In his first two seasons as captain of the Montreal Canadiens, the most storied franchise in NHL history, there was abundant frustration for Nick Suzuki. After all, lots of losses deliver lots of disappointment.
The Canadiens were one of the worst teams in the NHL in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons, winning just 30 and 31 games, respectively, out of 82 each season as the franchise underwent a laborious rebuilding process. And Montreal finished 15th among 16 Eastern Conference teams in the standings both times.
The closing chapter of the 2024-25 season produced different collective emotions for Suzuki, his teammates and Canadiens fans: satisfaction and joy.
Montreal clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2021 with a 4-2 triumph over the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday, April 16.
Up next: Suzuki's team faces the Washington Capitals in the first round of the playoffs.
Japanese Canadian Suzuki Rises to the Occasion
A big reason for Montreal's turnaround this season was the dynamic play of Suzuki over the past two months.
In Montreal's 26 games after the NHL season resumed following the 4 Nations Face-Off (February 12-20), the Japanese Canadian center registered 37 points.
A quick glance at the headlines provides a succinct summary of Suzuki's stellar play of late.
March 17: "Nick Suzuki carrying Canadiens on his shoulders," the Montreal Gazette proclaimed in a Stu Cowan column.
Then on March 19: "Suzuki gets go-ahead goal and Canadiens snap Senators' 6-game winning streak with 6-3 victory," The Associated Press reported.
April 2: "Suzuki's late-game heroics lift Canadiens to dramatic 3-2 OT win over Panthers," declared The Associated Press.
Yes, Suzuki made a big impact in the post-4 Nations Face-Off portion of the season. A key part of that was the overall productivity of the Canadiens' top forward line, with Suzuki flanked by left wing Cole Caufield and right wing Juraj Slafkovsky. The trio combined for 13 goals over the final 10 games. Suzuki led the way with 10.
Canadiens veteran Brendan Gallagher, the team's longest-tenured player, hailed Suzuki and his linemates for their effort in the season finale.
"I thought those guys were dominant tonight, our top line," Gallagher said, scoring to The Athletic. "They really controlled the game early on, allowed us to settle in."
To be sure, Gallagher's words could be plugged into a broadcast or written report about numerous Canadiens games during the team's crucial stretch of games.
In the season finale, for example, Suzuki scored the go-ahead goal in the second period, giving his team a 2-1 advantage. Caufield and Slafkovsky also had assists in the win.
A Team Fueled by Optimism
Thinking about the 26 games cited above, it was anything but a cakewalk for head coach Martin St Louis' team, which secured a coveted playoff spot in its regular-season finale.
"I'm so proud of the group coming off the break," St Louis was quoted as saying by The Athletic. "I think we had a 2 percent chance of making the playoffs and we go 15-5-6, and then we finish the year on a 7-1-2 run to try and stay ahead of Columbus, who was really hot down the stretch.
"To me, a 2 percent chance, you still have a chance."
Months before Montreal's tremendous surge to close out the season on a high note, the team's playoff chances looked bleak. The Canadiens' 5-10-2 start this season was the worst in the league.
Credit Suzuki for being a catalyst for the team's turnaround.
Defenseman Kaiden Guhle recently observed that Suzuki is an all-around force on the ice.
"He's just a two-way centerman," Guhle told The Athletic, adding, "he's not just offensive; he can defend well."
Guhle then said, "He's so smart. His hockey IQ is off the charts. He's our guy."
Versatility and Productivity
For the Canadiens, a 3-2 win over the visiting Philadelphia Flyers on April 3 illustrated how essential Suzuki is to the team. He played on the penalty-kill unit, notched a short-handed goal and was also credited with an assist in the team's ninth third-period comeback win of the season.
Montreal trailed 1-0 heading into the third period. But Suzuki and his teammates refused to believe it was a difficult obstacle to overcome.
"Just one goal, we've come back from worse," Suzuki said, according to The Canadian Press. "We got a confident group."
In a nutshell, that victory highlighted Suzuki's versatility and game-changing ability.
Just ask Gallagher.
"We haven't used him a ton [on the penalty kill] because we try to save him a little bit, he plays some pretty heavy minutes," Gallagher was quoted as saying by The Canadian Press. "But when he's needed, he's one of the best in every single situation.
"We feel very comfortable with him on the ice, and he obviously can make something happen at both ends."
The Impact of Nick Suzuki
Nick Suzuki increased his point total from 61 to 66 to 77 in the 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons. Those numbers represent his maturation as a player and demonstrate his ability to make consequential plays throughout the season.
The native of London, Ontario, who made his NHL debut in 2019, has also had more game-defining goals this season.
Consider: In Suzuki's first four NHL seasons, he had a combined nine game-winning goals. This season, he had nine game-winning tallies and finished with a career-high 89 points. His 59 assists also set a career high.
It's interesting to note that Coach St Louis doesn't feel it's appropriate for him to define performance parameters for Suzuki.
"What's his ceiling?" St Louis said, according to The Canadian Press. "I want him to dictate what that ceiling is going to be. It's fun to be part of his journey and just watch him evolve as a player and take charge and lead. [And] it's been impressive this year."
And now that the Canadiens are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2021, how did Suzuki describe the team's experience of late?
"It's been tough," he told reporters after the season finale. "I think we've just been building and building and a lot of anticipation of when we would clinch our spot. It probably took us a few more games than we wanted, but that's kind of been the story of our season so far.
"So to win the game on home ice to clinch, I don't think we could've written it any better."
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Author: Ed Odeven
Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.
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