It hasn't been a good couple of games for the Montreal Canadiens, as they lost two games in a row for the first time since the middle of December. It isn't a massive surprise, but the player getting the brunt of the hate is defenseman Mike Matheson. He didn't have a great two games, with the pair of him and Lane Hutson making some crucial mistakes in the losses.
One person who didn't like the criticism that Matheson was getting was Nick Suzuki. He went home after the Detroit Red Wings loss and found out from his fiancée that the hate was piling on Matheson on social media, which prompted Suzuki to speak out against the hate after practice on Monday morning. Suzuki believes Matheson has been the Canadiens' best defenseman, and the fans should give him more respect.
""I thought he had a really good game then I come home and my fiancée is saying that people are saying unfortunate things about Math - I didn't like hearing that.""Nick Suzuki
Whether or not Suzuki actually believes Matheson has been the Canadiens' best defenseman, it shows alot of leadership to speak out against the fans. Suzuki realizes that the Canadiens can't let any negativity seep into the team, and he's trying to stop it before it starts. The good vibes are rolling for the Habs, and any more consecutive losses could negate much of the progress they've made.
" "He plays the hardest minutes on our team against the toughest players. Defense is a position where mistakes get blown up out of proportion; he's been our top D for the whole season & people are definitely being too hard on him.""Nick Suzuki
Suzuki is leading the team with 50 points in 49 games. He hopes to be the first Habs player to average over a point-per-game in a single season since Alex Kovalev. Suzuki has been the leader on and off the ice for the Canadiens since he became captain three years ago, and if the Canadiens make a miraculous journey to the playoffs this season, you can look at the man wearing the C as the reason it happens.