The Montreal Canadiens will activate forward Alex Newhook from injured reserve ahead of their upcoming game against the New York Islanders, according to Eric Engels of Sportsnet. Newhook is expected to make his first appearance in more than three months following an ankle fracture sustained on November 13. With a roster spot already open due to the reassignment of Sammy Blais to AHL Laval before the Olympic break, no additional roster moves are required to accommodate Newhook’s return.
History of Ankle Issues and Impact on Season
This latest ankle injury represents the second setback for Newhook in three years. Earlier this season, he suffered a high ankle sprain in December 2023 that forced him to miss 27 games. The current fracture kept him sidelined for nearly half the ongoing campaign. After an extended warmup period during the Olympic break, Newhook is now ready to rejoin the Canadiens as they target back-to-back playoff appearances for the first time since 2020 and 2021.
Performance Before Injury Showed Promising Progress
Before the break, Newhook was recovering well from a difficult 2024-25 season. He had scored six goals and accumulated 12 points in 17 games this season, achieving a career-best pace of 0.71 points per game. Despite playing fewer minutes per game (14:38) than in his first two seasons, Newhook was deployed primarily as the Canadiens’ second-line left winger alongside Oliver Kapanen and Ivan Demidov, capitalizing on even-strength opportunities.
Questions Around Newhook’s Role and Team Dynamics
The Canadiens’ decision to play Newhook outside his natural center position has yielded some positive results, but his long-term role within the top six remains uncertain. Since Newhook’s injury, the team reshuffled its lines, moving Juraj Slafkovsky to the second-line left wing with Kapanen and Demidov to add secondary scoring depth. There is speculation that if Montreal wants to preserve that group, Newhook’s skill set might better suit the first line alongside Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield rather than either Zachary Bolduc or Alexandre Texier, who have intermittently filled that role following Slafkovsky’s shift to the second line.
Potential Changes Following the Trade Deadline
Looking ahead to the trade deadline, the Canadiens have expressed interest in acquiring a top-six winger to complement Suzuki and Caufield. This development could affect Newhook’s position on the roster—he might be part of a trade package, supported by the team’s strong offensive output of 3.46 goals per game this season. Alternatively, the team may assign him a bottom-six role if they add a higher-ranked winger. The situation remains fluid as Montreal balances immediate needs with strategic planning.
“The speedy forward is set for his first appearance in over three months after sustaining an ankle fracture on Nov. 13.” – Eric Engels, Sportsnet
Alex Newhook returns tomorrow vs. Islanders
— Eric Engels (@EricEngels) February 25, 2026
