Player Discussion Alex Newhook

[BaseballCoach]

I'd like to see a 2nd line of Newhook-Dach-Caufield next season

I'd like to pick up a Zegras or Necas or similar player for the second line, and have a 3rd line of Newhook-Monahan-Armia. Much better depth to gain a playoff spot with.

To @TesseractPrice's point, I'd want my third line to be almost second line level anyway. Newhook brings speed to Monahan and Armia.

But I agree if the 3C is someone like Evans, and he won't have another 2nd liner to play with, Newhook should be on the 2nd line.

 

[Skip Bayless]

So I wanted to look at Newhook's season in terms of a timeline and see I could see some trends patterns. Just something simple so points only. Advanced stats are honestly a pain to harvest on a game to game basis on nhl.com. The white rectangles are the most stable linemates during the span and the coloured ones are for the position played

View attachment 851672

Newhook's season debut very shortly went of the rails with the Dach injury as he needed to play 3C for 9 games until Dvorak returned. Getting saddled with Anderson was not good for his point totals (3A in 9 games). Playing on Dvorak's and Monahan's wing for 7 games, things were a bit better (1G, 3A in 7 games). Then he was tried with Suzuki and Caufield on the 1st line for 6 games with decent success (3G, 1A in 6 games) before getting injured

When he returned after the Monahan trade, he played 2C and had to readapt to C once again (2A in 5 games). He became more confortable with Armia (and Roy for a time) and picked up the pace a bit for the next 13 games until Roy injury (2G, 5A in 13 games). Since then, he's been in fire with 4G, 7A in 12 games. He's also leading the team and 17th league wide in P/60 in that span, though I don't think it's sustainable

As a winger, Newhook has 6G, 4A in 13 games while he has 8G, 15A in 40 games as a center. Since returning from injury, Newhook has 20 points in 30 games as a center (55 points pace) and he's been ramping up the production more recently. Unsurprizingly, his goalscorer shines much more on the wing albeit on a low game count. Without Anderson, Newhook has been in a 56 points pace in 82 games

After the Monahan trace, he's been the only forward able to sustainably create offence apart from the 1st line. I don't see a 3rd liner at all personally and it would be an utter waste not to play him in the top 6. This team is starved enough for talent as is...

Give this man at least 25 reps for this breakdown.

 

[Tyson]

One point shy of 100 for his young career

Both Dach and Newhook have played 212 games and have 99 points each.

 

[BLNY]

Matched his career high in goals at 14 in 60% of the games. On pace for a 50 point season. He's stepped up at center after the Monahan trade. There's more points there to be had. A full season from him and Dach would be nice to see. It's the kind of second line production they need going forward.

 

[Junohockeyfan]

Newhook proved a lot of doubters wrong and proved Hughes right. He's a 2nd line forward. Has been a consistent producer while playing with scrubs. He's on a sweetheart deal (2.9M for another 3 x years). And he's a better winger than he is a C, despite scoring the majority of his points this season as a C.

He will be on the 2nd line with Dach. The only question is who completes that line. Armia has the inside shot given his resurgence after the AHL stint.

They should put Armia in the AHL for 5 games to start next season to motivate him.

 

[Team_Spirit]

 

[FrankMTL]

Loved what I saw from Newhook for the most part this season. I truly believe that if he stays healthy, he can be a 50 point player consistently.

I would make that trade again 10/10 times. You're not getting any guarantees with those late first and early 2nd picks, plus with a dire lack of talented NHL forwards on our roster at the moment, he's sorely needed and will be in his prime when we're ready to compete.

 

[Scintillating10]

Newhook/Armia/Gallagher make good 3rd line. New acquisition on Dach line with Roy I am leaning to. Dvorak, Evans makings of good defensive 4th line.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Loved what I saw from Newhook for the most part this season. I truly believe that if he stays healthy, he can be a 50 point player consistently.

