It's okay for Montreal Canadiens fans to be disappointed about the way their 2024-25 season ended. The Washington Capitals seemed ripe for an upset, but Montreal secured just one victory in the five-game series loss. It's understandable to look at the Game 1 overtime loss and wonder what might have been if Alex Ovechkin hadn't come through for his team. Still, the captain on the other side, Nick Suzuki, knows the growth shown in his group this season is worthy of recognition.
"“I’m extremely proud of everyone. From where we started the season to where we are now, we’ve grown so much…It sucks right now, it sucks a lot but I’m really proud of the guys & everything that we’ve learned this year.”"Nick Suzuki
Some people are too quick to forget that the Canadiens weren't supposed to be contenders this season. Sure, we had those "in the mix" quotes early in the year, but no one believed the Canadiens would be as in the mix as they were. Montreal was one of the best teams in the second half of the season, and even though they stumbled into the playoffs, that was only the result of a poor start. If Montreal played all season like they did over the last four months, they'd have found a way to grab a spot in the top three of the Atlantic Division.
Suzuki understands that its a marathon, not a sprint. Montreal will only get better every year, and they still have young players on the way. The hype surrounding the Canadiens entering next season will be at an all-time high, and the writers here at A Winning Habit will surely be penning articles about how this is the year that Montreal makes some playoff noise and Ivan Demidov wins the Calder Trophy. The sky is the limit for the Canadiens with Suzuki leading the way.
Nick Suzuki's 2024-25 season
Suzuki has been on the cusp of a point-per-game season, but it has never come to fruition. This year, the growth finally paid off, as he recorded 89 points in 82 games. The resurgence of Cole Caufield as a rising sniper helped him increase his assists total by 15, while also becoming a 30-goal scorer for the second straight year. The question was whether Suzuki, Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovsky was a long-term option, and the trio showed they are over the course of this season.
Suzuki's snub from the 4 Nations Face-Off was a conversation point midway through the season, and unfortunately his inability to attend the World Championship after getting banged up in the playoffs could hurt his chances of making the Olympic team next season. However, this season showed that there's no doubt Suzuki will be one of the top Canadian centers in the league for a long time. Team Canada's depth is what keeps him off the rosters, not the quality of his play.
Some spoiled fans wonder aloud if an 89-point first-line center will lead to future success. My answer to that would be to ask Boston Bruins fans if Patrice Bergeron was a good enough first-line center in their decade and a half of dominance.