Trade Habs acquire (rights to) Alex Newhook from Avs

[Commandant]

1 hour ago, REV-G said:

From another angle, could Newhook be part of a deal going to Winnipeg for Dubois?? 

 

 

No, Dubois to LA is happening.

[TurdBurglar]

27 minutes ago, Prime Minister Koivu said:

Initial reaction is an overpayment but let’s see what the kid has. 
 

I wonder if Newhook is part of a package going to Winnipeg 🤔

 

Im also curious if Newhook plays wing like Dach did, alongside Suzuki?

 

Caufield - Suzuki - Newhook

Slafkovski - Dach - Monahan 

Anderson - Dvorak - Gallagher 

 

It feels like Christmas and tomorrow can’t get here soon enough!

Doubtful he's part of a trade to Winnipeg.  Winnipeg has accepted LA's offer enough to grant LA permission to negotiate a contract with Dubois.  Seems pretty much a done deal unless the contract negotiation breaks down, which at this point is reported to be 8x$8.5m.

[GHT120]

5 minutes ago, Commandant said:

We have too many forwards. 

 

I agree ... 13 NHL contracts (per CapFriendly), including Pitlick and Pezetta ... Newhook, RHP and Ylonen are RFAs and Belzile is a UFA ... I expect Pitlick won't be with the Habs after the end of training camp (traded, waived or in Laval) and that Newhook and RHP will be signed so that is 14 forwards ... full roster, no room for any youngsters or other moves.

[Prime Minister Koivu]

24 minutes ago, TurdBurglar said:

Doubtful he's part of a trade to Winnipeg.  Winnipeg has accepted LA's offer enough to grant LA permission to negotiate a contract with Dubois.  Seems pretty much a done deal unless the contract negotiation breaks down, which at this point is reported to be 8x$8.5m.

Yep seems to be done

 

 

[GHT120]

Dach is 7 days older than Newhook ...  after being drafted by Chicago, Dach played 152 games (19g, 40) over three seasons ... after being drafted by Colorado Newhook played two seasons at Boston College and then 159 games (27g, 39a) with Colorado, in a lesser role than Dach did in Chicago.

 

I am optimistic.

[Peter Puck]

To me, the key here is that we will have a read on Newhook's abilities sooner than whomever we could have taken with the 31st and 37th picks.   We can't afford to keep piling up good but not great players.  We don't have room for them all.

 

  If the coaches can bring Newhook to his ceiling (or close) we will have another solid top 6 forward.  If not we can move on in a couple of years. 

[huzer]

36 minutes ago, Commandant said:

 

When that's who you spend most of your ice time with, 30 points is pretty good. 

 

 

He was tied to Evan Rodriques for the 1st half of the season. He started out with Rodrigues and Nichushkin (who missed a decent chunk of time). About halfway through the season, the Avs basically swapped Newhook and Compher.  It was a failing on the Avs management to expect to replace the production of Kadri-Burakovksy-Landeskog with Chu-Newhook-Rodrigues. Expectations for Newhook were too high in his second year, especially given his linemates in any combination, really. Most pundits in last year's preseason (at least locally) had him sliding riding in and replacing Kadri's production, and being a "breakout" candidate, despite lower quality linemates. Heck, Kadri wouldn't have duplicated his previous year, either.

 

Anyway, I hope for good things from him for next season.

 

[Prime Minister Koivu]

I certainly expect Newhook to get tons of minutes. 
 

I hope he scores 50 just like Cole

[tomh009]

2 hours ago, Peter Puck said:

If the coaches can bring Newhook to his ceiling (or close) we will have another solid top 6 forward.  If not we can move on in a couple of years. 

Reading Pronman’s assessment of Newhook prior to his draft, the things that stand out are a great hockey IQ, a high level if compete and explosive starts. Hughes was his agent so will know him well, and it looks like Newhook is a prime candidate for the Martin St-Louis school of hockey smarts.

 

I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do by the 2024-25 season.

