'Nick Suzuki not a No. 1 center' says one of Sportsnet's top Maple Leafs homers

It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone that the Montreal Canadiens aren't going to get positive coverage in Canada. Nick Kypreos and Justin Bourne are two of the biggest Toronto Maple Leafs homers on Sportsnet, and their blue and white bias came into play again on Wednesday. "Kyper and Bourne" will downplay any Canadian team that threatens to move into Toronto territory, and they had no choice but to attempt to stop any Nick Suzuki momentum as he led the Canadiens to a playoff spot.

Kypreos made an egregious comment about Suzuki and the Canadiens' playoff contention, which Bourne followed with a possibly even more shocking observation.

Nick Kypreos: “When the Habs contend for the Stanley Cup, I’m not even sure Nick Suzuki is a #1 centre for me.”

Justin Bourne: “Yeah you’re probably right…He’s probably the 25th best centre in the league or something you know?”

25th best center??? Suzuki was leading the league in points since the break as the Canadiens failed to record a point in just one of their past 12 games. If Montreal finishes the job and makes the postseason, Suzuki will be the reason they do it. If you ask anyone who has been the best center in the Atlantic Division over the past few weeks, it'd likely be Suzuki. Not Auston Matthews or John Tavares like some talking heads might say.

Maybe Kypreos and Bourne made those comments because they haven't seen the Canadiens in the playoffs in a long time. Which, is the only time they probably watch any other teams than the Maple Leafs. However, if they dive into their memory banks, or ask their own company's stats department, Suzuki has already shown he can perform in the playoffs.

Suzuki was the No. 1 center on the Canadiens when they went to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2021 and led the team in points. He was also the No. 1 center in 2020 when he led the team in points in ten playoff games. Sounds like Suzuki is a top-ten to top-15 center in the league to me, and not the 25th-best.

Everyone makes mistakes, and it isn't easy to go out everyday and record a live radio show without saying something that ruffles some feathers. However, these takes about the Canadiens and Suzuki aren't going to age well if their beloved Leafs falter in the postseason again.

We'll try to give Kyper and Bourne some slack, as they aren't completely sure what a No. 1 center performing in the playoffs looks like. Suzuki has been more successful in 32 postseason games than any center on the blue and white has been in their opportunities.