June 28, 2023
On Tuesday (June 27), the Montreal Canadiens traded a first round pick (31st overall), a second round pick (37th overall) and defense prospect Gianni Fairbrother to the Colorado Avalanche for the rights to restricted free agent centreman Alex Newhook.
Fairbrother was not in the Habs plans with a stacked group of left-shot defenders ahead of him. The deal amounts to a late first and an early second for the player drafted directly after Cole Caufield.
A familiar asset management strategy
Fan reaction was quite mixed, an outcome that is not exactly unique in the Montreal market. The Habs used their draft capital to land a young and talented player. Isn’t that why you acquire draft capital?
The reaction to the Kirby Dach acquisition was also quite mixed last summer. I was at the Bell Centre and can confirm that the crowd reaction was a cacophony of cheers and jeers. Some bemoaned the loss of Alexander Romanov, a name you hardly hear in fan circles any more. Others grieved the loss of an undrafted player – at the time, Frank Nazar was the name circled on most lists. Still others were certain that 21-year-old Dach, who had not yet broken out on a horrendous Chicago Blackhawks team, was a bust.
The fans who cheered saw the potential in adding a former early pick, a big and skilled centreman who fit with the Suzuki-Caufield window. They saw that the reward might be worth the risk.
As he said he would in his post-season presser, Kent Hughes found another Dach-like deal. The GM saw a player who had been highly touted and was struggling to break out on a team that was not development-focused , and used his draft capital to pounce. Yes, there is risk, but there is also potential of great reward. The potential may not be as high as Dach, but neither was the price tag.
This year the complaint is a very deep draft that would surely have afforded the Habs an opportunity for a better asset or two than Newhook. Is it a deep draft, or a highly talented top end of a draft? I’ll let Brian Wilde remind you of the likelihood of success for those picks.
A familiar team building strategy
A skilled, speedy forward with a good shot who can play both centre and wing and in all situations. A young player with a lot of game experience, including playoff games and his name on the Stanley Cup. Who doesn’t need one of those?
Hughes addressed the media with Coach Martin St. Louis following the trade. Marty confirmed Newhook would “get an opportunity in a better chair” – the latest addition to the Habs will get a chance to play in the top six for more than 12-13 minutes per night.
Fans and pundits are already drawing up line combos and discovering the Habs have “too many centres.” How can both Dach and Newhook possibly play in the top six? Insert some hand wringing here.
At some point, Habs fans are going to figure out that there is no such thing as too many centres. They’ll figure out that MSL hockey is not as rigidly focused on positional roles as the fanbase. It will eventually become expected by Habs fans that there will be four centremen in the top six and six or seven in the forward group. It’s a winning formula.
A familiar cynicism in the fanbase
Is it fair to say the honeymoon is over? The groom has done nothing but deliver smart deals, but the bride cannot be satisfied.
Hughes told fans he would try to make this exact kind of move at the draft. He was reportedly connected to Newhook last season. Yet, when the deal was made it was immediately described as a panic move after losing out on Pierre-Luc Dubois. That’s lazy analysis, I don’t care who you write for.
How about we make it through the next couple of weeks, at a bare minimum, before we start drawing up line combos? For fun? Sure, but don’t get too attached. There is a folly in trying to put together a puzzle when half the pieces are still in the box. I get the temptation – under the Bergevin regime fans could do little more than assess discreet trades because there was no evidence of a bigger vision. That’s no longer the case.
I heard the Dach trade called at the draft and loved it. I saw the Newhook trade announced and wasn’t sure what I thought. One reaction was no more “right” than the other. Both reactions are just getting excited about individual puzzle pieces without seeing how much is still in the box.
The next few days might be a ride for Habs fans. It’s a good time to remember we can’t yet see the full picture, but the guys drawing it know what they’re doing.
Hab At Her 
Black 61 pointed out that Newhook is 5’11” and roughly 200 lbs so more Suzuki sized than tiny. He has skill, speed and vision with a lethal shot. Plays the PP, PK and scored most of his points 5 on 5. As you point out Lori the price was not exorbitant either. He is a bonafide NHL player with Stanley Cup experience. A twenty two year old former 16th overall pick from a team that was more focussed on winning a cup than optimally developing this him; classic HUGO target IMO. I’m excited to see what this exciting young, versatile centre/winger can do with competent development and “in a better chair”.
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it’s a good deal… they took a chance on a player with upside, which is what you do at the draft, isn’t it?
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I never watched Newhook, but the Av fans I know were very happy with the haul saying his stated potential is not what you see at the NHL level. I dunno. But this trade feels like a homerun swing and we’ll see just how good the coaching staff is at unlocking potential.
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There were beat writers (who I’d trust more) who said they gave up on him too early and should have gotten more.
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Yeah, the opinions are all over the map. The only constant is Newhooks stock was low. I imagine 1 or 2 other teams drove up the asking price because 2 high picks seem a bit much.
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