The Montreal Canadiens have traded for Colorado Avalanche forward Alex Newhook.
In return for the 22-year-old centre, the Habs will send both a first and second round pick (31st and 37th overall) in Thursday’s NHL Entry draft as well as 22-year-old defenceman Gianni Fairbrother to Colorado.
The move clears potential salary cap space for Colorado to try to keep pending free agent centre J.T. Compher, after the Avalanche acquired Ryan Johansen from Nashville over the weekend.
Newhook tallied 66 points (27 goals, 39 assists) in 159 games for the Avalanche.
He was selected by Colorado as the 16th overall pick in the 2019 draft.
Fairbrother was the 77th overall pick by Montreal in the 2019 draft and has spent the last two season with the Laval Rockets.
He had eight points in 28 games for the AHL team but suffered a season-ending injury in a game against the Belleville Senators on Oct. 9, 2022. He’s under contract through next season at an NHL salary of $860,000 and $80,000