Rumor: 2023-2024 Trade Rumors and Free Agency: Off-season is in full swing

[littletonhockeycoach]

Literally no other team is making moves right now, the statement clearly says “in the next few years” and every contender has guys come through the ranks that make an impact on low AAV. Not sure why everyone in here is starting to whine lol

I actually applaud what he's done so far. Disappointed the draft choices didn't open up some new avenues but there are obviously financial and other contract concerns that are limiting clubs incentives to move players.

I wasn't expecting much from him and simply his comments reminded me of the Altitude TDL appearance/remarks he made.

 

[AnimalMother73]

Not sure where to put this but saw Ryan Murray only played 13 games for the Oilers last season. His inability to stay healthy relative to how long he’s been in the league is quite remarkable. He’s a 10 year vet and played a full season exactly once with the next highest total being 66 games (and many more seasons much less than that). Wonder if he lands on another team or is finally done living in the infirmary.

 

[JLo217]

Low hockey IQ with a good shot! Or Newhook if you like.

Budget Newhook. I was a fan of his, but he just didn't seem committed at all. I'll be surprised if he puts up the same #'s in MTL.

 

[Freaky Styley]

Wonder what Dvorak @50% would cost. Could be a fit here given our new makeup. Maybe pair it with a Colin White signing once Colton is figured out.

Colton - Dvorak - White/LOC
Wood - Meyers - White/LOC

or

Wood - Colton - White
Cogliano - Dvorak - LOC

Gives us options

 

[dahrougem2]

Not only will Landy have his number retired, I bet he will take after Sakic and become the GM of this team a few years post-retirement.

 

[Avsboy]

Not only will Landy have his number retired, I bet he will take after Sakic and become the GM of this team a few years post-retirement.

There’s a clear future coach too. He’d get Fat Bastard from Austin Powers into shape.

 

[Hasbro]

I actually applaud what he's done so far. Disappointed the draft choices didn't open up some new avenues

Everyone complaining about this would have been fine if CMac converted the #27 and Newhook into Johansen at 50% and Coulton. Look into your heart, you know it to be true.

Well he managed to do that AND get Ritchie and Gulyayev, who are still plenty tradable down the line.

 

[LOFIN]

If you do any research on this surgery and how it pertains to professional athletes the prognosis is not great.

I wonder how you did that, because Landeskog is literally the second big athlete this surgery is done, and the first one is still undergoing rehab because it was done months before Landy.

I don’t disagree with the sentiment that Landy is probably done. But stop pulling information out of your ass. Although it makes it easier to ignore your negative posts in the future, knowing you make stuff up.

 

[Nihiliste]

Eichel’s surgery worked out, hopefully this one does too

 

[Balthazar]

Interesting read explaining in details why Newhook's strengths were a bad fit for the Avs style.

 

[RoyIsALegend]

Eichel’s surgery worked out, hopefully this one does too

Half the games played and far less than half the wear and tear of Landy’s body.

People greatly underestimate how banged up Landy’s entire body is.

 

[redacted]

Interesting read explaining in details why Newhook's strengths were a bad fit for the Avs style.

TLDR... he's a great skater that the Avs' system didn't utilize.

 

[Vaslof]

I was saying the same, retribution! Well, unless he sucks in Montreal. Then f*** me I guess.

 

[forsbergavs32]

Mack and Makar wish they could skate half as well as Newhook

 

[Tommy Shelby]

Interesting read explaining in details why Newhook's strengths were a bad fit for the Avs style.

See, what he really means here is that Newhook's speed game, which isn't as fast as the Avs' overall speed game, will be a much better fit in Montreal's overall slower speed game. Otherwise this jabroni is so far out to lunch it's now supper time.

 

[Freaky Styley]

Interesting read explaining in details why Newhook's strengths were a bad fit for the Avs style.

I agree that playing 'free' will help him. Most times he looked like he was gripping the stick too hard and felt pressure to be a finished product because of where the team was at. Would have liked to see him tried on MacKinnon's wing for a spell with a guy like Nuke, but I also understand why that wasn't possible.

That being said, the last line there makes no sense and I think MTL fans are going to temper their expectations a bit

 

[redacted]

To be fair to Basu, he had a whole section on Newhook's lack of ability to battle. Which is the primary reason Newhook couldn't stick in a higher role for any length of time. If there are two things that really get Bednar angry... the first is taking dumb penalties, which Newhook doesn't have an issue with at all. The second is an unwillingness to battle hard. Bednar clearly cares about players winning and losing them, but he'll give players more of a pass for losing battles if there is a high effort behind it. If you Roger Dorn it, you're going to get on his shitlist very quickly. Which Newhook did a lot.

 

[Balthazar]

To be fair to Basu, he had a whole section on Newhook's lack of ability to battle. Which is the primary reason Newhook couldn't stick in a higher role for any length of time. If there are two things that really get Bednar angry... the first is taking dumb penalties, which Newhook doesn't have an issue with at all. The second is an unwillingness to battle hard. Bednar clearly cares about players winning and losing them, but he'll give players more of a pass for losing battles if there is a high effort behind it. If you Roger Dorn it, you're going to get on his shitlist very quickly. Which Newhook did a lot.

