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The Montreal Canadiens aren’t tanking… not essentially anyway. In their present scenario, dealing with the injuries the Habs have had, they’re only a unhealthy workforce, 10 factors out of the second Eastern Conference wild-card spot popping out of All-Star Weekend. That’s an vital distinction to make.
Newhook Set to Return
Yes, the Canadiens did commerce away one in all their higher gamers in Sean Monahan final week. No, they didn’t get any quick assist in change, exacerbating their lack of depth down the center. However, possibly, simply possibly, they’re not trying to steer into the skid. Maybe they’ve nonetheless bought some struggle left. Enter a soon-to-be returning Alex Newhook. He’s the assistance who may doubtlessly (partially) offset the lack of Monahan, their trade-deadline acquisition if you’ll (simply minus the presumptive playoff push that often accompanies such an addition).
Related: 5 Montreal Canadiens Keys to Success to End 2023-24
Newhook has been out since late November with a high ankle sprain. However, it’s partially his impending return that prompted common supervisor Kent Hughes to commerce Monahan when he did, with Hughes telling the media after the commerce concerning the ensuing lack of centres: “We have reason to believe Newhook will be coming back soon. That made us comfortable to make the deal now instead of waiting.”
That in and of itself doesn’t imply head coach Martin St. Louis will play Newhook at centre. He does theoretically produce other choices, even when Jake Evans is a less-than-ideal various on the second line, all due respect to him. You’ve additionally bought the just-signed Brandon Gignac, Mitchell Stephens and Lucas Condotta. Most, together with St. Louis, could also be occupied with seeing what Gignac has to supply proper off the bat, however, for all intents and functions, the latter three have every made their bones within the minors.
Evans in the meantime lacks ending skill and has simply two objectives and 13 factors in 49 video games. There’s no purpose to get overly excited at the thought of any of them utterly and even considerably changing Monahan. Newhook must be a distinct story.
Newhook’s Second Chance at Centre?
All issues thought of, Newhook is the very best of the bunch. To be extra correct, he’s possibly the least-bad choice, after his first go-around at centre had been outlined by an underwhelming exhibiting between Juraj Slafkovsky and Josh Anderson. However, beneath the circumstances, from right here on out, Newhook at centre, regardless that he may play wing, makes essentially the most sense.
The Canadiens have loads of choices who can play within the prime six on both wing, even with out Newhook. Furthermore, even when Slafkovsky has emerged as an honest choice to enrich Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield on the primary line, thereby enabling the Canadiens to maneuver away utterly from Kirby Dach as a winger and decide to the latter because the workforce’s second-line centre when wholesome, Newhook can nonetheless contribute there in his stead.
At the very least, it’s value seeing if Newhook has chemistry as a centre (with different gamers not named Anderson). Ultimately, when Dach first suffered his season-ending harm, St. Louis instantly turned to Newhook to fill in as that second-line centre for a purpose. If the one factor that’s modified since then is him having failed proper off the bat, then nothing a lot has, actually, within the grand scheme of issues.
What Do Canadiens Have in Newhook?
The complete workforce has largely fallen flat in spite of everything. It’s gotten to the purpose the Canadiens have actually nothing left to lose… and in the event that they do immediately discover themselves dropping extra with Newhook taking reps at centre? It’s not the worst factor.
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You’ll merely have confirmed to a safer diploma you possibly can transfer on from the Newhook-at-centre experiment with out consequence. At that time it’s extra of a conclusion that he’s finest on this workforce as a winger. There’s nothing flawed with that in principle. However, him gaining confidence as a centre and the workforce having the ability to present confidence in him in that function is for what everybody concerned ought to try. You can’t get to that time till you give him that chance (once more), although.
Whatever occurs, so be it. However, on the precipice of inevitable elimination from playoff competition, the Canadiens don’t want Newhook to succeed. They do want to seek out out his limitations past a shadow of doubt, although. There’s no higher time than now, when the strain is at a minimal. And, if it simply so occurs he finds a groove, it wouldn’t precisely be unhealthy to have the ability to roll three offensively inclined strains come subsequent season with Dach again, as a result of that’s the way you compete often within the NHL. In distinction, resigning your self to Evans as your second-line centre, even now, is what would actually be defeatist.
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