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Nick Suzuki hasn't played since October 20, against the Sharks.
That's exactly 10 days.
Two days later, on October 22, the Canadiens announced that the captain would be out for two to four weeks. So where do things stand now?
Here's what you need to know: Suzuki has reached a crucial milestone in his recovery.
Earlier today, TVA Sports cameras caught him on the ice in Brossard holding his own stick (rather than a left-handed stick, as had been the case since his return to the ice).
Oh, and the team captain was also able to take shots on goal. We can all agree that his shots are still a bit lacking in power, but knowing that he's capable of taking them is good news for what lies ahead.
Good news for Nick Suzuki: he's now able to grip his stick and take shots
To watch the full video
https://t.co/ub4Fj9rSX4 https://t.co/8AhdeuDtjr
— TVA Sports (@TVASports) October 30, 2026
The Canadiens (by some miracle?) found a way to win their last four games even though the team's captain was out.
It wasn't perfect, and in a way, that's to be expected. But in the end, what matters are the results: the Habs have won four in a row, and no one can take that away from them.
That said, seeing Suzuki make this kind of progress suggests he's getting closer to a return.
We can hope he'll be able to return to action as early as next week, which would be good news for Martin St-Louis and his team. It's great to see that the team has been able to manage without him, but I don't think I'll get pelted with tomatoes if I say we're still looking forward to seeing him back in the lineup.
Because without the captain, it just feels… different.
Overtime
Speaking of guys on the sidelines, what's going on with Samuel Montembeault and Ivan Demidov?
Demidov was supposed to return between October 20 and November 3 (according to the timeline provided by the team). November 3 is next Tuesday… and we haven't even seen him skate yet since his injury.
As for Samuel Montembeault, he was supposed to return to action between October 19 and 23, according to the Habs' announcement. Reminder: tomorrow is Halloween…
So I'll say it again: what's going on with Samuel Montembeault and Ivan Demidov?
