In recent years, there have been some ‘one and done’ college players; Kings prospect Alex Turcotte recently went that route after turning pro earlier this month. However, it doesn’t appear as if Avalanche prospect Alex Newhook is going to be going that route. The center told Ryan S. Clark of The Athletic (subscription required) that he expects to remain at Boston College to play in his sophomore year next season.
The 16th overall pick back in June had quite the freshman year, collecting 19 goals and 23 assists in 34 games to sit tied for seventh in NCAA scoring. Among first-year players, he was second overall. Not surprisingly, he was recently named the Hockey East Rookie of the Year for his efforts.
That’s a very strong start to his college career which had some wondering if it might be time for him to turn pro. However, Colorado already has strong depth down the middle which wouldn’t bode well from a potential playing time perspective. While Newhook would be eligible to play in the AHL even though he’s only 19, staying in school for one more year is probably the better route from a development perspective. Doing so would give him the opportunity to compete for the NCAA title next season, something the Eagles may have had a shot of contending for after being ranked in the top five before the playoffs were cancelled.