Hockey

Seven years ago today, Marc Bergevin achieved the impossible: Acquire a first-rate center
Michaël Petit
Seven years ago today, Marc Bergevin achieved the impossible: Acquire a first-rate center
Credit: Getty Images

Like all NHL GMs, Marc Bergevin has had his ups and downs. Some of the moves he's made are still unforgiven by fans: the Mikhail Sergachev for Jonathan Drouin trade comes to mind. He's said many things that have made an impression on people, but there's one in particular that's got everyone talking. Acquiring a top center in today's NHL is impossible, but fans can thank him to this day for acquiring their current #1 center. He didn't even know it, but Nick Suzuki was about to become the Habs' first center. On this day 7

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And to think that Suzuki was Bergevin's third choice for this trade…

We know that Cody Glass was the former Habs GM's #1 target, and if that had been the case and the fans had known they could have had Suzuki, there would have been cacophony in Montreal. Glass is struggling to establish himself as a regular player for a top-9… And the fact that he's never played a full NHL season speaks volumes. He had an acceptable season in 2022-23, collecting 35 points in 72 games, but that's a far cry from Suzuki's 89 points last year. Of course, at the time of the trade, no one but a few unbelievable soothsayers would have believed that Suzuki would become captain and first center of the Habs. Suzuki has changed the face of the franchise and made everyone around him better. He brings out the best in every player on the ice, and although he's not much of a talker, he simply prefers to lead by example, demonstrating an impeccable work ethic that benefits everyone.

The Habs can be extremely fortunate to have acquired Suzuki for this price and for him to have become the player he is today

'Overtime'

– Indeed.

– Erik Karlsson in Detroit, that would be… something.

– We're hearing more and more, but Jack Roslovic in Toronto is starting to make more and more sense.

– Belle addition.

– Don't miss your weekly episode of the Passion MLB podcast.

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