Alex Newhook is ready to step into the spotlight

There were a lot of star turns in the Colorado Avalanche’s quest for the Stanley Cup last year. Notably, Nazem Kadri stepped out of the shadows of his own career full of frustrations and into the brightest spotlight imaginable as he thrived in a way he never before had.

That success paved the way for Kadri to secure the kind of financial and long-term security that players constantly crave. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be in Colorado and that left a gigantic hole in the middle of the Avalanche forward lineup.

Enter Alex Newhook, one of the top candidates to replace Kadri on the second line, specifically as the second-line center behind Nathan MacKinnon. The 21-year-old Newhook just completed a respectable rookie year where he 33 points (13G, 20 A) in 71 games played and added four assists as he appeared in 12 of Colorado’s 20 postseason games.

Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar said at media day yesterday that Newhook’s role would change this year and he, along with Evan Rodrigues, would get a look at Kadri’s vacated spot in Colorado’s top six.

“There’s an opportunity here for me,” Newhook said. “There’s an opportunity for someone to step up and take on that role. I’m looking to take that and make the most of what I’m given and make sure I’m dialed in from the start.”

While he says the coaches haven’t spent too much time with him yet, he knows the score coming off a long season that took its toll. Counting the regular season in both the NHL and AHL and postseason, Newhook appeared in 93 games last season. For comparison, he appeared in 74 games the previous two years combined. That grind was an eye-opener for Newhook on the dedication it takes to be a contributor on a Cup-contending team.

“It was definitely a different experience in that first full 82-game season,” he said. “But once you get the flow of it, you know I played college hockey so it’s different, but here in the flow of it, I liked it a lot. I definitely felt it towards the end of the season there and then coming into the playoffs, it’s a lot of hockey. You definitely have to treat your body a lot differently.”

Those lessons learned gave way to a shortened offseason as the NHL schedule compromised the player’s offseason in order to get back on the regular schedule after both COVID and the Olympic break helped throw the league off its normal axis the last two years.

“It doesn’t really give us that much time to get out of shape,” Newhook said of the abridged summer experience. “Obviously, it’s not the rest and time that most teams get but it’s good we’re right back here. It feels like we never left and I think we’re going to pick right back up.”

The concept of the Avs picking up where they left off instead of a fresh start was a dominant theme throughout the day. It doesn’t seem the Avs are too interested in pushing the reset button, but rather taking the hold they got on the league last year and trying to push their advantage.

In order to accomplish that, the development of Newhook, who averaged just 13:34 of ice time during the regular season but saw that number drop the 10:43 in the postseason, will be vital. That depth role gave Newhook a look he previously hadn’t had on other teams, where he was a major part of the team’s success or failure.

“It taught me a lot,” Newhook said. “To be on a winning team like that in my first year is something I’m very thankful for. To play a depth role where I know what I need to do and be a guy that’s reliable and not going to give up much defensively, chip in offensively, it helped me a lot.”

As multiple Avs are still dealing with injuries suffered during their Stanley Cup run, the chance for Newhook might be alongside his main competition for the 2C job in Rodrigues. The two were linemates on the first day of training camp and found instant chemistry. Newhook, who prefers to play center, got the first crack in the middle of the ice as Rodrigues flanked him on the right wing. Their similar playstyle meshed immediately.

“A big part of my game is my speed and my skill,” Newhook said. “That’s why they drafted me here and being able to learn from all of these guys here in this locker room who have speed and skill, it suits my game really well. It’s an exciting thing to be a part of and I think my game can really help this team this year.”

Newhook’s speed and skill helped fueled a fast-paced first session of training camp. The opening group was largely the NHL roster and their identity of skating opposing teams into the ground appears not to be changing anytime soon. Multiple felled opponents remarked over the summer that part of what made the Avalanche such a problematic opponent was their relentless attacking style of play. According to Newhook, that’s just the Avalanche being the Avalanche.

“We’re a hardworking team, we’re a disciplined team. I don’t think it matters what time of year it is, what kind of practice we’re having. Everything we do is intense. Everything we do is with a purpose. It starts with our coaching staff down through our leadership and it trickles down. Today was a very fast-paced practice and I think it’s going to remain that way.”

If Newhook is to live up to his considerable potential, they just might not have as much of a drop-off from Kadri as expected. Should that be the case, it’s going to be very hard to once again keep up with this Avalanche squad.