I would make that trade again 10/10 times. You're not getting any guarantees with those late first and early 2nd picks, plus with a dire lack of talented NHL forwards on our roster at the moment, he's sorely needed and will be in his prime when we're ready to compete.

We needed his speed element up front as well.

 

[Pompeius Magnus]

I can live quite well with a Suzuki/Dach/Newhook center line for the years to come. If everybody stays healthy, we can build around that just fine.

 

[BaseballCoach]

I can live quite well with a Suzuki/Dach/Newhook center line for the years to come. If everybody stays healthy, we can build around that just fine.

I'd like to add Monahan to them and have the ability to play one guy on the wing.

However, if we can't land Moneyhands, I'm much more comfortable now with Newhook as 3C than I was at the start of the year. We will need three more top 9 wingers instead
(on top of Roy).

Worst case, it's two new guys plus Roy and Armia if Joel can repeat his 21 goal pace.

Can we get one top-six and one middle-six winger by trade or Free Agency? Say Zegras/Necas and Toffoli/Marchessault?

 

[Goalfield22]

I would start the season with Roy-Newhook-Dach, and once Dach has proven he has shaken off the injury and rust of missing an entire season, he can C his own line. Currently, we don't have a lot of talent to go around in our middle 6, though. Whomever we draft in round 1 is likely not making the team out of camp unless their name is Celebrini. Maybe G/H have plans to make a trade for a young middle 6 player.

Edit: Just a thought, but maybe this could be the line-up

Caufield-Suzuki-Slafkovsky
Roy-Newhook-Evans
RHP-Dach-Armia
Anderson-Dvorak-Gallagher

Evans would be a good compliment to the Newhook line.

 

[TesseractPrice]

Can't wait to see what he can do on Dach's wing. He outproduced all of his long-term linemates by the largest amount of all players on the Habs. He had a 0.62 P/G to Gallagher's 0.4, Armia's 0.38 and Anderson's 0.26 (ouch) which translates to 18, 20 and 30 points respectively over the course of a full season. He also lead the team in P/60 among those who played a good amount of games

I can see the appeal of having a stronger 3rd line with him as center, but that would be at the expense of a considerably weaker and frankly terrible 2nd line. The best players need to play the most minutes. There is a massive gap between the 5th and 6th best forwards. The game plan will probably be to give big playtime to the top 6 and have the bottom 6 play more specialized role. Habs forward group isn't close to being dense enough to bury

Newhook should also definitely play on the PK. He has a 17.6% global shooting percentage and an absurd 20.3% at 5v5. It's bound to regress but this shows how strong of shooter he is. With his speed and shot, he would be a major scoring threat on the PK. Pair him with Armia who's good at takeaways and the PK could at least have some teeth

 

[Rapala]

Born a week apart they seem to be tied to the hip.
Now we just need Games Played out of them.
Dach should start out pacing Newhook as I don't see them both on PP1.
I also expect our 1st wave to generate longer shift times with better puck possession.

 

[Rapala]

I would start the season with Roy-Newhook-Dach, and once Dach has proven he has shaken off the injury and rust of missing an entire season, he can C his own line. Currently, we don't have a lot of talent to go around in our middle 6, though. Whomever we draft in round 1 is likely not making the team out of camp unless their name is Celebrini. Maybe G/H have plans to make a trade for a young middle 6 player.

Edit: Just a thought, but maybe this could be the line-up

Caufield-Suzuki-Slafkovsky
Roy-Newhook-Evans
RHP-Dach-Armia
Anderson-Dvorak-Gallagher

Evans would be a good compliment to the Newhook line.

Nope as it stands right now Newhook is a left winger who can step in on the left dot with either of Suzuki or Dach.
If we don't add to our top 6 he and Roy will likely get the shot to make either line depending on where we play Caufield.
The only way Kirby Dach is not at center is if he's playing wing on the top line which would mean we acquired another top 6 C.

 

[Rapala]

I can live quite well with a Suzuki/Dach/Newhook center line for the years to come. If everybody stays healthy, we can build around that just fine.

Owen Beck says "I can't".

