When the Canadiens traded away Max Pacioretty to the Vegas Golden Knights, most
 fans of the team were fast asleep without any reason to think that their
captain would be traded by the time they woke up.

While a deal of this magnitude is sure to capture all the headlines Monday
morning, there';s sure to be a large majority of fans of the Canadiens who
simply have no idea who Nick Suzuki is or why the Canadiens may have been
interested in him. The addition of Tatar and the value of a second-round
selection should be well-known but when dealing with prospects, it';s very easy
 to lose track of who';s who outside of the NHL.Background on Nick Suzuki

When looking at Suzuki, his rankings heading into the 2017 NHL Entry Draft
placed him as a mid-to-late round pick in the first-round. While his offensive
prowess and ability to play as a natural center were very apparent, being
slightly undersized at 5 foot 11 and only 183 pounds gave some scouts pause.
That didn';t scare the Golden Knights, however, as they deemed Suzuki to be
worthy of a top-15 selection, picking him 13th overall in 2017 and immediately
making an effort to shore up their long-term center depth in the process.

How good has Suzuki been at the OHL level, you might ask? Well, in 63 games in
his rookie season with the Owen Sound Attack, Suzuki would score 20 goals and
38 points and add another two goals in six postseason contests. Just one season
 later when given an increased role on the team, he would score an impressive
45 goals and 96 points in 65 games with another eight goals and 23 points
coming in the playoffs.David Perron #57 of the Vegas Golden Knights (Photo by
Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

That impressive breakout season was enough to earn him high praise and a
first-round billing and while Suzuki could have easily trailed off the
following season while working on his defensive game, he would manage to score
42 goals and 100 points in 64 games in 2017-18 while working diligently on
puck-protection and defensive-zone accountability. It';s easy to lose an
offensive touch when a player is focusing on honing in on the defensive side of
 the game, but Suzuki';s high hockey-IQ were enough to help him maintain his
offensive output while also getting noticeably better defensively.

Scoring in the OHL can only get a player so far, however, and it';s for that
reason that Suzuki appears to be such a good prospect. His offense doesn';t
come simply from being lucky or having more skill than his peers in the OHL.
Instead, it';s a testament to how fast Suzuki can think on the ice and how far
ahead he sees plays before they ever even develop. Combining his skill, smarts
and consistency with a strong work ethic and willingness to play bigger than he
 actually is, Suzuki';s ceiling is that of a top-six center with potential to
play a legitimate top-line role.

"Definitely my hockey sense," Suzuki said when asked of his best trait at the
Golden Knights development camp in July. "I think I think the game a lot better
 than a lot of players. I just use that to my advantage in getting to spots
quicker and being in the right spot all the time."

Planning out an attack while on the fly rather than simply winging it on every
 shift and every action on the ice is a mature way to approach the game. It
just happens to be something that Suzuki excels at, as well.

It';s for that reason that he';s also an exceptionally talented penalty killer
who has a prowess for scoring short-handed goals with consistency. Whether or
not those goals translate to the next level is unknown but it';s encouraging
nonetheless.Where Can Suzuki Improve?

For every good thing that can be said about a prospect, there are almost always
 apparent drawbacks as there is virtually no such thing as a "perfect
prospect." With that said, Suzuki';s flaws aren';t anything that should be of
major concern to the Canadiens, especially given how much growth he';s had as a
 player from being drafted just over one year ago.

Players with the type of high-hockey IQ and combination of speed and skill that
 Suzuki possesses typically don';t fail to reach their potential at the next
level if they stay hungry to constantly improve and learn. If the past is an
indication, Suzuki';s willingness to improve should carry him to a prominent
NHL role in the relatively near future.

If there were any two things that he would need to work on the most before
making the jump, however, it would be skating and strength. While his speed and
 quickness are apparent, there';s still a lot of room to be made in terms of
pathing, technique and all-around skating skill. Speed can only get a player so
 far.

As for strength, it';s already been mentioned that Suzuki has a willingness to
play bigger and his ability to protect the puck has improved in the last year.
Still, as an undersized player, Suzuki will need to work on being strong on his
 skates and with his stick to excel at the NHL level.A New Core Coming to
Montreal

With Jesperi Kotkaniemi in the mix, the Canadiens should be in good shape in
terms of their top-six center depth for the future. Adding Poehling to the fold
 and the Canadiens may finally have figured out their issue down the middle -
an issue that has plagued the team for decades.Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Montreal
Canadiens, 2018 NHL Draft, Dallas, TX, June 22, 2018 (Amy Irvin / The Hockey
Writers)

Another positive for the Canadiens with Suzuki is his leadership role on the
Owen Sound Attack. chosen as an alternate captain alongside Jonah Gadjovich in
2017-18, Suzuki would be considered a major part of the team';s leadership core
 along with Jacob Friend who would be named the team';s 22nd captain in
franchise history.

The Canadiens are re-vamping their core in Montreal with major changes coming
in recent offseasons, including the team trading away P.K. Subban to the
Nashville Predators (and acquiring Shea Weber), acquiring Jonathan Drouin from
the Tampa Bay Lightning (in exchange for Mikhail Sergachev), trading away Alex
Galchenyuk to the Arizona Coyotes (and acquiring Max Domi) and even trading
Lars Eller to the Washington Capitals and effectively replacing him with Andrew
 Shaw.

Having new leaders on the team will only help the Canadiens and Suzuki fits
that mold perfectly. While it isn';t clear yet how long it will take Suzuki to
make the jump to the NHL level, fans in Montreal should be excited about what
the future holds after one of the bleakest seasons in franchise history in
2017-18.

The post What the Canadiens are Getting in Suzuki appeared first on The Hockey
Writers.

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