Alex Newhook’s Swiss‑army role deepens Canadiens’ second‑centre puzzle

In Pittsburgh, the Montreal Canadiens once again turned to Alex Newhook as their second‑line centre out of necessity. With Oliver Kapanen sidelined by a lower‑body injury, the Newfoundland forward has been between Juraj Slafkovský and Ivan Demidov for the club’s first two games. So far, that unit has struggled to truly tilt the ice offensively.

Team management is projecting calm about the situation. In an interview with Radio‑Canada, general manager Kent Hughes argued that with two highly skilled wingers such as Ivan Demidov, the centre on that line does not need to produce at a point‑per‑game clip. Head coach Martin St. Louis echoed that relaxed stance on Saturday morning, stressing the team’s depth and insisting he was not worried about the battle for the No. 2 centre job.

Quiet start at five‑on‑five for Newhook’s line

Through two games, Newhook’s trio has generated only a handful of dangerous chances and has yet to score at five‑on‑five, despite starting the vast majority of its shifts in the offensive zone. Newhook and Slafkovský have rarely played together in the past, which may explain some of the growing pains.

On Saturday, Newhook’s best look came midway through the game when Slafkovský stripped a defender in the offensive zone to spring him alone, but the opportunity went unused. Demidov later tied the game in the third period, but that goal came in a six‑on‑five situation alongside the club’s top offensive weapons, rather than in the regular second‑line configuration. Slafkovský’s most convincing stretches at five‑on‑five actually came in brief reunions with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield.

A valuable Swiss‑army piece with top‑six question marks

Internally, Newhook is highly regarded for his versatility and his knack for key plays; he scored in several critical moments last spring. A four‑year contract extension is already lined up for him after this season, underlining the organization’s belief in his value. He has embraced the “Swiss‑army knife” label and feels his game took a step forward in 2025‑26.

Still, his longer‑term profile raises doubts about a permanent top‑six role on an upward‑trending team. Over his first five full NHL seasons with the Colorado Avalanche and Canadiens, his on‑ice shot‑attempt share has consistently lagged behind his team’s overall numbers. Last year, the line he formed with Kapanen and Demidov controlled only about 43% of expected goals at five‑on‑five, yet finished with 59% of the actual goals (20 scored, 14 allowed). With the trio on the ice, Montreal converted 19% of its shots into goals, roughly double the league average of 9.5%, a rate that is unlikely to hold over time.

Kapanen’s return could reset the Canadiens’ forward mix

In the short term, the Canadiens are banking on a healthy Kapanen to re‑ignite Demidov and Slafkovský. That trio produced strong stretches last season and quickly rediscovered its chemistry early in the pre‑season schedule. If they can re‑establish themselves as a reliable second line, it would ease the offensive burden on Suzuki’s unit and allow Newhook to slide back into a supporting role more in line with his Swiss‑army profile.

The coaching staff will soon have to decide whether to lean on Newhook’s NHL experience at centre or give Kapanen the keys to the job once he returns. Training camp opened with two major questions: who would seize the second‑centre role, and how the depth on defence would sort itself out. Three weeks later, both files remain unresolved. The Canadiens have a day off on Sunday before returning to practice Monday, with another important measuring stick looming Tuesday at the Bell Centre against the Carolina Hurricanes.