Due to a lower-body injury, Canadiens winger Alex Newhook had to leave Thursday’s game against Florida and will be sidelined for some time.
The team declared that due to a high-ankle sprain, Newhook will be out for the next ten to twelve weeks.
After being traded from Colorado shortly before the June draft for the 31st and 37th selections in addition to prospect blueliner Gianni Fairbrother, the 22-year-old is in his debut season with Montreal.
The Canadiens decided to give Newhook a four-year contract over the summer, which has a $2.9 million cap hit; upon its expiration, he will still be a restricted free agent even though he retreated with the Avalanche last season.
This season, Newhook has performed admirably for his new squad, making the most of his increased playing time in Montreal’s roster.
With seven goals, he shares the team lead with Cole Caufield, and with thirteen points, he is tied for fourth place with Sean Monahan. In addition, he’s averaging 16:34 per night after not playing for 14 minutes per game during his two seasons in Colorado.
On Friday, the Canadiens called up Mitchell Stephens from AHL Laval in order to replace Newhook on the roster. Stephens will center the fourth line with Monahan moved to the wing, at least for the time being.
