Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki possesses a keen interest in the strategic side of hockey, particularly the trades, signings, and draft selections that teams undertake to build a championship contender. He recently voiced his approval and admiration for the significant moves made by the Canadiens` front office this past off-season.
The Canadiens made a substantial roster enhancement by acquiring defenseman Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders on June 27th, promptly securing him with an eight-year, $76-million USD contract. Shortly after, the team`s leadership, spearheaded by President Jeff Gorton and General Manager Kent Hughes, further solidified their roster by trading for depth winger Zack Bolduc from the St. Louis Blues. Following a season where the Canadiens emerged from a rebuild and returned to playoff contention, Suzuki believes both Dobson and Bolduc will be instrumental in the team`s continued progress in the 2025-26 season.
They’re going to fit in perfectly. Both play the style that we like, and I think they’re going to really love the way we play.
At 25 years old, Dobson is set to bolster an already promising young defensive core that includes the highly talented Calder Trophy winner Lane Hutson and the steady presence of Kaiden Guhle. Meanwhile, Bolduc, 22, has developed into a reliable two-way NHL forward, building on an impressive junior career where he amassed 124 goals over his final two seasons.
Suzuki, who celebrated his 26th birthday last month, remarked that the new additions are “really excited” and seamlessly “fit right in with the age group… pretty impressive that we got those two young guys.”
Impact of Young Talent Ivan Demidov
Beyond the new acquisitions, forward Ivan Demidov, selected 5th overall in the 2024 draft, also left a significant mark late last season. Despite initial expectations that the Russian forward would spend considerable time developing in his home country`s KHL circuit, the 19-year-old surprisingly joined Montreal in April. He made a memorable NHL debut, contributing a goal and an assist in two regular-season contests, before featuring in the Canadiens’ five-game playoff series loss to the Washington Capitals.
Suzuki had diligently tracked Demidov`s progress even a year prior. Reflecting on Demidov`s unexpected arrival, the London, Ontario native shared:
It was great when he came over, seeing videos of people tracking his flight. I was like, `Oh, man, this is crazy.` But that’s how big of a talent he is, honestly. It was super impressive to see someone have that much talent at that age. Had a great start with us. Looking forward to seeing what he can bring.
Looking Ahead to the 2025-26 Season
After missing the playoffs for three consecutive seasons following their 2021 Stanley Cup Final appearance, Suzuki emphasized the critical need for his team to approach the upcoming training camp with a fresh perspective and renewed focus on navigating the ultracompetitive Atlantic Division. He articulated:
We still have a lot to learn, but I think the lessons that we got last year were really important for our group, and to experience all those big games. We’ve got a lot of things to build off.
Individually, Suzuki showcased exceptional performance on the ice during the 2024-25 season, achieving a career-high 89 points (30 goals, 59 assists). Despite not being selected for Canada’s 4 Nations Face-Off tournament in February, he concluded the regular season with remarkable strength, accumulating 37 points (15 goals, 22 assists) in the final 26 games, placing him fourth overall in league scoring. This impressive individual achievement came while managing the significant responsibilities of captaining the Canadiens.
I’m definitely a lot more comfortable and confident in the role compared to two, three years ago. Growing as a person and a leader in our group has been fun.
With a promising off-season now complete, Suzuki expresses considerable optimism about the team’s prospects for the future.