The article was pretty fair, especially for an outsider analyzing the Avs game.

I agree with him that Newhook is fast in open space..and playing with LOC or Cogs cycling down low wasn't his game. We'll know soon if the problem was him or his utilization.

 

[The Abusement Park]

I think the biggest problem is that people see that Newhook is fast and automatically assume he’s a great skater. In a straight line Newhook does have really good speed, which could be better utilized in Montreal.


But the biggest issue Is that while he can skate fast, Newhook as a whole isn’t a great skater. His edges and acceleration are lacking a bit. So when he needs to create space in tight areas he doesn’t have the burst to create that space, especially since he’s somewhat undersized. Same thing with his edges. When he needs to battle on the boards or forecheck his edgework is bad and he’s undersized so he gets beat 95% of the time.

I think being a 3rd wheel with Caufield and Suzuki as the article mentions is probably his best bet at having a good year and he has the skill set to do it. But his skill set is very top 6 or bust.

 

[redacted]

The article was pretty fair, especially for an outsider analyzing the Avs game.

I agree with him that Newhook is fast in open space..and playing with LOC or Cogs cycling down low wasn't his game. We'll know soon if the problem was him or his utilization.

He's stating in the article that he thinks Newhook was taught to dump and chase, then go to the front of the net. Which to me is not how the Avs play consistently. There are times, yeah, dump, chase and get to work. But primarily, they like possession and pace. None of the other centers played like Newhook consistently. Not taking that into account seems misguided.

When Newhook gets going, he certainly has speed. It takes him a bit and the amount of speed is greatly exaggerated (not sure he was top 5 or 6 on the Avs in that regard... maybe not even top 5 or 6 forwards). In the article he calls Domi an excellent skater... which I would say that bar for excellent is quite low if Domi is considered that.

I do think Newhook is bound to have an increase in production. Stapling him to wing in the top 6 will certainly help (and probably top PP time). If the Habs do that, he probably put up 40-45 points next year with a possibility of more if their PP gets hot. I certainly think forcing him at center was a problem here and it seems Montreal is willing to stuff him on the wing, which is a great start.

I think being a 3rd wheel with Caufield and Suzuki as the article mentions is probably his best bet at having a good year and he has the skill set to do it. But his skill set is very top 6 or bust.

The issue I'd see with that line is it would probably be the softest top line in the NHL. Caufield and Newhook are not going to win a battle. Suzuki will, but he's not a top end guy in that realm. Just not his game.

 

[Balthazar]

The issue I'd see with that line is it would probably be the softest top line in the NHL. Caufield and Newhook are not going to win a battle. Suzuki will, but he's not a top end guy in that realm. Just not his game.

I don' think they'll play him on the 1st line. He'll likely play on the 2nd line with Dach and Josh Anderson.

They have no room for him at center, they already have too many C's...Suzuki, Dach, Monahan, Dvorak and Evans.

 

[The Abusement Park]

The issue I'd see with that line is it would probably be the softest top line in the NHL. Caufield and Newhook are not going to win a battle. Suzuki will, but he's not a top end guy in that realm. Just not his game.

Yeah that’s fair. I guess you’d almost want to pair Anderson(for the 40 games he gives you) and Newhook together so Anderson can do some of the dirty work Newhook can’t. And he would realistically open up some space for Newhook.

 

[RockLobster]

To be fair to Basu, he had a whole section on Newhook's lack of ability to battle. Which is the primary reason Newhook couldn't stick in a higher role for any length of time. If there are two things that really get Bednar angry... the first is taking dumb penalties, which Newhook doesn't have an issue with at all. The second is an unwillingness to battle hard. Bednar clearly cares about players winning and losing them, but he'll give players more of a pass for losing battles if there is a high effort behind it. If you Roger Dorn it, you're going to get on his shitlist very quickly. Which Newhook did a lot.

Deep pull there...mad respect.

 

[redacted]

I don' think they'll play him on the 1st line. He'll likely play on the 2nd line with Dach and Josh Anderson.

They have no room for him at center, they already have too many C's...Suzuki, Dach, Monahan, Dvorak and Evans.

Dach and Anderson would make the most sense to me as long as Dach plays the pivot well. I've said it for years that if you stapled him to wing and forced him to develop there, you'll get the most out of him. If Montreal holds to that, they probably get a 2nd line winger out of him.

Now on the too many centers... Dach has to prove he can hold down the position for a year. Some good signs last year to finish, but that has to continue. Monahan is only giving them 30 games. Dvorak... they've been trying to move him for over a year now, they'll keep trying. They could easily be down to Suzuki and Evans by Jan/Feb. We will see how it plays out, but stapling him to wing is the best chance of getting his offense going.

 

[dmac7719]

In the article he calls Domi an excellent skater... which I would say that bar for excellent is quite low if Domi is considered that.

I like the part where he said Domi had a slight head start, but failed to mention that Newhook was already heading up the ice and Domi had to do a turn around from his forecheck.