When Nazem Kadri landed that big money contract from Calgary, former Avs teammate Alex Newhook got the thumbs in gear and shot over a congratulatory text.
What Naz texted him back has been burned into the back of his brain ever since.
“He just said, ‘Keep that swagger, and you’re gonna go far,’” Newhook told The Denver Post before the Avs’ preseason game against the Minnesota Wild at Ball Arena Tuesday night.
“(Kadri) taught me a lot last year, especially for a younger guy. I think one of the big things about Naz, and obviously, (the fans) can tell this, but he’s got that swagger all the time. And he likes to play with that.”
Newhook, who’ll turn 22 in January, isn’t promising anybody that he can immediately replace the 87 points and 28 goals Kadri gave the Avs a year ago. But the young Colorado forward is approaching his bid to land Kadri’s old position at center on the No. 2 line the way Naz would: With straight swag.
“I think (the coaches) want to see that I can play big minutes, play against (the opposition’s) tough guys, be a reliable center man, that I can be trusted in those kinds of opportunities.” said Newhook, who centered the Avs’ top line in the franchise’s preseason opener at Minnesota this past Sunday.
“It’s anyone’s spot right now, but I’m definitely working to try and earn it.”
Working mostly out of the third or second lines for the Stanley Cup champions, the speedy Newhook recorded 33 points in 71 games while averaging 13:34 of ice time during the regular season.
Those minutes dipped — 12 games, four points, 10:43 of ice time per game — during the Avs’ long playoff run last spring, but coach Jared Bednar remains optimistic Newhook can hit another gear with more playing time.
“I think there’s some growth in his game that still has to come,” Bednar noted earlier this month. “I think consistency is one thing, making sure that he’s a difference-maker on a nightly basis. We see flashes of it. He’s been responsible in the role we’ve given him. But now his role is going to change here, especially at the start of the year, and hopefully handles it well and continues to grow.”
Injury updates. Winger Valeri Nichushkin (foot) skated Tuesday without a red “non-contact” jersey for the first time and is expected to ramp it up to full-contact speed “soon,” Bednar said. … Defenseman Samuel Girard, who’s recovering from a broken sternum suffered against St. Louis in the ’22 postseason, was slated to make his preseason debut against the Wild on Tuesday. … There was “no timeline” update on Gabe Landeskog’s return, Bednar said. The Avs captain is still expected to miss opening night Oct. 12. Bednar also added that stalwarts such as Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and Mikko Rantanen could expect to see action in the last two preseason games as part of the build-up toward the regular-season lid-lifter against Chicago on Oct. 12.
