The 2019-20 Boston College commit has a dynamic offensive skill set that should intrigue the Philadelphia Flyers at 11th overall.
If guys like Cole Caufield, Peyton Krebs, and Trevor Zegras are off of the board when the Philadelphia Flyers select at 11, a player that should pique their interest is forward Alex Newhook. The future Boston College Eagle has tremendous skills on offense and put them on full display in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) and the Under-18 World Junior Championships as well.
The 18-year-old centerman finished his 2018-19 BCHL campaign with a whopping 102 points (38 Goals, 64 Assists) in 53 games as Team Captain of the Victoria Grizzlies. That far and away led the league in scoring and earned him the Vern Dye Memorial Trophy, which goes to the Most Valuable Player in the BCHL. He also posted 24 points in 15 playoff games with the club, too, which led them to the third round where they subsequently lost to the Prince George Spruce Kings in four games.
There were a couple of questions as to whether Newhook could rise to the occasion when playing against higher competition given the drop off between the BCHL and the Canadian Hockey Leagues (WHL, OHL, etc.), and his inability to make the Canadian squad for the 2018 Hlinka-Gretzky, but he did not disappoint. Newhook netted 10 points (5 Goals, 5 Assists) in seven games with Team Canada, tying for the team lead in points with the aforementioned Krebs. I liked how he performed on the teams’ power-play unit, as he created strong scoring chances with a hard wrist shot that generated plenty of rebound opportunities.
A heavy shot isn’t all that Newhook brings to the table, though. He possesses excellent speed and a dangerously quick first step that helps him blow through the neutral zone and past opposing defensemen. As you can see on this assist, Newhook blazes down the ice, beats a defender by playing the puck to himself off of the boards, splits the defense, and sets up his teammate for an empty-net tally. That play alone showcases what he can do with the puck on his stick, making him an exciting prospect in this draft.
Taking Newhook at 11 may seem like a bit of a reach, but I think he’s an underrated commodity in this year’s draft. He’s very gifted offensively and isn’t a liability covering his own zone, either. General Manager Chuck Fletcher should at the very least consider taking Newhook if he’s there, which is likely, at 11.