that being said, I think he can get more play out of it,” Rangers director of player personnel and amateur scouting John Lillee said.
Emery will attend the University of North Dakota and become the university's first black player since defenseman Akil Adams 30 years ago.
