Alex Newhook: 2019-20 CHN Rookie of the Year

CHN Staff Report

PRINCETON, N.J.  Boston College forward Alex Newhook has been named the 2019-20 College Hockey News Rookie of the Year.

Newhook, the 16th overall pick in last June's NHL Draft, finished seventh nationally scoring (19-23—42). His 19 goals tied Wisconsin's Cole Caufield for most in the country by a rookie. His 42 points were second among first-year players behind Harvard's Nick Abruzzese.

Newhook improved as the season progressed, recording 30 points in 19 games after Winter Break. His plus-28 rating was third in the country. In the second half, he finished with a plus-21, the best in the country.

BC's freshman class was ranked among the nation's best entering the season. Fellow first-round draft picks Spencer Knight and Matthew Boldy joined Newhook along with second-round pick Drew Helleson and sixth-round pick Marshall Warren. Undrafted rookie Mike Hardman was a key piece of the class as well.

Despite the deep group, Newhook quickly emerged as the premier first-year in the Heights.

"To be honest, I did not think he could do it this quickly," BC coach Jerry York recently told NHL.com. "For a freshman at this level, it's pretty inspiring to watch. He's got great hockey sense. His skating is very powerful.

"He's got a whole extra speed, reminds me of Chris Kreider type of speed. He's got that type of jump right from a standstill. He's got some of Johnny Gaudreau's hockey instincts, his sense of where the other players are when he has the puck and where he should go when you have the puck. And he's got that competitiveness like Brian Gionta."

The Colorado Avalanche draft pick is the first Boston College player to win CHN's Rookie of the Year since CHN started handing out the awards in 2007.

Newhook was a driving force behind Boston College's Hockey East regular-season championship team. The Eagles were a lock to qualify for the NCAA Tournament and the favorite in the Hockey East Tournament before the remainder of the college hockey season was canceled due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

"College hockey is a different animal," senior forward David Cotton said about the BC freshmen during the past season. "It’s a huge jump from juniors, prep or even the NTDP. Until you get to college, you’ve never really played against guys who are four or five years older than you are, and I don’t mean just in games, I mean in practice. They’ve all done a really good job of listening to the coaching staff and taking advice from the upperclassmen, and allowing that advice to their game.”