Confirmed with Link: Avs Sign Alex Newhook to ELC

[redacted]

O'Reilly isn't a good skater and he's elite at both ends. Its about hockey IQ and anticipation as much as it's about skating and size/reach.

He’s also 6’1” so it isn’t just about skating… size matters too.

Also ROR has absurd IQ… very few have that. I heard the whole Jost was ROR 2.0 via IQ and work ethic… didn’t work that way.

 

[Alienblood]

He’s really not… he’s above average and has some strong points, but terrific, nope. Even with that, at his size he needs to be nearing elite.

I think he is as does the rest of the hockey world.

 

[redacted]

I think he is as does the rest of the hockey world.

Cool cool cool

 

[nammerus]

I think he is as does the rest of the hockey world.

He’s nowhere near an elite skater..yet.

 

[Foppberg]

Elite skater doesn't only = blazing speed. He has above average speed but great edgework/agility. His skating isn't even on my radar in regards to concerns about his future.

 

[redacted]

Elite skater doesn't only = blazing speed. He has above average speed but great edgework/agility. His skating isn't even on my radar in regards to concerns about his future.

Speed is actually the most overrated part of skating… totally agree that elite doesn’t mean that.

 

[Alienblood]

Elite skater doesn't only = blazing speed. He has above average speed but great edgework/agility. His skating isn't even on my radar in regards to concerns about his future.

His skating concerns are a really odd take but it gets a reaction which is the goal apparently.

 

[redacted]

His skating concerns are a really odd take but it gets a reaction which is the goal apparently.

Taking to this huh?

 

[Foppberg]

Speed is actually the most overrated part of skating… totally agree that elite doesn’t mean that.

I don't really see what you're really that concerned about then to the point that he "needs" to be an elite skater to an impact #2C. Plus of all things, skating is the easiest to fix/improve.

 

[McMetal]

Scoff at hench all you want, but he was the first to sound the alarm about Jost and his skating when all of us were still pumped about him as a future top 6 mainstay.

Now, so far Newhook has shown a bit more than Jost ever has on the offensive side, but nonetheless hearing hench say that brings major deja vu, and not in a good way.

 

[redacted]

I don't really see what you're really that concerned about then to the point that he "needs" to be an elite skater to an impact #2C. Plus of all things, skating is the easiest to fix/improve.

It just doesn’t happen often at Newhook’s size. And it is a myth it is the easiest to improve. It is easier if there is a technical flaw and athletic ability to back it. Newhook is very technically sound. That makes it pretty difficult to improve.

 

[redacted]

Scoff at hench all you want, but he was the first to sound the alarm about Jost and his skating when all of us were still pumped about him as a future top 6 mainstay.

Now, so far Newhook has shown a bit more than Jost ever has on the offensive side, but nonetheless hearing hench say that brings major deja vu, and not in a good way.

I think on the wing, Newhook has legit 55+ point potential. He’s a hell of a hockey player.

 

[Foppberg]

It just doesn’t happen often at Newhook’s size. And it is a myth it is the easiest to improve. It is easier if there is a technical flaw and athletic ability to back it. Newhook is very technically sound. That makes it pretty difficult to improve.

I just don't see what particular issue you have with his skating. Sure it's not the fastest, but it's hardly slow.

He's like a poor man's Barzal IMO (skating wise).

 

[redacted]

I just don't see what particular issue you have with his skating. Sure it's not the fastest, but it's hardly slow.

He's like a poor man's Barzal IMO (skating wise).

It is good, just not good enough at his size. Size/skating combo is the issue. If he was 6’1” it would be more than good enough.

 

[The Kingslayer]

Scoff at hench all you want, but he was the first to sound the alarm about Jost and his skating when all of us were still pumped about him as a future top 6 mainstay.

Now, so far Newhook has shown a bit more than Jost ever has on the offensive side, but nonetheless hearing hench say that brings major deja vu, and not in a good way.

All you had to do was watch him at the world juniors that year to see it. Most people around here didnt want to admit it to themselves but his skating issue was on full display in that tourney.

 

[Mr Zappalanche]

I am so confused with comments about his skating. I think that he is a great skater, even for his size.

 

[ANewHope]

I am so confused with comments about his skating. I think that he is a great skater, even for his size.

Yeah Newhook is a pretty great skater.

I guess predraft some draft people had him pegged as an elite skater and compared it to Barzal/Duchene. His skating isn’t on that level but I think it’s in the next tier after that. His edges/agility is pretty close to elite.

 

[Pokecheque]

He’s got decent acceleration which is the thing that absolutely kills Jost. I agree it’s not, like, elite by any means but is it really that much lower than, say, Kadri?

 

[ANewHope]

He’s got decent acceleration which is the thing that absolutely kills Jost. I agree it’s not, like, elite by any means but is it really that much lower than, say, Kadri?

I don’t think it’s lower at all. I’d argue Newhook is clearly a better skater than Kadri. His agility is very impressive.

I’d say Kadri is an average skater and Newhook a very good skater but not elite outside of maybe his agility in tight spaces.

 

[BrickNHL]

He’s also 6’1” so it isn’t just about skating… size matters too.

Also ROR has absurd IQ… very few have that. I heard the whole Jost was ROR 2.0 via IQ and work ethic… didn’t work that way.

Yet

 

[Hasbro]

He's on pace for 20 goals while on the 3rd line and on PP2. I think he might be an ok 2C going forward.

 

[redacted]

He's on pace for 20 goals while on the 3rd line and on PP2. I think he might be an ok 2C going forward.

You got me... there is no difference in matchups, responsibilities, and minutes as a 2C vs a 3C... and all that matters for a center is the goals they score...

People are so touchy over an opinion...

 

[Hasbro]

You got me... there is no difference in matchups, responsibilities, and minutes as a 2C vs a 3C... and all that matters for a center is the goals they score...

People are so touchy over an opinion...

Pretty damn important for a 2C.

 

[redacted]

Pretty damn important for a 2C.

It is a part of the role, but certainly not nearly the biggest part.

 

[Richard88]

He's on pace for 20 goals while on the 3rd line and on PP2. I think he might be an ok 2C going forward.

Newhook is scoring at a rate of 1.85 points/60, which is better than the per-60 scoring rate of 8/12 of Kadri's seasons. Not saying that Newhook is better than Kadri, and obviously he's being sheltered a bit in terms of matchups, but in that context his scoring rate seems promising, especially given that he's mostly been playing with 4th line level wingers.