EXCLUSIVE: I want to stay, Canucks star makes decision.
“They invested in me to be here. They threw me into a role they think I can handle. I can help this team,” he says.
It will be a strange spring for Alex Newhook, the first in his career where he’ll be on the outside looking in when the playoffs begin on April 20
With an assist during Tuesday’s 9-3 rout of Philadelphia, the 23-year-old Newhook increased his season totals to 13 goals and 31 points in 51 games. Acquired in a trade last June from Colorado, Newhook produced 30 points in 82 games for the Avalanche last season, playing on a more talented team than the one he joined.
With four regular-season games remaining, beginning Thursday night against the New York Islanders (7:30 p.m., TSN2, RDS, TSN Radio-690, 98.5 FM), Newhook has the opportunity to exceed the career-high 33 points he produced as a rookie in 71 games in 2021-22. And with one more goal, he’ll equal his total from last season. His statistics would be much higher had he not suffered a high ankle sprain at the end of November that sidelined him until early February, forcing him to miss 27 games.
Newhook believes he can be a top-six forward on a team that continues rebuilding and will miss the playoffs for a third successive season after reaching the Stanley Cup final in 2021.
“I knew what the opportunity would be like here coming in, where they kind of wanted me to be,” said Newhook, selected in the first round (16th overall) by Colorado in 2019. “That was pretty obvious when I first got here. I wanted to prove to myself more than anything where I could be as a player in this league.”
Signed to a four-year, US$11.6-million contract on July 11, Newhook has played with a variety of linemates. If management looks upon him as a left-winger, Newhook was forced to move to centre following injuries to Kirby Dach and Christian Dvorak — the latter returning against the Flyers after tearing his pectoral muscle on Dec. 30.
Of late, Newhook has been the centre on a line with Brendan Gallagher and Joel Armia. Gallagher scored twice against Philadelphia while Armia produced his career-high 17th goal. Newhook has received much of the credit for Armia’s resurgence and also plays on the Canadiens’ top power-play unit.
“They invested in me to be here,” Newhook said. “They threw me into a role they think I can handle. I can help this team. It has been great. I feel like I’m wanted here to help this team get over the hump.”
The Avalanche reached the playoffs in each of Newhook’s three seasons, winning the Stanley Cup in 2022. But Newhook was overshadowed by other Colorado players on a talented roster. He plays a more integral role in Montreal.
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