The Canadiens handed out two extensions back in July, giving them to Ivan Demidov and Jakub Dobes. Now, they’ve added another name to the mix as the Habs announced that they’ve signed Alex Newhook to a four-year, $22.2 million extension. The deal does not contain any trade protection.
Newhook was a first-round pick by Colorado back in 2019, going 19th overall. While he played a regular role in his second and third seasons, it was in a limited role, leading to the Avs being willing to move him. Montreal acquired the 25-year-old in a draft-day swap back in 2023 for a late first-round pick (31st overall), an early second-round selection (37th), and prospect Gianni Fairbrother.
Soon after, the Habs signed Newhook to his current four-year deal, one that carries a $2.9 million cap hit. The hope was that he’d have a chance to establish himself as a top-six forward on a thinner forward group compared to what Colorado had.
It would be fair to say there have been some starts and stops in that regard. Newhook has shown flashes of promise but, on the other hand, he has dealt with a significant injury in two of the last three seasons, derailing any momentum in the process. He has also bounced between playing centre (his natural position) and the wing (arguably his better position).
Last season was an intriguing one for Newhook nonetheless. He had 13 goals and 12 assists in just 42 games, by far his best point-per-game rate. Then, in the playoffs, he had seven goals and 10 points in 19 games, including two series-winning goals.
Newhook would have been a restricted free agent next summer with salary arbitration eligibility, one year away from unrestricted free agency. That means this deal buys the Habs an extra three years of team control.
If he has a breakout performance this season, Newhook would have been in line for a considerably higher raise, given the recent escalation in salaries and the salary cap. On the other hand, if his injury issues continue, he probably wouldn’t have been able to get this much so this isn’t a move without risk for the team.
Clearly, Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton feel that Newhook has a role with this team for a while, even if prospects like Michael Hage, Alexander Zharovsky, and Gleb Pugachyov eventually make their way into the lineup. They’re showing that faith in Newhook with this extension with the hopes that this eventually becomes another team-friendly pact.