MONTREAL — Nick Suzuki doesn’t need to look at the statistics to know he needs to be better for the Montreal Canadiens, so he’s not reading too far into the ones that say he’s got five points in six games. Nor the ones that say his line is on the wrong side of the shot-attempt and expected goals share.
It’s why when the captain was asked on Monday about his performance so far this season, he said: “I wouldn’t say it’s in the spot I want it to be.”
“Production is what it is, it could be totally different,” Suzuki continued. “But I think I can play a lot better, and the team needs me to do that. So, I’m looking to have a good game [Tuesday].”
He must play a much better one against the New York Rangers than he did against the New York Islanders last Saturday, and he knows exactly what he must do to enable that.
“I think just my assertiveness,” Suzuki said. “I think I can defend better. I feel like I’m rushing some plays a little bit here and there.
“I know what I’m capable of, and I haven’t gotten there yet. I wouldn’t say I’m playing bad, but I definitely have more.”
That much isn’t in question.
Suzuki scored 33 goals and 77 points last season playing the assertive brand of hockey he was referring to.
He was patient in setting up goals for Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky, and he was aggressive in his own end to keep his line from playing as much of the game there as they have so far this season.
The 25-year-old was a possession driver last year.
If Suzuki is to get back to being one now, Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis sees one key he should be focused on.
“His pace,” St. Louis said after Monday’s practice. “I think if Nick plays with a little bit more pace, the game is going to be easier for him. It’s not easy to have more pace, it’s work. But to me, when he drives a line, it’s his pace on both sides—defensively and offensively.”
Defensively, Suzuki said he and his linemates need to take advantage of good positioning to kill plays faster.
Offensively, he knows they need to establish their forechecking game.
Caufield agrees.
“I think everybody knows that when we’re playing our best, we’re getting it behind them and going and getting it,” said 23-year-old, who has six goals but also feels he and his linemates can be much better. “Our forecheck is probably the best part of our game. We have to be on top of guys quicker, working earlier to create less space for them. We have to be playing as a group of five, but the three of us have to be on guys quicker, stabbing with sticks and working harder to get pucks back. The rest will fall into place from there.”
It was the recipe Slafkovsky, Suzuki and Caufield used to turn themselves into one of the most dangerous lines in the NHL last season.
Even if this trio controlled only 51 per cent of the shot attempts and 52 per cent of the expected goals at five-on-five then (according to naturalstattrick.com), the offensive talent it possesses led to a 54 per cent share of the goals and a 63 per cent share of the goals from the high-danger zone.
But the line is relying too much on its talent so far this season, which explains why it is controlling only 35 per cent of the shot attempts and registering only 31 per cent of the expected goals.
Kirby Dach could help change that
Montreal’s second-line centre practised with Caufield and Suzuki for all of Monday’s session while Slafkovsky was receiving treatment for what’s believed to be a left shoulder injury that he played through on Long Island.
It’s possible Dach will be on the line with Caufield and Suzuki against the Rangers regardless of Slafkovsky’s availability, which is in question according to St. Louis.
“Everything’s possible,” St. Louis said.
If the coach decides to move Dach to the top line, we believe three other things become possible.
First, it could spark Dach, who’s been (understandably) slow out of the gate after torn ligaments in his right knee ended his last season in Game 2 of 82.
Second, Dach’s presence on the line could help Suzuki and Caufield get to the game they want to play.
Dach, Suzuki and Caufield played close to 400 minutes as a line between 2021 and 2023 and had better than 50 per cent shares of both shot attempts and expected goals throughout that experiment. They’re three very talented players, and three players who know exactly what they’re made to do together.
“I think we get more possession than any other element when we play together,” said Caufield. “I think, in the D-zone, having two centres probably helps a lot with first guy back and stuff. But all over the ice, we read off each other well. On the offensive side, we work well in holding pucks and extending plays, and Kirby especially gets pucks back.
“I know three righties makes it that one guy doesn’t get one-timers coming out of the corners and stuff, but Kirby’s such a smart guy that he knows where to be to balance it out.”
Balance is potentially the third benefit of moving Dach to the top line.
We’re referring to balancing the rest of the lineup, though.
While that may seem counterintuitive, given Dach’s role to drive Montreal’s second line, his move to the wing provides St. Louis the chance to shift Oliver Kapanen into more of an offensive role and into his natural position.
Centre is where the 21-year-old rookie practised Monday, between Alex Newhook and Joel Armia.
Kapanen could be there between Newhook and Slafkovsky on Tuesday, and that will still give him an opportunity to flash more skill than playing with Emil Heineman and Christian Dvorak does.
Moving a strong possession player like Armia next to Heineman and Dvorak could also work well, with the latter two forechecking efficiently through the start of the season.
St. Louis doesn’t have to tweak the Brendan Gallagher-Jake Evans-Josh Anderson combination, but making all these other changes could not only provide balance but also the spark to the Canadiens’ collective game he’s looking for.