The Montreal Canadiens are one of the top-performing teams in the NHL this early in the season. Not only are they in first place in the Atlantic Division as of the evening of Nov. 10, but they also have the most points in the Eastern Conference alongside the Carolina Hurricanes and New Jersey Devils. The hope is that they can continue this momentum heading into the Olympic break in February.
Nick Suzuki has been everything the Canadiens could have hoped for, and more. Through 15 games, Suzuki has four goals and 16 assists to his credit. He's the ultimate playmaker and a pivotal piece to the Canadiens' success for the foreseeable future.
The 2026 Winter Olympics are the first time that the NHL players will compete since 2014. Team Canada will once again look to win the gold medal. The thing with Team Canada is that they are stacked with talent across the NHL, there are only so many spots available. Does Suzuki
The Athletic NHL insiders Pierre LeBrun and Chris Johnston talked about players on the bubble for Team Canada. When talking about Suzuki, they say the Canadiens star really raised his stock.
Nick Suzuki's Team Canada stock 'skyrocketing' as Olympics decision nears
"Suzuki’s stock has been skyrocketing since the second half of last season, when he led the Montreal Canadiens to the playoffs, and he’s been absolutely on fire again this fall," write LeBrun and Johnston. "He has as many points in regular-season games as any NHL player since 4 Nations (57 in 41 games). Beyond that, Suzuki is seen as the total package because of the trust in his 200-foot game and how he relishes the toughest matchups on a nightly basis. While he probably lost points with Hockey Canada by declining another invitation to the IIHF World Championship in the spring, his game has shot up too far for that to be much of a factor now."
Suzuki was a notable absence on Canada's roster during the 4 Nations Face-Off. After the pseudo All-Star break last season, Suzuki recorded 15 goals and 22 assists for 37 points in the final 26 games. That helped Montreal clinch a playoff spot, where they lost in the opening round to the Washington Capitals. And as mentioned earlier, Suzuki has 20 points through Montreal's first 15 games of the season.
Suzuki isn't the only young star on the bubble with a chance to make Team Canada. There is also Macklin Celebrini of the San Jose Sharks, who has 24 points in 16 games this season and has the support of Sidney Crosby, as Johnston and LeBrun point out.
There's also veteran players Mark Scheifele and Tom Wilson on the bubble. It's a difficult choice for general manager Doug Armstrong to make.
The final Team Canada rosters will be unveiled on Jan. 1. Canadiens fans can take solace in knowing that Suzuki seemingly has a legitimate chance at cracking the roster.