Team Canada's roster for the 4 Nations Face-Off was announced last night and the two Montreal Canadiens hopeful had different fates.
While Montreal Canadiens fans are often discussing whether Samuel Montembeault really is a number one goaltender, Team Canada's staff led by GM Don Sweeney believe he's at least the third best goaltender available to the nation.
Montembeault is what you could call a late bloomer. At 28 years old, it feels like he has yet to reach his ceiling and while his numbers this season are far from impressive, it's worth remembering he got those backstopping a team with huge defensive issues, not playing behind an all-star defense corps.
The one time he actually played for the national team was at the World Championship in 2023. He played in seven games won all but one and finished he tourney with a 1.42 goals-against average and a .942 save percentage, backstopping a surprising Team Canada side to the gold medal.
As for captain Nick Suzuki, he didn't get a call. Team Canada staff had plenty of players to pick from and it has to be said that teams that win those tournaments are not necessarily all-star teams but rather a team that comes together well, like a very intricate puzzle.
In Montreal, Suzuki is the number one center. On a Canadian team with a lot of depth down the middle, that wouldn't be his role. He would more than likely slide in a fourth line role or even be an extra forward. Some will tell you he wouldn't have been able to slide into that role.
I believe that's underestimating Suzuki quite frankly, especially since he can bring plenty to the table. He's a defensively responsible forward who can put up points yes, but he can also be a pain to play against. He can play on your power play and on your penalty kill, in other words, he can do whatever you need him to do.
Of course, every fan base will fight tooth and nails about how their player is better than the other fan base's, but personally, I see Suzuki as a complete forward and I'm not sold on Seth Jarvis being a more deserving pick, but time will tell.
Hopefully, Team Canada has got Suzuki's number on their speed dial for when Mark Stone (or someone else) gets injured, on top of being a complete player, he's local and feels right at home at the Bell Centre.
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