Last June, just hours before the NHL draft, Kent Hughes acquired Alex Newhook in exchange for the 31st and 37th picks.
The 37th pick was later traded to the Lightning by the Avalanche, and Julien Brisebois selected Ethan Gauthier. Gauthier's name had been linked to the Canadiens, and given his draft position, the Canadiens could have had him without making the Newhook trade.
It's easy to say that the Canadiens were short-term losers because Newhook is currently injured and not helping the team. However, he was on pace for 43 points over 82 games, which doesn't necessarily meet expectations.
Newhook is still young, and his ceiling hasn't been reached; it's too early to determine if the Canadiens made the right move in this trade. However, with Gauthier's signing and his known assets, he will need to be closely watched in the coming years to form an honest assessment of this exchange.