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Instant Trade Analysis: Canadiens Pay Premium In Newhook Trade

Published

5 months ago

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Canadiens newhook

The Montreal Canadiens were rumoured to be involved in several different trade negotiations ahead of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.

And while most fans were expecting some news regarding a possible Pierre-Luc Dubois trade, the Canadiens opted to take another route to reinforce their centre depth

The Canadiens announced they traded the 31st and 37th overall picks at the upcoming Draft in exchange for Colorado Avalanche forward Alex Newhook. Prospect Gianni Fairbrother is also part of the package heading to Colorado.

Newhook, 22, scored 14 goals and 16 assists in 82 games for the Avalanche last year, a small regression in his overall production compared to the previous season. His underlying numbers were slightly above average last season, however, he also improved his results in every important statistical category this year.

It’s worth noting that Newhook is a former client of Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes, therefore it’s reasonable to assume familiarity played a part in the trade.

Newhook will provide centre depth, and given that he’s still rather young, there’s also a significant amount of untapped potential. He’s also an excellent centre, which should fit in well with the type of roster the Canadiens are attempting to build.

The Newfoundland native is currently a restricted free agent.

The Cost

Newhook is a good player, and he should give Montreal Canadiens head coach Martin St-Louis more options up front, especially now that the Canadiens have also re-signed veteran Sean Monahan. Suddenly, the Canadiens went from one of the teams with the weakest centre depth in the league to a team that should be able to compete with other teams in terms of quality down the middle of the lineup.

But he did not come cheap.

The 2023 NHL Draft is one of the best draft classes in recent history, which means the Canadiens will lose an opportunity to draft two very talented players in Nashville.

It seems rather clear that Hughes is attempting to re-create the Kirby Dach trade, though, for now, Newhook projects as a third-line player with second-line upside.

It’s always tempting to immediately declare a winner in NHL trades, much like the Dach trade, we’ll have to reserve our judgment on this deal until we can evaluate Newhook’s play with the Canadiens.

The good news is that he’ll likely have more opportunities to shine in the Canadiens roster, and he fits the age group of the core players on the roster, which should lead to significant chemistry once the Canadiens decide their rebuild is over.

We can also safely assume the Canadiens are no longer in the running for Dubois, though the reported trade between the Jets and the LA Kings is yet to materialize.

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Brian Chandler

Once again Colorado has fleeced the Habs.

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morrisk

Wow.

Lek would have more or less floundered on the Habs…stuck on like 30-something pts per season. He would have been yet another brick in the wall of this logjam of wingers. He gets traded to one of the best offensive teams in the NHL, and of course he improves and now looks like a 2nd line winger.

Same thing happened with Radulov. Same thing happened with Segachev.

Barron in return was fine with me, and we did NOT get fleeced.

What about dropping Toffoli for almost the same return? That was a worse trade for the Habs.

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morrisk

Well, we don’t know if this is a “Dach type” deal until we see what Newhook does this season. Until Dach did what he did, and basically solidified the #2C spot, it was a crapshoot trade.

But it seems that’s what Hughes is doing…finding superior talent, former 1st rd picks, who have underperformed with their clubs, trade for them, and they resurrect their careers with the Habs and become the players worthy of being picked that high in the draft. Its a great methodology. First Dach, then Gurianov, now Newhook. We know the Dach deal was a big win. Jury still out on Guri. Newhook? Lets see, just not sure. If he doesn’t get any higher than 3rd line C, then it was a waste because frankly, 3rd line centers are almost a dime a dozen – and can easily be drafted in one of the draft positions the Habs just gave up.

Unless they convert him to a winger and he does crack the top 6???

So at this point, I’m indifferent to this trade. At least we still have the #5 pick, although I’m sure that’s dangling at this moment…

Last edited 5 months ago by morrisk
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Pleasant

Dach solidified the 2C spot? He is a 2nd line winger on any team with a legit 2C. His FO% was 38% last year which happens to be his career high.
Previous year 32% and has a career average of 35%.

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morrisk

Yes, he did. That’s why Winny wanted him in the PLD trade…and that’s why the Habs said no.

Since the Habs currently do NOT have any other #2 center better than Dach (and yes, that includes Monahan, who is an injury waiting to happen), by default, he has solidified that #2 spot.

Its called improvement each passing season. BIG difference between Dach in CHI and Dach in MTL. I suspect he will be even better this season.

Last edited 5 months ago by morrisk
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Pleasant

He was the starting point for even more assets that Chevy apparently had no interest in from the Habs roster, lol.

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morrisk

Chevy had no say in this. If PLD truly wanted to be a Hab, he would have declined an extension with LA. Then that deal is nixed. Then whatever the Habs were offering, Winny would have taken, because that would have been the most they would get for him now.

And if Dach truly was the “starting point”, that tells you all you need to know…

Last edited 5 months ago by morrisk
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Pleasant

Ok, whatever gets you through not actually having more than one legit top 6 center in what is becoming a mushy middle rebuild without one near elite talent on the squad. I am sure Dach and Newhook will put you guys right where you deserve to be in the standings, lol.

