Nick Suzuki

Lore & Background

Suzuki was born in London, Ontario, to parents Rob and Amanda. As a child, he suffered from several health conditions including hand, foot, and mouth disease, several bouts of pneumonia due to respiratory syncytial virus, and recurrent ear infections, the latter of which required surgery to insert tympanostomy tubes. His health improved as he grew older, and he began ice skating at the age of three.

He befriended his neighbour Isaac Ratcliffe, and the two began playing sports together when they were eight: ice hockey in the winter, and golf and soccer in the summer. Suzuki and Ratcliffe went on to play minor ice hockey together for the London Jr. Knights, where they led their team to the semifinals of the annual OHL Cup. After leading the league with 34 goals and 68 points in 31 games, Suzuki was named the ALLIANCE Hockey Player of the Year for the 2014–15 season.

Suzuki played junior hockey for the Owen Sound Attack of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) from 2015 to 2018, and later for the Guelph Storm in 2018–19. He was selected in the first round (14th overall) of the 2015 OHL priority selection draft by Owen Sound. During his junior career, he won the William Hanley Trophy three consecutive times, the CHL Sportsman of the Year award, and the Wayne Gretzky 99 Award as OHL playoff MVP. He finished his major junior career with 141 goals and 328 points in four OHL seasons between Owen Sound and Guelph.

Suzuki was traded from the Vegas Golden Knights to the Montreal Canadiens on September 10, 2018, along with Tomáš Tatar and a second-round pick in the 2019 NHL entry draft, in exchange for Max Pacioretty. He made his NHL debut on October 3, 2019, and scored his first NHL goal in his seventh game. He later became captain of the Canadiens.

Reader's Guide

Suzuki's significance lies in his progression from a first-round NHL draft pick by the Vegas Golden Knights to becoming the captain of the Montreal Canadiens. His junior career was marked by consistent recognition for sportsmanship, winning the William Hanley Trophy three times and the CHL Sportsman of the Year award. He was a key contributor to the Guelph Storm's J. Ross Robertson Cup championship in 2019, earning playoff MVP honors with 16 goals and 42 points in 24 postseason games.

His trade to Montreal in 2018, involving star forward Max Pacioretty, positioned him as a central figure in the Canadiens' future. Suzuki's legacy includes being a rare player to record a 100-point season in the OHL for Owen Sound, and his nickname 'Slick Nick' reflects his crafty playing style. As of the notes, he continues to serve as captain for Montreal.