Newhook playoff heroics sparks local pride

With just one Canadian team left in the Stanley Cup hunt, hockey fans across the country are dusting off old jerseys from the back of the closet and hopping on the last bandwagon still rolling.

That includes plenty of fans in Victoria, where ties to the Montreal Canadiens run deeper than you might expect.

The latest reason? Former Victoria Grizzlies captain Alex Newhook.

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Newhook scored the Game 7 goal that propelled Montreal into the second round of the playoffs, instantly making him a hero in Montreal, but they’re the same kind of heroics Victoria Grizzlies grew to love during his stint in Junior ‘A’.

Back in Langford, Sunday’s game winner in the 3rd period vs. the Tampa Bay Lightning meant everything to Michelle Sauk, who billeted Newhook from 2017 to 2019.

“Even though he’s not actually my child, you get that pride that he lived with me for two years,” she said.

Newhook has stayed connected to the community over the years, returning in 2023 after signing with Montreal. He already has a Stanley Cup to his name from his time with the Colorado Avalanche, but bringing one to Montreal would be something else entirely.

For Canadian hockey fans, it would also end a 33-year drought. The 1993 edition of the Canadiens still stands as the last team to hoist the Cup.

Many non-Canadiens are now converts.

“Montreal has definitely captivated my attention,” said David Michaud, president of the Victoria Grizzlies.

Michaud was not with the club during Newhook’s stint, but says the connection between the Grizzlies and the Canadiens runs deep.

Former Grizzlies (then Victoria Salsa) Ryan O’Byrne and Jordie Benn both spent time in Montreal. Riley Hughes, son of the Canadiens’ current general manager Kent Hughes suited up for the Grizzlies, as did Jack Gorton, son of Canadiens’ President of Hockey Operations Jeff Gorton.

Tom Molson, son of owner Geoff Molson, played with the Grizzlies last season.

And the connections keep coming. Current Grizzlies goaltender Mikus Vecvanags was drafted by Montreal in the 5th round of the 2024 NHL draft.

Then of course, there’s Newhook.

Michaud hints there’s even more on the horizon, a future player with a famous last name tied to a Canadiens goaltending legend.

“If this was Jeopardy the category would be Habs Goaltending Legends,” he teased, offering only slight clues. “He’s more recent than Gump Worsley and older than Patrick Roy.”

For now, though, the spotlight remains firmly on Newhook and the Canadiens as they prepare for a second round matchup with the Buffalo Sabres.

So if you see a few more red, white, and blue jerseys around town, don’t be surprised. Canada’s cup hopes, while flickering, are theirs to hold high.

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