Alex Newhook never really got to see what he could become in Colorado.
The Avalanche drafted him 16th overall in 2019, and by 2022, he was a Stanley Cup champion. He was still a young player trying to find his footing, though, and doing that on a team with Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, Gabriel Landeskog and plenty of other established forwards wasn’t exactly an easy task.
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Now, Newhook is getting paid for the player he has become since leaving Denver.
The Montreal Canadiens signed the former Avalanche forward to a four-year, $22.2 million contract extension Tuesday. The deal carries a $5.55 million annual cap hit beginning with the 2027-28 season.
Newhook with the Stanley Cup in 2022. Credit: Marj J. Rebilas – USA Today
Newhook spent three seasons in Colorado and showed plenty of promise. There were nights when his speed and skill stood out, and you could see why the Avalanche had taken a chance on him in the first round.
The bigger role, however, was hard to come by.
Colorado was trying to win, and the team was simple too stacked to give a young forward top-line minutes and let him work through the growing pains that come with developing in the NHL. Newhook had to make the most of the minutes he received while playing behind some of the league’s best players.
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Eventually, Colorado decided a change made sense for both sides.
The Avalanche traded Newhook to Montreal on June 27, 2023, receiving a first-round pick, a second-round pick and prospect Gianni Fairbrother in return.
Two years later, the decision looks different when viewed through Newhook’s career.
Montreal has given him the kind of opportunity that was difficult to find in Colorado. He’s been able to play a bigger role, see more offensive situations and grow into a more important piece of the Canadiens’ lineup.
An ankle injury suffered in November limited Newhook to 42 games, but he still finished with 13 goals and 12 assists for 25 points. Once the playoffs began, he became an even bigger factor.
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Newhook scored seven goals and added three assists in 19 games, helping Montreal reach the Eastern Conference Final. The Canadiens eventually lost to the Carolina Hurricanes, who went on to win the Stanley Cup.
That run was another glimpse of what Newhook can bring when he’s given the chance to play a bigger part.
Montreal clearly saw enough.
The new contract keeps Newhook with the Canadiens through the 2030-31 season, taking him through his prime and giving the organization a long-term piece to build around.
For Colorado, Newhook’s development is worth watching.
The Avalanche knew what they had when they drafted him. They also had a roster that made it difficult for a young player to climb very far up the depth chart. Newhook still got his name on the Stanley Cup in Colorado, but it was in Montreal where he began to carve out a role that was truly his.
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That’s part of what makes this contract interesting from the Avalanche perspective.
Newhook isn’t being paid $5.55 million per year for the player he was when Colorado drafted him. He’s being paid for the player he’s becoming now.
And at 25 years old, the Canadiens are betting that there is still another step coming.
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