Nick Suzuki is among the elite in several statistical categories

Nick Suzuki’s progression is interesting.

Year after year, he’s adding new facets to his game, and that’s helping him become a better hockey player. He’s having a good season overall, and we feel he’s really starting to reach his full potential.

The Flanelle captain is on track for a 71-point season. He’s good offensively, but also stands out in certain defensive categories.

Suzuki excels to the point where he’s among the NHL’s elite in certain statistical areas:

• 13th in the NHL for offensive zone time of possession (57 seconds per game)
• 10th in the NHL for assists completed in the offensive zone (19.4 per game)
• 9th in the NHL in free puck recoveries (18.9 per game)
• 13th in the NHL in 1-on-1 battles won (3 per game)

But it’s the offensive zone time-of-possession statistic that’s especially impressive, as Jonathan Bernier (Journal de Montréal) stated in a recent article.

Because when you look at the players he’s ahead of in this respect, you realize just how dominant Suzuki has been this season without making too much noise:

He (Suzuki) controls the Habs’ attack with the disc on his paddle for, on average, 57 seconds per game. That puts him in ^13th place, eight seconds behind Leon Draisaitl (1:05), Mikko Rantanen (1:04), Kirill Kaprizov (1:03) and Patrick Kane (1:00). And he’s ahead of William Nylander (0:56). – Jonathan Bernier

The numbers don’t lie, at least…

And it’s even more impressive when you consider that he’s answering the call with a lot of pressure on his shoulders, as captain of the Montreal Canadiens at the age of 24.

That’s no mean feat, and he deserves all the praise he’s been getting lately. Because, when it comes down to it, it’s hard to fault the young man for anything over the past twenty games or so.

He’s really moving in the right direction.

In bursts

– Of course.

– Real bargains.

– I love this.

– It’s so stupid, these fights.