Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki has a pretty clear idea of who he is, as evidenced by his Hockey Canada player card.
Hockey Canada has recently published player cards on their X account, on which each member of the national team had to describe themselves using three words. Nick Suzuki, the Montreal Canadiens’ captain, chose the words: intelligent, versatile and poised. It’s hard to argue with those choices.
We’ve had ample proof over the years of Suzuki’s intelligence on the ice, as coach Martin St-Louis likes to say, he’s got the talent to replicate on the ice what his elite computer tells him to do.
As for the versatility, his 200-foot game speaks for itself. He can do it all on the ice, whether in the offensive, defensive, or neutral zone; he can be the best player. He’s got great playmaking skills, but he’s also got the finish when needed. In his own zone, he never shies away from blocking a shot, and his active stick often breaks up plays. Even strength, power play and penalty kill, he does it out with the same pride and dedication.
As for poise, despite still being only 26 years old, he never panics or looks overwhelmed. He has a calm that reminds me of former goaltending great Carey Price. Suzuki always looks in control and seems to believe there’s nothing he cannot do. After being snubbed by Team Canada for the 4 Nations Face-Off, he just kept on going, stayed even keel and picked up his team on his back, literally carrying it to the playoffs and showing the hockey world just what he could do.
The way he carries himself on the ice, not only during the games but also at practice, perfectly exemplifies the advice he would give new players just getting into the game, which is not to take it too seriously and have fun with their friends. While he’s competing at a professional level now and, of course, knows how serious it is, he has never forgotten about the fun factor, and he’s a big part of the reason why the climate around the Canadiens is what it is right now.
As for what it means for him to wear Canada’s maple leaf, he said it’s something he’s dreamt about his whole childhood, and it’s an honour like most of his teammates, but there aren’t too many ways to answer that question.
Suzuki and Team Canada will kick off their tournament on Thursday with a tilt against Czechia at 10:40 AM ET.
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