There’s going to be a lot of transactions on Deadline Day, but there’s a chance the Montreal Canadiens have acrobatics of their own involving Nick Suzuki.
Nick Suzuki was a name many Montreal Canadiens fans thought might spend a majority of the season in the AHL with the Laval Rocket. Thankfully, the majority of us were wrong, and the rookie has been an integral part of the Habs’ forward corps. But just because Suzuki has claimed a spot for himself in Montreal’s top-six now and for the foreseeable future, doesn’t mean he won’t reunite with Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Ryan Poheling in Laval.
The Canadiens can possibly be a team that has a lot of player transactions come it’s way. There is one transaction, of the paper variety, in the works that could see Suzuki become a Rocket for a bit.
Even though the Montreal Canadiens are only six points out of a playoff spot, there’s a greater likelihood they miss. If that happens, it would be good for Suzuki to join the Laval Rocket and help them get into the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. The team sits 6th in the North Division with 58 points (tied with the 5th place Binghamton Devils), but are only two points back of the Syracuse Crunch for the final spot.
Marc Bergevin wants to hold on to the hope of a playoff berth as long as possible; however, if the Montreal Canadiens are out, the next goal should be to get the Laval Rocket in. Nick Suzuki can help, and that’s why there is probably going to be a paper transaction at some point.
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Per the Collective Bargaining Agreement, a player can only be sent to the AHL after the Trade Deadline if they were there at the time of it. The other circumstance would be if the player was in the NHL but injured at the time, and thankfully Suzuki has been as healthy as can be.
If the Montreal Canadiens want to send Suzuki to the minors after the season is over or during it on Laval’s way to the playoffs, he’ll need to be sent down before 3:00 PM EST. After the trade deadline, every team is limited to four regular recalls, and the Habs can use one of them on Suzuki before their Tuesday game against the Vancouver Canucks.
The regular recalls differ from emergency recalls, which teams have an unlimited number of, and only apply if there’s no way the team can dress a full lineup. This is why Karl Alzner is currently up with the Montreal Canadiens and will need to be sent down immediately once one of Victor Mete or Xavier Ouellet is healthy enough to return.
If all this happens, the Habs can continue their season, try to make the playoffs (assuming that’s still the plan and that they have the ability to), but still have the ability to have Suzuki join the Rocket.
Watch out for this as it’s something likely to happen, just don’t be alarmed. Nick Suzuki has been lights out for the Montreal Canadiens and rests assured this will be the last time he or his name is in the AHL if he continues on the path he set for himself.