When we think of the Canadiens’ forward core of the future, we often think of five names: Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovský, Ivan Demidov and Kirby Dach. We’re talking about five guys who, fairly unanimously, are seen as players who could play on the top-6 of an aspiring team.
Demidov will have to prove his worth in America, and Dach will have to avoid injury, but they clearly have the potential to get there.
That said, it takes six players to make up a top-6, and that’s why some fans are hoping for a big trade to get the sixth.
Trevor Zegras, Martin Necas, Patrik Laine: they’re all being talked about.
But in Montreal, there’s one name that’s often overlooked: Alex Newhook. Because The Hockey News is right to say that he’s the most logical candidate for the Habs to explode in 2024.
Last year, the 23-year-old forward scored 15 goals and 34 points in 55 games. A nasty ankle injury cost him several games, but when he played, he was productive.
However, it gets even more impressive when you look at his numbers at the end of the season. The youngster amassed 12 points in his last 13 games, and it was on his line that Brendan Gallagher and Joel Armia also found a way to finish the 2023-24 campaign strong.
It’s safe to assume that Newhook was starting to find his feet again, having just returned from a serious injury. Sometimes, even when you’ve recovered physically, you have to overcome mental barriers, and Newhook clearly managed to do just that at the end of the season.
It’s possible that Newhook’s strong finish to the season flew under the radar for a while due to the success of the first line and the arrival of Lane Hutson and Logan Mailloux, who stole the show. That said, behind the scenes, the young Newhook (who is younger than Caufield, remember) really looked like a player who deserves to be considered as a potential top-6 member of Montreal’s future.
I can’t wait to see how his speed and offensive skills are enhanced with a guy like Kirby Dach, who looks like an ideal line-mate for Newhook. And pairing two centers who don’t shoot on the same side could also help both guys in the face-off circle.
