Kent Hughes already has a better player than Martin Necas

PUBLICATION

Carl Vaillancourt
August 23, 2024 (11:54 PM)

SHARE THIS STORY

Kent Hughes secured a better forward than if he had rushed to pay the full price to acquire Martin Necas. Based on statistics and numbers, the general manager made a better move by acquiring the forward who belonged to the Colorado Avalanche, Alex Newhook, compared to what Martin Necas is worth now.

Until recently, there was talk about the inactivity of the Montreal Canadiens' general manager this summer, but he hit a home run with the addition of Patrik Laine. The frustration that some fans felt over the delay in adding a true top-6 forward has vanished.

A few weeks earlier, Martin Necas's name was on everyone's lips, and the rumors linking him to the Canadiens were fueling hockey blogs non-stop. Every Habs fan dreamed of seeing Martin Necas in the blue, white, and red jersey, but why?

With Kirby Dach returning to full health, the 23-year-old forward Alex Newhook could truly take off on the wing of the Montreal Canadiens' second line in 2024-2025.

Kent Hughes and the Montreal Canadiens acquired a better player than Martin Necas in the trade with the Avalanche for Alex Newhook

The grass isn't always greener on the other side. It's difficult to admire the players we have when we can admire the opponent's players.

«On June 27, 2023, the Canadiens acquired Alex Newhook in exchange for their 31st and 37th overall picks, which became Mikhail Gulyayev and Ethan Gauthier, along with defenseman Gianni Fairbrother.»

When we look at the statistics, there's quite a bit to be surprised about. Alex Newhook seems to be a better hockey player than Martin Necas according to the numbers.

Martin Necas, 5 years after his draft year, accumulated 14 goals and 26 assists, averaging 0.51 points per game (in 78 games).

Alex Newhook, 5 years after his draft year, accumulated 15 goals and 19 assists, averaging 0.62 points per game (in 55 games).

That's solid! Additionally, the Habs forward didn't benefit from being on as strong a team as the Carolina Hurricanes. When comparing the cost on the salary cap, Alex Newhook surely appears to be a better investment than Martin Necas! At $2.9 million, the former Avalanche player could very well turn heads in the NHL in 2024-2025.

You can see their full stats here.

Can we really say that the general manager was inactive this summer?

At the draft, he added Ivan Demidov with his fifth pick, then announced Michael Hage with the 21st selection. These two players will probably join the lineup within one to three seasons. Ivan Demidov is considered a future franchise player. A few days ago, Kent Hughes won the Patrik Laine sweepstakes and secured a second-round pick. The cost was letting go of Jordan Harris-a steal despite the Finn's $8.7 million salary.

And let's not forget the contracts awarded to Juraj Slafkovsky, Kaiden Guhle, and Arber Xhekaj, which were also great moves by the organization during this summer of 2024.