‘Great learning year,' Nick Suzuki says of Canadiens' drive to playoffs
Montreal Canadiens
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If was a day of reflection for Canadiens players on Friday, left to think about the surprising season that was and what could potentially lie ahead in the future.
During a season of ebbs and flows, captain Nick Suzuki believes the turning point might have come in early March, before the NHL's trade deadline, when he pleaded with management not to tinker with what he believed was a winning formula.
'I feel like there was a lot of different turning points throughout the season,' Suzuki said as the players had their season-ending availability at the CN Sports Complex in Brossard. 'I really wanted to keep this group together, and so did every single guy in here. The trade deadline would have been a lot different if we were to have made some moves. I was happy to keep everyone together.
'I think we really embraced the challenge of trying to fight for that last playoff spot, and we were able to accomplish that.'
The fact that general manager Kent Hughes and executive vice-president (hockey operations) Jeff Gorton listened to Suzuki speaks volumes about his impact on and off the ice, along with the respect he has garnered since being named captain of the historic franchise in 2022, at the age of 23.
The Canadiens went on a five-game winning streak following the break for the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament, which undoubtedly also influenced management's decision not to tinker with the roster. That was followed by a late-season six-game winning run that helped propel Montreal to the Eastern Conference's final wild-card playoff spot.
While the Canadiens fell to top-seeded Washington in five games, that post-season experience should serve the players well as they continue to gain experience.
The Canadiens might have extended the series to a sixth game Friday night at the Bell Centre with a healthy Samuel Montembeault, who was injured in the second period of Game 3. Montembeault revealed on Friday he tore two of three muscles in his groin, but won't require surgery. Winger Patrik Laine, whose playoff performance was underwhelming, missed the last three games with a broken finger. And while Josh Anderson was obviously banged up, missing most late-season practices, he would only say he was dealing with numerous upper- and lower-body ailments.
The NHL on Friday also announced Martin St. Louis is one of three finalists for coach of the year, along with Washington's Spencer Carbery and Winnipeg's Scott Arniel.
'It's flattering for sure,' St. Louis said. 'But I'll say that during my last 10 years as a player in the NHL, I was coaching a lot. I had a lot of experience. You can ask my teammates who played with me.'
Suzuki had a team-leading 89 points this season, his 30 goals second only to Cole Caufield's 37. And as usual, Suzuki played all 82 regular-season games. Suzuki hasn't missed a game during his six-year career, appearing in 455 consecutive contests. He believes he has evolved as the captain and grown into all the responsibilities that come with the title.
'It's not just me going out there and playing. I've got to take care of everyone on the team,' he explained. 'Communicate with staff, coaches. There's a lot that goes into it. I feel more comfortable each and every year in that role, gaining more experience in different situations.
'For me, it was a great learning year,' he added. 'We went through a lot as a team. I went through a lot individually — the pressure of being in a playoff spot, not being in a playoff spot. Every game coming down the stretch felt like a playoff game. It was a great experience for moving on to next year.'
Suzuki took his 4 Nations snub personally, posting 12 goals and 31 points in 20 games down the stretch. He was involved in 45.1 per cent of Montreal's goals after the 4 Nations break. Along with the motivation of being overlooked, Suzuki welcomed the opportunity to rest and heal his body.
'I think I've shown what I can do as a player,' Suzuki said. 'I took my game to a different level coming down the stretch, into the playoffs.'
Making the playoffs is only the first step. The pressure and expectations will increase for the Canadiens to return to the post-season and prove they can become a serious Stanley Cup contender.
'Management can see we've got a good group in here. I think there's a lot of opportunity,' he said. 'The process we've been on, continuing on that path. We're getting older, more experienced. We were the youngest team to make the playoffs. That says something about what we have in here and how we play.'
Suzuki said he has been invited to represent Canada in the coming world championship, but must first be cleared by the organization. Defenceman Mike Matheson, meanwhile, said he'll be playing.
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