 

[Pompeius Magnus]

Owen Beck says "I can't".

I'll be more than happy if he can strong arm his way into the center line and push one of the other guy on the wing. That would be a great '' problem'' to have to deal with

 

[Captain Mountain]

I would start the season with Roy-Newhook-Dach, and once Dach has proven he has shaken off the injury and rust of missing an entire season, he can C his own line. Currently, we don't have a lot of talent to go around in our middle 6, though. Whomever we draft in round 1 is likely not making the team out of camp unless their name is Celebrini. Maybe G/H have plans to make a trade for a young middle 6 player.

Edit: Just a thought, but maybe this could be the line-up

Caufield-Suzuki-Slafkovsky
Roy-Newhook-Evans
RHP-Dach-Armia
Anderson-Dvorak-Gallagher

Evans would be a good compliment to the Newhook line.

I think you go with that line because Newhook and Dach can complement one another and, as Newhook is a left shot and Dach a right, you can choose which face-offs they take based on opponent and location. That was likely the plan going into this season anyways.

 

[Goalfield22]

Nope as it stands right now Newhook is a left winger who can step in on the left dot with either of Suzuki or Dach.
If we don't add to our top 6 he and Roy will likely get the shot to make either line depending on where we play Caufield.
The only way Kirby Dach is not at center is if he's playing wing on the top line which would mean we acquired another top 6 C.

Dach hasn't proven more than Newhook at C IMO. Newhook's production was similar to Dach's without the benefit of playing a chunk of the season with Caufield and Suzuki. Newhook is faster, has a better shot and can win faceoffs. I get that Dach is big, but what has he done to claim the 2C spot? I am not ready to hand it over to him.

 

[Rapala]

Dach hasn't proven more than Newhook at C IMO. Newhook's production was similar to Dach's without the benefit of playing a chunk of the season with Caufield and Suzuki. Newhook is faster, has a better shot and can win faceoffs. I get that Dach is big, but what has he done to claim the 2C spot? I am not ready to hand it over to him.

Well you'd be the only one. There won't even be a discussion about it unless Dach fails miserably in camp.
Maybe next season Newhook does get his chance with Suzuki and Slaf.
I'd bet on that as having far better odds of happening than Newhook displacing Dach at 2C.

 

[Goalfield22]

Well you'd be the only one. There won't even be a discussion about it unless Dach fails miserably in camp.
Maybe next season Newhook does get his chance with Suzuki and Slaf.
I'd bet on that as having far better odds of happening than Newhook displacing Dach at 2C.

I'd like to see Dach be healthy first. He's missed 104 games the past two seasons, and that doesn't include his games lost due to his wrist.

 

[TT1]

i really like Newhook, we have a keeper

 

[BLONG7]

Another Newhook type of aquisition this off season, and bodies stay healthy and boy are we going to be happy!!

Newy really had a pretty good season, outside of missing games......guy has an amazing shot, and speed.

 

[Rapala]

I'd like to see Dach be healthy first. He's missed 104 games the past two seasons, and that doesn't include his games lost due to his wrist.

Wouldn't we all. I don't think it changes the pecking order. I think HuGo went after both players to take on specific roles.
When we acquired Alex we already had Kirby and Monahan in the fold.
Given our desperate need for talent in the top six I somehow doubt it was to replace Christian Dvorak.
Our management never got to see how their vision played out this season but you can bet they want to see that next season.

 

[Paddyjack]

Dach hasn't proven more than Newhook at C IMO. Newhook's production was similar to Dach's without the benefit of playing a chunk of the season with Caufield and Suzuki. Newhook is faster, has a better shot and can win faceoffs. I get that Dach is big, but what has he done to claim the 2C spot? I am not ready to hand it over to him.

I think you forgot how Dach is playing, which is understandable since he's been gone so long. Dach can move around in the ozone with the puck stuck on his stick like it's very easy. That is why I would put Caufield with him. Newhook is fast and agile, but Dach is calming force.