Last season was an up-and-down one for Alex Newhook in large part due to injuries. Now, entering a contract year, will 2026-27 be his breakout campaign?
2025-26
Newhook got off to a nice start last season despite bouncing around the lineup. Seeing time on each of the top three lines, he picked up a dozen points in his first 17 games, basically half of his output from the year before (in 82 games). It looked like he was on his way to having the breakout year that the Habs were hoping he could provide when they traded a pair of draft picks for him (including a late first-rounder) back at the 2023 draft.
Then he broke his ankle and all of that promise went out the window. Expected to miss four months, he was able to beat that by a couple of weeks, returning after the Olympic break. He was sharp upon returning with four points in three games but slowed down over the final quarter of the season, notching nine points in the final 22 contests. Most of that time was spent on a second line that was in flux, looking for answers heading into the playoffs.
Although he wasn’t producing much down the stretch, Newhook wound up being a key secondary scorer for the Canadiens in the postseason. Now being deployed at centre for extended stretches, the change in role seemed to work as he picked up seven goals in 19 games, including the series winners over Tampa Bay and Buffalo. It was a bit of a rocky season overall but he certainly finished strong, providing some cause for optimism heading into 2026-27.
Regular Season Stats: 42 GP, 13-12-25, +9, 10 PIMS, 2 PPG, 2 GWG, 61 shots, 14:29 ATOI
Playoff Stats: 19 GP, 7-3-10, +3, 16 PIMS, 0 PPG, 2 GWG, 33 shots, 17:14 ATOI
5 Year Averages
GP: 66
Goals: 14
Assists: 16
Points: 30
+/-: -2
PIMS: 17
PPG: 2
GWG: 3
Shots: 99
2026-27 Role
There are players whose roles are pretty well set. Newhook is not one of those. In fact, his role is arguably one of the least set ones on the roster. It’s not that he’s not good enough to fit in one spot; it’s that he’s good enough to hold his own in a bunch of roles, making him an easy one to move around.
As a result, it’s fair to suggest that he will see some time on the wing on the top line. He will probably get a chance at centring the second line at some point, especially if they don’t make a move to bring anyone in to fill that role the rest of the summer. Newhook will undoubtedly see time on the wing on that line as well. When injuries strike, he’s also a safe bet to play down the middle on the third line while again, he’ll also see time on the wing. I wouldn’t even rule out the odd game on the fourth line when the coaching staff wants to balance things out. Players like that are great for a coaching staff but not as great when trying to project their numbers.
As for special teams, Newhook was a regular on Montreal’s second power play unit last season. The unit was largely ineffective but he was used for zone entries. He should get that opportunity again this year but if Nick Suzuki winds up playing on both units as he did at times down the stretch and in the playoffs, Newhook could cede some time. Meanwhile, the experiment with using him on the penalty kill wound up lasting the full season. Not surprisingly, it has its ups and downs but Newhook showed enough that he should see at least a bit of ice time in that role.
Projected Stats
This is a big year for Newhook. The Habs need reliable secondary scoring and he’s going to once again get a prime opportunity to provide that. It’s also a contract year. At a time when salaries are going through the roof thanks to the new salary cap environment, Newhook is primed to benefit from it. That is, if he can put together the full season of quality play that has eluded him so far.
When he has been healthy, he has struggled. Last year, he looked like a possible 50-point player out of the gate, then injuries derailed things. Five full seasons into his career, his personal best in points is 34. Optimistically, being part of a better second line should set Newhook up for a career year and the projected stats below will reflect that. But I’m coming in on the more cautious side rather than forecasting a 50-point year simply because history has dictated that something will inevitably go wrong.
In deeper leagues focused strictly on points, Newhook could have some late-round value. And if you’re more bullish on things coming together than I am, he’s even a viable sleeper candidate, as far as late-round sleepers go. But if your league has more categories, Newhook loses some value. He doesn’t hit much or take many penalties, nor is he a volume shooter. And without much power play time, he’s not going to be above-average there either. There will inevitably be players who put up fewer points but provide value in other categories, making them more valuable. I think there should be enough of those, pushing Newhook into either a last-round pick or waiver wire territory.
If it’s the latter, his value will be more role-dependent. If Martin St. Louis moves him up to balance out his lines, that’s a good time to scoop Newhook up and hope for some short-term production. But if the balancing leads to a stint in the bottom six, he’s probably worth leaving on the wire.
GP: 74
Goals: 18
Assists: 22
Points: 40
+/-: +5
PIMS: 12
PPG: 2
GWG: 3
Shots: 111