Confirmed with Link: Alex Newhook for 31st, 37th and Fairbrother

[ReHabs]

Hughes has said several times he's open to trading draft picks for young players on the verge of breaking out. Newhook certainly fits the bill.

Okay, that’s good he’s willing to trade (superior value) draft picks but it doesn’t solve our bloated (inferior value) prospect pool. Anyway this is a digression.

 

[River Meadow]

So if I understand correctly....we should stop concentrating on draft picks? The very same draft picks that we were talking for a full year waiting for the Panthers to drop so we'd get as good a pick as possible?

Basically, yes.

 

[InAG-P]

It's a silly question because picks 31 and 37 are not real players right now, so your scenario is meaningless.

Maybe, I wouldn't trade Mailloux and Mesar...but I would trade Poehling, Colberg, Fucale, De La Rose, McCarron, Scherbak, Thrower, Brook, Ikonen. Also, there is nothing certain about Mesar at present.

I'm not sure what your point is exactly. The reality is that late firsts and second round picks are more likely to bust than boom. In Montreal, we've had a huge history of busts.

Yeah as fans we always overrate prospects. I remember when we were all over the moon with Chucky, Sherbak, Beaulieu, Tinordi being in the system. Prospects are just that. Projections. There are countless variable that can change that projection.

A player that has proven himself ALREADY at 22 as a solid 3rd line player, has won a cup and still has upside to be a second line player might very well be worth the price we paid. Plus, his excels at something I feel we lack...transition. Would I have paid that much. No...but I'm not the GM.

 

[Andy]

I’m just curious is all. Spitballing. I can honestly see both sides of this. I agree with those who are excited to see what he can bring and who were big fans of him in his draft year, and I can also agree with those who feel the price was a little steep.

Just honestly curious what the reaction would be if the trade was announced on HF Habs today as Newhook for Mailloux and Beck. My guess is not good.

But yes, Newhook is more of a sure thing than two unknowns.

But such a trade would never happen because we have information on Mailloux and Beck. The habs didn't trade any players. They traded the ability to pick a player at two different positions.

There is nothing to imagine because they are two different scenarios. Your scenario involves players picked and currently being developed. The trade today involves no picked players.

Also, your scenario makes even less sense considering Mailloux and Beck weren't even selected in the same draft year.

 

[Vachon23]

Personally, my problem is not that we traded 31 + 37 but we should have trade that for a big need like RD or a player with top 6 potential that play with an edge

Not an other small forward

 

[Andy]

Personally, my problem is not that we traded 31 + 37 but we should have trade that for a big need like RD or a player with top 6 potential that play with an edge

Not an other small forward

The habs have a lot of needs right now. Outside Dach, Caufield, and Suzuki there isn't really top 6 potential immediately ready. Maybe Slaf is, but it's a big unknown.

They need top 6 talent as much they need RD or Top 6 player with an edge.

The habs have the assets to make additional trades. It's not the end. To say Newhook is not a need when the habs have very little nhl ready youth with top 6 potential is not being too honest.

 

[River Meadow]

Pierre McGuire gushing over Habs acquiring Newhook and how good he is.

Says he can be 60-70pts player.

He's seen him play since his Junior days.

 

[Hannibal]

Personally, my problem is not that we traded 31 + 37 but we should have trade that for a big need like RD or a player with top 6 potential that play with an edge

Not an other small forward

Exactly my opinion.

Newhook feels like what we already have since forever.

 

[BenchBrawl]

KH and MSL both said Newhook plays "heavy" and has lower body strength à la Crosby. They didn't look concerned at all about his size.

 

[Miller Time]

So if I understand correctly....we should stop concentrating on draft picks? The very same draft picks that we were talking for a full year waiting for the Panthers to drop so we'd get as good a pick as possible?

do you think this trade happens if the Fla trade was a lottery pick? or even a top-18 pick?

come on... environment changes constantly. What we were hoping for before the pick became a certainty is irrelevant. 31st/37th/Fairbrother for Newhook is a pretty reasonable/quality value proposition for our franchise.