[Sir_Boagalott]

Newhook should turn out to be pretty good but I can't help but feel that the Habs somewhat over paid for him.   I think the Avs should have given the Habs a 3rd rnd pick or something.  The Avs are somewhat cap crunched and wouldn't have been able to afford to keep him.  However, seeing that Hughes was his agent if he can be signed long term to a reasonable deal it should all workout anyway.  It's too bad that he isn't similar size as Dach.  Apparently, he is really good on the rush so that'll be good for the Habs.  

 

 

[Habsfan89]

5 hours ago, Prime Minister Koivu said:

Initial reaction is an overpayment but let’s see what the kid has. 
 

I wonder if Newhook is part of a package going to Winnipeg 🤔

 

Im also curious if Newhook plays wing like Dach did, alongside Suzuki?

 

Caufield - Suzuki - Newhook

Slafkovski - Dach - Monahan 

Anderson - Dvorak - Gallagher 

 

It feels like Christmas and tomorrow can’t get here soon enough!

It will feel more like Christmas if we can trade Hoffman, Armia, and Gallagher 😹

[EMELINATOR]

Love this deal. Newhook has wheels and can play any forward position. 

 

I don’t think anyone mentioned that he was a former client of Kent Hughes when he was an agent, so he knows this kid inside and out.

 

Fits the timeline and could be another Dach-like gem 

[tomh009]

1 hour ago, Sir_Boagalott said:

Newhook should turn out to be pretty good but I can't help but feel that the Habs somewhat over paid for him.   I think the Avs should have given the Habs a 3rd rnd pick or something.  The Avs are somewhat cap crunched and wouldn't have been able to afford to keep him.  However, seeing that Hughes was his agent if he can be signed long term to a reasonable deal it should all workout anyway.  It's too bad that he isn't similar size as Dach.

The Habs have plenty of late-round prospects already so I don't think a 3rd would have make a big difference.

 

He's 5'10 but no lightweight at 190 lbs. Not so much different from either Suzuki or Lehkonen, really. If they can unlock his game, I really don't think his size will be an issue.

[hab29RETIRED]

4 hours ago, EMELINATOR said:

Love this deal. Newhook has wheels and can play any forward position. 

 

I don’t think anyone mentioned that he was a former client of Kent Hughes when he was an agent, so he knows this kid inside and out.

 

Fits the timeline and could be another Dach-like gem 

I hope you are right. There’s al says th risk of Hughes being too attached to guys h’s known and represented.

[alfredoh2009]

5 hours ago, hab29RETIRED said:

I hope you are right. There’s al says th risk of Hughes being too attached to guys h’s known and represented.

I share your feelings, but still like this deal: it brings certainty and an NHL top-6 right a way

that is more valuable to the Habs rebuild than the draft picks they would have used.

[Commandant]

Is Newhook a risk? Sure.

 

Are 31 and 37 not risks though?

 

Its like trading 31 and 37 for 16.  Most people would be fine if that was the move.

[GHT120]

7 hours ago, hab29RETIRED said:

I hope you are right. There’s al says th risk of Hughes being too attached to guys h’s known and represented.

Balanced by Hughes knowing those guys better than other GMs ... it's his neck on the line, I think he is smart enough to not let his heart rule his brain.

 

1 hour ago, alfredoh2009 said:

I share your feelings, but still like this deal: it brings certainty and an NHL top-6 right a way
that is more valuable to the Habs rebuild than the draft picks they would have used.

 

I agree 

[DON]

So, cost is like trading this kid (or the like) and bit lesser one at 37.

Seems a smart move to me and hope he fits in well. Keep thinking of all the late 1st round busts for the Habs and Newhook has a track record as a pro already and wont be a Sherbak-Poehling-TInordi-McCarron-Juulsen...

 

#31 – Colorado Avalanche – David Edstrom, C, Frolunda (SWE J20)
Edstrom is a diligent two-way centre, who is one of Sweden’s best defensively-skilled forwards in this draft.  At 6’3, he already possesses pro size, but at 185 pounds still requires time to bulk up before arriving in the NHL.  He has excellent hockey sense, to break up a play in the defensive/neutral zone or anticipate a play before his opposition.  His passing ability is also excellent, to go along with high faceoff skills in the dot. His skating is still a work in progress, particularly with his acceleration. Scouts believe this can be corrected with some focused training. When he arrives in North America to play, we expect he will only require about a half-season in the minors to acclimatize to the game played over here. After then, he will easily adapt to a fourth-line role with his first call-up and should rise up the depth charts from there.

