It will no doubt be an emotional moment for the 23-year-old forward, and a spectacular one considering it will be the home opener for the storied franchise facing its longtime rival, the Toronto Maple Leafs (7 pm ET; SN, TVAS, ESPN+, SN NOW).
“It’s a dream come true,” Suzuki said last month at the NHL North American Player Media Tour in Las Vegas.
Although taking on the role of perhaps the most scrutinized person in Montreal may seem like a heavy burden for a player with three years of NHL experience, those who have been Canadiens captain say Suzuki is ready for it.
Yvan Cournoyer, their captain from 1975-79, said Suzuki is perfect for the role.
“It’s a great honor to be a captain of the Montreal Canadiens,” Cournoyer told NHL.com. “Last year, we didn’t have one. And I think we need a captain and he’s young, but he’s got a good attitude on the ice and off the ice and he wants to do well.”
“He’s really, really mature for a young captain.”
In his three NHL seasons, all with Montreal, Suzuki has 143 points (49 goals, 94 assists) in 209 games, including NHL career highs in goals (21) and assists (40) last season.
Suzuki will be captain of a team that finished last in the NHL last season (22-49-11) and will likely play this one without Carey Pricethe winningest goalie in Canadiens history who has not yet recovered from knee surgery he had on June 23, 2021.
Video: Nick Suzuki named 31st captain of Montreal Canadiens
He’s also leading a team that already has a 21-year-old forward Cole Caufieldwho scored 23 goals last season, and acquired the 21-year-old forward this offseason Kirby Dach in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks and selected 18-year-old forward Juraj Slafkovsky with the no. 1 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft.
“I think it’s going to be fun, you know. They’re all young, they’re all together,” Cournoyer said. “I think the crowds are going to be behind them. Last year was tough, like I said, there was no captain, that was a hard time, but I think they’re going to have a chance to win this year. Maybe not a major playoff [run]but they may be very close, but they’re going to be all together and arriving all together at the same time with the coach and everybody.”
But when there are rough times, Guy Carbonneau, Canadiens captain from 1989-94, said part of the responsibility of the captain is to speak and stay true to himself.
“For me, you just can’t be a captain one day and not be captain a different day. It’s something that you always are,” Carbonneau said. “So, sometimes you have to kind of step up and stand up and say what you have to say and not be shy about it.
“I think that for me, that was the hardest thing. I’ve never had problems saying what I had on my mind, but sometimes things don’t go well, you’re not playing as well as you want to, and the team is not playing well, and somebody has to say something and most of the time that is the captain. So, you can’t be afraid to say things. But like I said, as long as you put the team first and say the right things, you will never be in trouble.”
Suzuki said he first started thinking about possibly being captain when the Canadiens traded Shea Weber to the Vegas Golden Knights on June. 16. Weber had been captain since Oct. 1, 2018, but he missed all of last season with multiple injuries and is unlikely to play again.
A few weeks later, coach Martin St. Louis met with Suzuki at Bell Center during the 2022 NHL Draft and asked him to think about taking on the role as captain. St. Louis didn’t want an answer that day, but Suzuki knew what he would say.
“I never thought it was too much. I felt ready for it that day when he mentioned it, but he just told me to take some time and really think about it,” Suzuki said.
He did his research, reaching out to Weber, who took over as captain a few weeks after the previous captain, Max Pacioretty, was traded to Vegas. Suzuki, selected no. 13 by Vegas in the 2017 NHL Draft, came to Montreal in that trade.
“He pretty much just told me to keep being myself,” Suzuki said of Weber. “We kind of have the same demeanor and we’re both super calm. We play the game the right way. He had a lot of respect for me as a young player, so just to have his confidence and him telling Marty that I can being the captain was really special.”
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The official announcement came Sept. 12, putting Suzuki in the company of all-time Canadiens greats like Cournoyer, Henri Richard, Maurice Richard, Jean Beliveau and Toe Blake.
It also put him under the microscope that comes with being Montreal captain, a frenzied media and a passionate fan base scrutinizing his every move.
Brian Gionta, who was Canadiens captain from 2010-14, said Suzuki is ready to handle anything thrown his way.
“He’s been there a few years, he understands the landscape of the team in relation to what it means to the city, the inner workings of the media and the pull from there. I don’t think he’s going to be surprised by any of that,” Gionta said. “Knowing the people in charge there, owner Geoff Molson, (general manager) Kent Hughes, they have a bunch of experience, I don’t think they’re going to put him in a position that he’s going to fail.
“He’s clearly ready despite his age and his years in the League. His having already been there a couple years certainly helps matters. He’s already versed on how things work.”
Carbonneau said a key for Suzuki is to try to tune out what is being said about him and the team, in the media and on social media.
“There’s always going to be people that are going to say something other than what you think. But like I said, I always put the team first. It wasn’t about Guy Carbonneau or what I wanted to do or my stats or things like that. that. For me, it was always kind of putting the team ahead of everything.”
One thing everyone seems to agree upon is that Suzuki’s age will not be an issue in his new role. Forward Brendan Gallagherwho along with defenseman Joel Edmundson will serve as alternate captains, called Suzuki the “heartbeat” of the Canadiens.
“He’s a young player but very mature,” Gallagher said on Sept. 12. “I think the most important thing is he has the respect of every single guy in our locker room. He’s the heartbeat of our team. The biggest thing is we’re trying to win some hockey games. We have a leader that we ‘re happy to follow and we think is going to be able to take us there.
Suzuki said he’s ready.
“This team is headed in a great direction, and I couldn’t be more excited to be the captain and represent the team,” he said Sept. 12. “It means a lot just to see the respect that the management, teammates, coaches have for me. I know it’s a big role, but I think I’m ready for it, and there’s a bright future here and I’m excited to be part of it.”
NHL.com columnist Dave Stubbs contributed to this report.
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