Canadiens sign Alex Newhook to 4-year, $11.6 million contract

The Montreal Canadiens have signed forward Alex Newhook to a four-year, $11.6 million deal ($2.9M AAV), the team announced on Tuesday.

The Canadiens acquired Newhook on June 27, one day before the 2023 NHL Draft, for a first-round pick, an early second-round pick and defenceman Gianni Fairbrother.

Newhook, 22, has registered 27 goals and 66 points in 159 career games after being selected with the 16th overall pick of the 2019 draft. He's coming off a 2022-23 season in which he scored 14 goals and 16 assists in 82 games for the Avalanche.

The St. John's, NL., native was a restricted free agent coming off his entry-level deal.

With Newhook's deal kicking in, Montreal is now operating above the NHL's $83.5-million salary cap, but can be cap-compliant once they place Carey Price's $10.5 million salary on long-term injured reserve, as the 35-year-old is unlikely to ever play another NHL game.