Editor’s Note: This pick was originally made back when the selection belonged to Montreal prior to the Alex Newhook trade.

 

#37

FELIX NILSSON, C

OSKAR FISKER MOLGAARD, C

MICHAEL HRABAL, G

KALIN LIND, C

[Habsfan89]

The only people that are not liking this trade are the ones who wanted PLD.  Looking at that trade and that contract I'm glad it wasn't us over paying for him.  

[alfredoh2009]

1 hour ago, Habsfan89 said:

The only people that are not liking this trade are the ones who wanted PLD.  Looking at that trade and that contract I'm glad it wasn't us over paying for him.  

nit necessarily, some good points have been shared here and other forums 

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

9 hours ago, hab29RETIRED said:

I hope you are right. There’s al says th risk of Hughes being too attached to guys h’s known and represented.

 

This is a highly perceptive point. There is the related factor of Hughes being a little too pleased with himself for the Dach trade and therefore being a little too willing to make analogous trades. If he keeps making them, sooner or later we’re going to see our picks wasted on a bust.

 

2 hours ago, Commandant said:

Is Newhook a risk? Sure.

 

Are 31 and 37 not risks though?

 

Its like trading 31 and 37 for 16.  Most people would be fine if that was the move.

 

I also agree with this. Draft picks are important, but fans have a tendency to fall in love with *potential* over reality, like a romantic young man who is always drawn to the next hot babe, dreaming of the perfection she represents. rather than the attractive but flawed woman he’s with.

 

Drafting a Newhook in the second round would be considered a highly satisfactory outcome with those picks. For that reason, I’m good with the trade.

 

But it will come down to whether or not Hughes has overrated one of his pretties (as Habs29 fears) or whether he is cannily deploying his inside knowledge of prospects. 

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

There is always risk with any trade. I think the Habs have likely had their eye on Newhook for a while. They didn't get him cheap but if something is too cheap you wonder if it has any value. He is still only 22, an excellent skater and may thrive under MSL. Time will tell. Not every trade by Hughes will work out but I think this trade was well thought out. I like this better than over paying for Dubois. 

 

I think this trade might affect how they approach today (ie. more likely to trade down than up, less likely to draft a smaller forward) but we will see and we will know soon. 

Also without having to pay Dubois big bucks, Hughes has more capacity to take on contracts for picks/prospects.  

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

Found this on another board so obviously the Habs have had their eye on Newhook for a while. 

 

 

"I just wanted to say that Friedman on the 32 Podcast this morning said that at last year's draft, Habs and Avs had conversations regarding a Newhook trade. So if we're to go by his word, this wasn't as much a panic move as it was someone Habs have been interested in for at least a full year."

[IN THE HEARTS OF MEN]

One thing that stands out to me... his goals! They are all goals that show his speed and agility and talent nothing garbage

[dlbalr]

19 minutes ago, Habs Fan in Edmonton said:

Found this on another board so obviously the Habs have had their eye on Newhook for a while. 

 

 

"I just wanted to say that Friedman on the 32 Podcast this morning said that at last year's draft, Habs and Avs had conversations regarding a Newhook trade. So if we're to go by his word, this wasn't as much a panic move as it was someone Habs have been interested in for at least a full year."

 

That makes sense, a move like this one wouldn't be done instantly.  I'd go as far back as the Lehkonen trade as to when Hughes probably first asked for him.  Then, at the time when it looked like Monahan might have been able to return by the deadline (and Colorado was the presumptive landing spot), Newhook probably came up in those discussions as well.  It's clear that one of 31 or 37 was in their offer for Dubois and once the deal with the Kings was done, they pivoted to Plan B which was already in place.  (Which then spurred another Colorado swap as they've already moved 37.)