Critique the overall mix of top-6/top-9 assets because it's skewing quite smallish and Newhook doesn't improve that metric... fine. But complaining because we were hoping the Fla pick was going to be a lottery pick? That seems silly

 

[BenchBrawl]

And man, by the way, off-topic, but looking at Martin St. Louis in the PC, it's amazing how much he looks like Maurice Richard.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Newhook isn't big, but I wouldn't classify him as small either.. and he's certainly got an edge to his game. We didn't get bigger but we didn't get softer, we got more edge.

 

[ReimanSum1908]

Thank god. Much as I dislike the trade as we're functionally in year one of the rebuild, at least that kills the possibility of bringing in Dubois.

 

[Habsfan18]

And man, by the way, off-topic, but looking at Martin St. Louis in the PC, it's amazing how much he looks like Maurice Richard.

It’s all in the eyes.

 

[BenchBrawl]

It’s all in the eyes.

Yes.

 

[Schooner Guy]

Okay, that’s good he’s willing to trade (superior value) draft picks but it doesn’t solve our bloated (inferior value) prospect pool. Anyway this is a digression.

It's June 27. There will be a lot more moves made this offseason. Also, the Habs want Laval to have longer playoff runs so the kids can get lots of playoff experience before being integrated with the big club.

Keep in mind other teams would have been bidding for Newhook. He's a nice young player who should take a bump offensively this season with a coach who isn't afraid to play his youth. Newhook will immediately be our fastest skater and has great versatility.

 

[BenchBrawl]

Is Vincent Lecavalier still with the team? Haven't seen much of him lately. Maybe I just missed it.

 

[Vachon23]

The habs have a lot of needs right now. Outside Dach, Caufield, and Suzuki there isn't really top 6 potential immediately ready. Maybe Slaf is, but it's a big unknown.

They need top 6 talent as much they need RD or Top 6 player with an edge.

The habs have the assets to make additional trades. It's not the end. To say Newhook is not a need when the habs have very little nhl ready youth with top 6 potential is not being too honest.

They where way bigger need then Newhook

I don’t dislike Newhook, in fact if I’m honest he would have been my pick in 2019 but you can easily find a top 6 winger in the UFA, that should be in the last pieces you add.

Don’t get me wrong I hope Newhook will become good and I think he can become a better player then anyone we would draft at 31. It’s just I think it was opportunity to feel a bigger need

 

[Andy]

Critique the overall mix of top-6/top-9 assets because it's skewing quite smallish

So far, the habs projected top 6 (hopefully) is:

Suzuki 5'11
Caufield 5'7
Dach 6'4
Newhook 5'11 (or 5'10 depending the site)
Slaf 6'3

It really isn't that smallish, and there is still a slot left to fill in theory.

 

[OnTheRun]

Thank god. Much as I dislike the trade as we're functionally in year one of the rebuild, at least that kills the possibility of bringing in Dubois.

You should probably watch the news, then put things in chronological order.

 

[Lockin17]

Newhook-Monahan-RHP

Could be a nice fit on the third line

 

[Kairi Zaide]

Pierre McGuire gushing over Habs acquiring Newhook and how good he is.

Says he can be 60-70pts player.

He's seen him play since his Junior days.

He could say that about every player currently in the NHL.

 

[Cubebrick]

HuGo pretty much transformed Chiarot, Fairbrother and a 2nd rounder into Newhook, Smilanic and Guindon. And I'm more than fine with it.

That's great asset management.

 

[Andy]

They where way bigger need then Newhook

I don’t dislike Newhook, in fact if I’m honest he would have been my pick in 2019 but you can easily find a top 6 winger in the UFA, that should be in the last pieces you add.

Don’t get me wrong I hope Newhook will become good and I think he can become a better player then anyone we would draft at 31. It’s just I think it was opportunity to feel a bigger need

There are several needs and just because you filled one doesn't mean that the team stops trying to fill the rest.

 

[WentWughes]

All ready somewhat stated by Hughes but even this next following draft it is likely that draft picks will be acquired for Monahan, Edmundson and perhaps others. At some point it would become difficult to fit everyone under the contract limit and he likely deems this a quality over quantity move. With all of the red flags I would have still like to have seen a swing for the fences with Heidt or Cristall though.