Nick Suzuki is having the best season of his professional life, and Cole Caufield isn’t so surprised.
“I don’t want to say that we expect that from him, but he expects that,” the small forward replied Wednesday in Brossard. It’s just getting started for Nick, and it’s only going to get better. »
The scene was a bit funny; While Caufield was chatting with two journalists in the Canadiens locker room, the media crowd just to his right was for his now famous teammate, who at the end of Tuesday’s game became the first CH player to reach the 70-point mark since Max Domi in 2018-2019.
It’s not Caufield who will complain about it.
PHOTO FRANÇOIS ROY, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki
“We are all growing on this trio,” he added about himself and Juraj Slafkovsky. But it’s certain that right now, it’s Nick who’s on fire! »
The expression is undoubtedly the best to describe a player who now has 71 points on his record. The figures tell us that he had never played so well, and the main person concerned quite agrees with this highly scientific observation.
“I feel like I’m having my best season,” he humbly admitted Wednesday in Brossard. I’m really confident in what I can do, and what I can bring to the team every night. I realize that I can play against anyone. »
In the eyes of his friend Caufield, it is perhaps this part which is the most important.
We normally find ourselves skating against the best opposing line every night. I think it’s great to have to face this kind of competition. It’s a good way to learn.
Cole Caufield
In Suzuki’s 71 points, there are also 32 goals, and this is undoubtedly the detail that is the most astonishing; the goals, one would have thought that it was Caufield’s business, who has 21 on his record. But Suzuki is showing the universe, and more, that he can put it in there too.
And since we’re in the numbers, we also note that the captain has just collected 19 goals in his last 25 games, a happy series that began on February 6.
“It’s important to be able to excel in several aspects of the game,” he said. I can score, but I can also make plays, which opens up other possibilities, and the other two guys on our line can do that too.
“I had more opportunities to be able to create something on the ice this season. I tried to shoot a little more often too, I tried to choose the right play.”
In the eyes of Martin St-Louis, it’s all this that allowed Suzuki to get to where it is at the moment.
This is the result of everything he does. He doesn’t cheat, he works on his game. There are matches where he plays really well but doesn’t get any points, and matches where he’s not as good but he gets points. He’s a good critic of himself, and when you base yourself on the truth, it’s easy to stay sane. His production is truly the result of everything he does. It’s not luck.
Martin St-Louis, about Nick Suzuki
He has eight games left, including next Thursday against the Tampa Bay Lightning, to try to do a little more, and perhaps also reach the 80 point mark, which would be another feat in this red sweater who has not seen so many scorers since the last Cup.
Nick Suzuki has other goals too, like perhaps a spot with Team Canada at the 2026 Games in Italy.
“It’s everyone’s dream, to be able to represent their country,” he concluded. It’s something I’ve been thinking about…”
More points than last season
PHOTO GRAHAM HUGHES, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Joel Armia (40)
By beating the Panthers on Tuesday night, the Canadian brought his total points to 70 this season, two more than last season. At first glance, it doesn’t look like a big step forward, but Martin St-Louis still sees it as a form of progress. “The way we got our 70 points, if we compare to the 68 points last season, it’s not the same,” said the coach Montrealer. We are much more competitive, we could have more than 70 points. »
Primeau against the Lightning
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Cayden Primeau
The Canadian still has two games to play this week, and Martin St-Louis has announced that Cayden Primeau will be in net in the next one, this Thursday evening at the Bell Centre, against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The 24-year-old goalkeeper will be on his 19the meeting this season.