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Alex Newhook: the black hole the Canadiens (really) didn’t need

 Sarah Jones
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Alex Newhook: the black hole the Canadiens (really) didn’t need
Credit: Getty Images

Prior to the start of the campaign, the Canadiens’ top-6 was seen as a big one. There was the first line, of course, but the club was banking on a revamped second line with the return of Kirby Dach and the arrival of Patrik Laine.

It was a promising line-up for a team in search of offensive punch.

That said, the plan quickly went awry. Laine suffered a knee injury, Dach is off to a horrible start and the other member of the line, Alex Newhook, is playing some… deeply forgettable hockey.

When you look at the (many) habs forwards who aren’t scoring right now (one goal or less this season), you find an injured forward (Slafkovský), guys who aren’t offensive (Armia, Evans, Dvorak), a player redefining himself this season (Anderson), a youngster making his debut (Kapanen), a player coming back from a huge injury (Dach)….

And Alex Newhook.

Newhook had health problems last year, but finished the season healthy (and strong). He was seen by quite a few as a logical top-6 piece this season, and on a line with Laine and Dach, he was seen as “the safe bet” considering the other two were coming back from major injuries.

He was even seen by many (myself included) as a logical name to explode this season.

At the start of a season when the Canadiens need their “blue chips” (which are already scarce), Newhook is the black hole the club really didn’t need. He has just one point (one goal) in seven games and a differential of -7.

Only Dach and David Savard have a worse differential than him.

However, what’s also worrying is the forward’s playing time. Among the Habs forward regulars, only Christian Dvorak (12:52), Oliver Kapanen (12:04) and Emil Heineman (10:12) spend less time on the ice per game than Newhook, who averages 14:20 per game (and 16:55 per game last year).

And in those minutes, he’s pretty much invisible. The fast, dynamic player we saw last year hasn’t shown up (yet?) this season.

If the Habs hope to get back to winning ways on a regular basis, they’ll need guys like Newhook to play up to their potential. Because right now, he’s one of the guys who needs to give Montreal more.


Overtime

– Speaking of Newhook.

– Enjoy.

– The question arises.

– Interesting.

– Further proof that NHL salaries are a far cry from those in MLB.

This content was created with the help of AI.

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