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Pleasant

Congratulations on Dach improving to the level of Dvorak at the same age except Dvorak had a 0.55 FO%. Chevy is probably heart broken he didn’t acquire your B level player over someone else’s multiple players.

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Darryl

The Habs wouldn’t trade Dach straight up for Dubois. Dach has more upside and makes 1/3 the salary.
Its a shame no one ever wants to play in the frozen tundra of Winnipeg.

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Pleasant

Lol, keep feeding that fever dream!

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Darryl

The ask from Winnipeg was Dach plus which is why the habs said no. Dach will outperform Dubois.

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Pleasant

Dubois had 52 points in 52 games before the Jets season goes sideways! By all means give it to Jets fans for going from 1st in the Central to turtle racing into the final WC spot but just compare the stats. Not Dubois fault the Jets were the 2nd WC team anymore than Dach being the reason the Habs finished 5th from the bottom of the standings.

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Pleasant

Plus Dubois scored at 0.85 ppg and Suzuki scored at 0.8 ppg so is Dach also going to outperform your 1C?

Last edited 5 months ago by Pleasant
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morrisk

This guy is a troll. Probably either a Leafs or Winny fan just trolling us. Just leave his nonsense alone…

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Pleasant

They are just #s, verifiable with a little thing called Google unless you are afraid facts are getting in the way of your emotional narrative.

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Pleasant

Hockey-reference.com has a lot of stats maybe you can find some to support your assertions.

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Dave

Late 1st and early 2nds are a dime a dozen. Habs added a nhl piece that is just coming off his elc.

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Pleasant

Late 1sts and early 2nds are only a dime a dozen if a team is constantly in the lottery for 1st OA and selling assets at the TDL.

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mikeysl

or he is off to winni for PLD

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bpvac

That was my 1st thought as well. But what else would WPG want for PLD.

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bpvac

WPG didn’t want draft picks for Dubois, they wanted NHL players but not the ones Momtreal was offering. Maybe Newhook can play with Dach & Monahan on the 2nd line or he can centre the 3rd with Dvorak traded. Have faith in Marty and Kent, believe it will work out well.

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Tyrone

Do we really need another player like this (especially for the price it cost us)? We need to be adding elite pieces to the young core we have. There are limited spots available in our top 6. Is Newhook the best piece we could have added to that group? I don’t think so. And, if he turns out to not be in our top 6, the price we paid was way too much. Man, I sure as heck hope we land Michkov at #5 to at least walk out of Nashville with something to be really excited about. If we trade down and end up picking 2 good players, rather than 1 elite one… Yikes! Massive fail.

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Luno

I totally agree. It’s time we get some elite scoring players on this roster!! Someone that brings the fans to their feet!! Someone who makes a difference when we need it most during a game. ENOUGH with mediocre talent!!

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Brent

I dont understand hab fans. The habs traded a fan favorite (romanov) and the 13th overall pick for a guy that had never cracked 10g or 30pts in his career but everyone hailed hughes as a saviour of the draft. But he goes and trades essentially 2 2nds rounders and already has 30pts point season with the potential of 50pts which by the way is 15pts less then dubois career best. And everyone says the habs lost this trade… i just dont get it. Dach had untapped potential yes. Newhook has untapped potential as well plus he already plays solid defense. I say lets see what marty can do with him before you guys throw him under the bus..besides the 31st and 37th chances are u wont see them in the nhl for 3 or 4 years anyways

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Brent

Shiyt sorry didnt mean to tag you i thought i was just a normal comment.. my bad.

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Brent

Sorry mate didnt mean to comment under your tag. I thought i was under the general comment section.

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Tyrone

No worries 😁👍

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Isabelle Turp

Stop trading with Colorado! u lose badly,way to high a price for a 5.10 player who will be a 3rd line player
is Hughes going to get after every kid he has coached,and they say Mitchkov is too small well he has way way more talent than Newhook this is a great draft we could have gotten a really good player ar 31st and 37, what was he thinking?…

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Joe

Great deal for Habs. No guarantee that 31st pick or 37th pick ever play in NHL. In the the last 10 years only 2 players picked 31st and 37th played more than 100 games in NHL. Brendan Lemieux (picked 31st in 2014) & Brandon Carlo(picked37th in2015). Meanwhile no other player in the 2019 draft picked after Newhook has scored as many points.

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morrisk

Those are some interesting stats…that do matter.

I’m on the fence right now. Have to see if this guy improves on the Habs, like Dach did, to maximize his potential as per where he was picked in the draft.

It goes both way with picks at #31 and #37. They could be HOFers or Dolly Partons – or anywhere in between. Plus how do we know these picks would not have been packaged anyway to move up in this draft?

The way I see it, if Newhook becomes a solid 2nd line winger or center, the Habs won the deal. IF.

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