He's a complimentary offensive player with speed and a good shot. He doesn't have the highest level of playmaking skills. But he is able to make plays with his linemates.
I think he could score 25 goals or even more with a center like Dach. Would you still be disappointed in him if he did that? Or do you want more to not be disappointed?
I know he is a complimentary offensive player nothing bad at all but we need to find a role to him if he want a spot at long-term; look at the big picture. He need to find his identity and even if he will progress offensively, he will never be a true offensive player and need to become something the others doesn't bring without the puck like Lekhonen or Byron; Beck-Newhook in the PK can be interesting.
He has speed like a demon, lot of commitment, very good release but the way he manage the puck are not there to be an offensive player on a very good team; he remind me a lot of Lekhonen with the puck close to the net when Lekhonen have his rough days to find the net; create more often a way to miss than finding a solution and close to no poise with the puck; Lekhonen was 2 times more effective than him with or without the puck just can't finish during some streaks because he was close to be a perfect player; I miss this guy!
Like my father would said : "Ya le coeur dans palette", I don't know if he believe the NHL is too big for him with some trust issue or he just want too much or little of both but he have difficulty to manage the puck very well and create offensive play like he should because this guy was able to gain a lot of space with his speed but he don't use that space very well. He remind me a lot of a young Andrew Cogliano who has start with some offensive potential to finish to have a more specific role in the bottom of the lineup!
We started from a blank sheet or close with the idea to build a Stanley Cup winner or a dynasty in the best world don't tell me you pencil Newhook on your top 6 in this situation because we will need Price to make a comeback with a bionic knee/hip or find a way to add McDavid-Draisatl to your first line too achieve that ...
The offensive numbers he put now in a rebuild mode with a lot of holes in the lineup will not be the same or close when we would enter in competitive mode because he will not have the same use has he would have for the moment.
Since 1995-1996, except the centennial year, we have built this team too failed in putting some players in the wrong chair and the worst part we have paid a lot of this guys the big price like if they have make their job because we have nothing better than that at the time. We have a chance to build something really good from nothing, don't start to make the same mistake we saw in the last 28 years. At least the salary is not an issue for him and a very nice deal for the team!
Play him has a second liner because we have nothing better than him for the moment, tell him to become a complete player like you want in a contender team on a Top 9. If he make it you have an elite 3rd liner who can help you to bring back the 25th Stanley Cup and if he doesn't progress on 200 fooths and only his offensive numbers are the key, you wait to have something better and you trade him when he lose his Top 6 spot because his production/value will be affect!
For me, in a year or two, Newhook will replace Ryder, in the famous Ryder+Halak+2nd, and will become a new legend : Newhook + name a young d-man + choose your picks! I don't know for you but I know for me I have a lot higher expectation than Newhook to play in my Top 6 in my contender team and for me he was never an option from the start, not even close!
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I will name you some of the last prospects Colorado have traded over the last years and try to find what they have in common. Tyson Jost, Ben Meyers, Justin Barron and Alex Newhook, who is a lot better than the others 3. Everyone have impressive tools without a toolbox. Never trade with Colorado again for a prospect drafted because when they let him go someone they have the eye to know if it's a keeper or not.
Colorado have let go Newhook in a win mode situation with a very friendly contract to pay the big price for Ross Colton, trade for Ryan Johansen, pay close the minimum for Drouin, bring back Parisé from retirement and now they have make like 4 trades at the deadline. You don't think if he can do something one of this guy can bring they will be happy to keep him.
What you don't seem too understand is that he came from a winning team and he was not good enough for her to keep him in the roster. And now we try to create the same thing as Colorado in the future and we will have the same issue with him if he don't find an identity or progress a lot in some way others than playing with the puck.
He is in Montréal because he failed in Colorado and he his better as a winger than a center. To resume, for Colorado, a contender team, he was not offensive enough to be a good Top 6, can't play at center and he was not effective enough without the puck to be on the Top 9 in a shutdown role and he doesn't bring a physical part in the game.
When you compete for the cup you target something specific in each of your bottom player in your lineup and this is the reason he was here because at the moment he do nothing more than a guy who can skate like the wind with a lot of commitment and doesn't make the requirements Colorado are looking to make a run for another cup!
