Nick Suzuki is the youngest captain in Montreal Canadiens history. What must he do to establish himself as a great leader among many legends who have previously worn the "C"?
When Nick Suzuki became captain of the Montreal Canadiens in 2022-23, he broke the record as the youngest leader in team history at 23.
Almost a century ago, Hall of Famer Sylvio Mantha was named the youngest captain at 24 for the 1926-27 season, holding that record for 96 seasons.
Suzuki scored 26 goals and 66 points during his first season as captain. A year later, embracing his new leadership role, he scored a career-high 33 goals and 77 points to lead the team.
Ahead of the 2024-25 season, Suzuki will now be the third skater to be 25 and captain in the same season, following Mantha and Saku Koivu.
In different eras, Mantha tallied 15 points in 43 games in 1926-27, while Koivu scored just 21 in 24 games.
So, theoretically, the bar for points in an age-25 season is low, something that shouldn't be an issue for Sukuzi, who is coming off a year when he produced at a .93 points per game average.
However, Suzuki's challenge is not outscoring Mantha and Koivu but chasing down the record for most points by a Canadiens, a mark held by Pierre Turgeon.
In 1995-96, when he was 26, Turgeon scored 38 goals and 96 points, breaking the former team record held by the great Jean Béliveau, who collected 33 goals and 82 points in 1968-69.
The only other captain to score at least 80 points in a season is Vincent Damphousse, who followed Turgeon's performance in 1996-97 with 27 goals and 81 points.
All three captains led the Canadiens to the playoffs, with Béliveau winning the Stanley Cup.
Considering how young and skilled Suzuki is, he's found himself in a great position to become one of the great statistical leaders in franchise history.
Even though today's Canadiens don't dominate the league like they did in the 1950s or the 1970s, they are building towards something special.
It's not a matter of if but when Montreal will win their 25th Stanley Cup. Their quest for another championship begins and ends with Suzuki and his ability to be a leader on the ice, on the scoresheet, and in the room.
Earning the "C" already put him in exclusive company, but it's up to him to forge his legacy among the all-time greats, and that's possible by achieving milestones many others missed out on.
Bookmark THN's Montreal Canadiens site for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and more.