The Montreal Canadiens acquired forward Alex Newhook from the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday in exchange for the Canadiens’ 2023 first (31st) and second-round (37th) picks, as well as right-handed defenseman Gianni Fairbrother. This gives Colorado the 27th, 31st, and 37th overall selections, but it’s hard to think a team not in a rebuild will keep all three of those picks.
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The 22-year-old Newhook scored 14 goals and 30 points in 82 games this past season. For Habs fans, seeing a player participate in every game in a season is inspiring. The Newfoundland native, selected 16th overall in 2019, one spot after Cole Caufield, has scored 27 goals and 66 points with Colorado.
Getting to Know Newhook
Many fans will wonder why general manager (GM) Kent Hughes made the trade, but it does have shades of the Kirby Dach deal in 2022. Colorado is in a win-now mode and likely needed the cap space a Newhook contract extension would fill to add a veteran such as Ryan Johansen, who was recently acquired. From Montreal’s perspective, they add a skilled player and one with a Stanley Cup ring. Now he gets a chance to grow in a larger role as the Habs continue to rebuild.
It may not be a surprise to hear, but Newhook is familiar to Hughes as he played his NCAA hockey at Boston College and is friends with the Habs GM’s kids from his time training in the Boston area. As an added bonus, Montreal is also the closest NHL team to St. John’s, Newfoundland — Newhook’s hometown.
Canadiens Add Skill
The first thing that jumps out when watching Newhook play is his skating. He has elite top speed, and his mobility is impressive as well, with his edgework and agility to go along with the speed. It is a skill that comes naturally to him. He is a weapon off the rush, using that speed and footwork to push defenders back or to beat them wide. Newhook also uses changes in speed and angles to open up lanes that he can either shoot through or make an accurate pass through.
As a player capable of playing in transition, he fits perfectly in Montreal. His size, 5-foot-10 and 190 pounds, could be an issue, but he doesn’t shy away from going to the dirty areas. He will battle along the boards, is willing to take a hit to make a play and, more importantly, attacks the middle of the ice, which will help the Habs offensively.
As mentioned, he has offensive skills that will fit well in Montreal. On top of his excellent skating, he has great vision, allowing him to identify players who are streaking to the net but also those lurking in open spaces. While he can make plays, he isn’t afraid to take a shot, either. He is adept at completing one-timers and is very accurate. He has a good snap and wrist shot with a quick release, but he will need to improve on being more deceptive when shooting to keep goaltenders guessing. Despite that, he would be an excellent option that could improve a weak Habs power play.
While he is a natural center, he does have some difficulties with faceoffs, coming off a season with only a 41.4 percent success rate. He may be more suited to play wing in Montreal. Defensively, Newhook is not a liability, as he has been reliable in his own zone. His hockey IQ helps him not just offensively but defensively as well, as he is able to read developing plays and react quickly. As a center, he did end up getting outmuscled at times as he tried to box out, but he does well one-on-one or along the boards.
Yet his defensive game translates very well to the wing. He uses his strong body and stick positioning to cut down passing lanes. More importantly, if he is playing wing, he would be higher up in the zone, which would make him an even more dangerous transitional player. He’d have the ability to generate turnovers, then take them directly up ice, forcing defenders to back off the blue line to respect his speed, which could help in the Habs’ defense in clearing the zone. An added bonus, he has shown an ability to play on the penalty kill, giving head coach Martin St. Louis more options.
In his three seasons with the Avalanche, Newhook showed flashes of becoming a legitimate top-six NHLer. In 2022, he helped Colorado to win the Stanley Cup. Last season, after the championship, he had the opportunity to step up and take the second-line center role. However, his up-and-down season meant that he ended up playing the majority of the year in the bottom six. He will get a fresh start in Montreal, who will be able to provide him more playing time as a top-six forward and also on special teams, specifically the power play, as they don’t have the pressure to win this season and can patiently allow him to grow into the role.
