The Montreal Canadiens acquired the negotiating rights for forward Alex Newhook from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for two NHL Draft picks and defenseman Gianni Fairbrother.

On Tuesday, the Canadiens announced the completion of a trade with the Colorado Avalanche in which Montreal received the negotiating rights for 22-year-old forward Alex Newhook in exchange for the 31st and 37th overall picks in the 2023 NHL Draft and defenseman Gianni Fairbrother.

Drafted 16th overall in 2019 by Colorado, Newhook's three-year deal with the Avalanche ends on June 30th, making him a pending RFA. Last season, the 5-foot-10, 190-pound forward tallied 14 goals and 16 assists while playing in all 82 games of the season. The St. John's, NL native already boasts a Stanley Cup ring from 2022, when he had four assists in the Avs' run to the championship.

The 22-year-old Fairbrother was drafted by Montreal 77th overall in 2019 Draft and debuted with the Laval Rocket towards the end of the 2020-21 season. The young blueliner scored one goal and added seven assists in 28 AHL games, but injuries have kept him off the ice. Fairbrother missed the entirety of the 2022-23 season following a knee injury sustained in a preseason tilt against the Belleville Senators in October 2022.

The trade currently leaves Montreal with nine picks in the 2023 Draft, with a large gap between the fifth overall selection and the 69th overall selection.