Nick Suzuki must be ready to eat minutes

Nick Suzuki is better off taking his Flintstones vitamins: his team will need him in top shape from now on until the end of the season. #Yabadabadou

I say this because Saturday was the ultimate proof that the captain is THE most important player on this team. If you remove Nick Suzuki from the lineup, the club would become lost.

Honorable mention to Mike Matheson, at that level. Without him, the blue line would be weak.

On Saturday, Nick Suzuki played on both power play waves. He spent over 24 minutes on the ice and was used in every way possible by his coach.

Do you think the coach’s message to his bosses was that he lacks help at center?

Suzuki, this season, has been paired with Kirby Dach as the number 2 center for most of the time. Owen Beck has also taken the number 2 center spot, playing poor minutes… and now, Alex Newhook is coming in.

These are not NHL-level number 2 centers. And Suzuki, who asked Kent Hughes not to trade anyone, knows that the depth at center is thin.

#Habs captain Nick Suzuki says it’s “nice and refreshing” to not see any teammates traded at the deadline this year

— Priyanta Emrith (@habsinhighheels.bsky.social) March 7, 2025, at 15:59

Everyone is aware that he will have to carry the team on his shoulders for the rest of the season. He will have to continue playing big minutes for his team to remain #InTheMix until the end of the season.

This shouldn’t scare him.

That being said, Martin St-Louis’ challenge will be to make sure he doesn’t burn out his captain. He can eat (and should eat) minutes, but he can’t get injured in the process – or play so much that he becomes useless.

The Habs wouldn’t gain from that.

Wins will come through him, but he will have to choose the moments to play 24 minutes per game. It will be a good challenge, and I imagine the management will also be keeping an eye on it.

If Alex Newhook can play more than Owen Beck did, it would help a bit, at the very least.

In a hurry

– Not crazy.

– Pierre-Luc Dubois is doing well in Washington. [RG media]

– It’s his right.