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Young stars : NHL Europe puts Alex Newhook in the Habs top-3

Originally posted on Dose.ca | Last updated Jul 19, 2025 3:07 PM ET

Alex Newhook has just completed his second season with the Canadiens. After an interesting 15 goals and 34 points in 55 games in his first year, Newhook regressed in 2024-25, obtaining only 15 goals and 26 points in 82 games.

It was an odd year for Newhook, who took a long time to collect a single assist. But for a guy the Habs were hoping to take to the next level, he was a bit of a disappointment.

In the eyes of many, then, Newhook is no longer necessarily seen as a big part of the team’s core. He still has a place in Montreal (I expect to see him step up to the power play), but probably not on a top-6 team.

So it’s quite surprising to see that according to NHL Europe, which spotlighted three young stars from each team, Newhook is one of the Habs’ three young stars, along with Juraj Slafkovský and Lane Hutson.

Yes, Alex Newhook is placed with those two guys.

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Remember that Cole Caufield was born 26 days before Newhook… and Ivan Demidov is almost five years younger. These two guys would have been much more deserving of their place, we agree.

In 2025-26, Newhook will complete the third year of a four-year contract that pays him $2.9 million a year. Sooner or later, the forward will have to prove that he can be part of the long-term solution in Montreal, even if it means playing something other than a purely offensive forward.

If he becomes a player in the mold of a Paul Byron, for example, he’ll be useful to the Habs. Maybe not in the way the Habs had originally hoped, but useful nonetheless.

But while Montreal sees Newhook as a guy who may have to reinvent himself to be part of the Habs’ long-term core, NHL Europe sees him as one of the Habs’ three young stars.

Nothing less.

Overtime

– That’s right.

When it comes to pitching, we can’t expect any short-term reinforcements internally.

Management knows what to do. https://t.co/SAs3zaLpZL

– Passion MLB (@passion_mlb) July 19, 2025