Nick Suzuki has a lot of Barkov in him, says Paul Maurice

There’s nobody who can say Nick Suzuki is having a bad season.

The Tricolore captain has 56 points in 59 games, which is an excellent statistic…

But also, the Tricolore captain seems to have come of age. He doesn’t take time off, he gives his all every game, and he sets an example for his teammates night after night.

What’s remarkable about Suzuki is that we’re really talking about a complete player. He’s responsible in all three zones of the rink, he doesn’t take many penalties, he’s good in the face-off circle, he’s excellent defensively and offensively, he can be used in all sorts of ways…

And all this forces Paul Maurice to believe that the Canadiens’ forward has a lot of Aleksander Barkov in him.

The Panthers’ coach threw him some flowers, on the eve of tonight’s game between the Floridian and Montreal teams:

The parallel is interesting because the two players’ qualities are very similar on the ice.

It took a while for Barkov to become the player he is today, and he didn’t break the 60-point plateau until his 5th NHL season, but we’re also talking about a guy with 78, 96 and 88-point seasons under his belt.

Hearing this from an experienced coach like Paul Maurice puts even more emphasis on Suzuki’s style… And it proves just how respected the Habs captain is throughout the NHL. #FirstCenter

Speaking of Barkov, the Panthers’ excellent center had nothing but positive things to say about his former teammate, Samuel Montembeault.

Monty will be in front of the Habs cage tonight in Florida, and Barkov took the opportunity to say out loud that he’s not surprised by the Quebecer’s recent success and that he’s happy for him:

He’s a great guy. He wasn’t here long, but I still remember him very well. He’s an excellent goalkeeper and he’s worked very hard. I’m really happy for him. – Aleksander Barkov

Martin St-Louis’ men face a big test tonight, as the Panthers are sitting pretty in 3rd place in the overall National League standings.

Suzuki and Monty… Or Barkov and the Panthers?

In gusts

– Whoa!

It’s also the birthdate of Arizona-born Matthew Knies, drafted by the Maple Leafs and who’ll be in uniform tonight. pic.twitter.com/jfVRPrkXmc

– BPM Sports (@BPMSportsRadio) February 29, 2024

– This is going to be one to watch.

– No surprises here.

– Not good.