Nick Suzuki is the new captain of the Montreal Canadiens.
Head coach Martin St-Louis made the announcement Monday morning as part of the team’s annual golf tournament at the Laval-sur-le-Lac club.
“It’s a real honor for me and a privilege. This team is going in a good direction, and I couldn’t be more excited to be captain and represent the team,” Suzuki told reporters.
“It means a lot, just to see the respect from management, teammates, [and] coaches have for me. I know it’s a big role, but I think I’m ready for it. There’s a bright future here and I’m thrilled to be a part of it.”
Suzuki, 23, is the 31st captain in Canadiens history and the youngest.
WATCH | Suzuki talks about the “honor and privilege” of captaining the Canadiens:
The Canadiens’ 31st and youngest captain is introduced to the media at the team’s annual golf tournament.
He succeeds defenseman Shea Weber, who was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights in June.
Defenseman Joel Edmundson and forward Brendan Gallagher will serve as alternate captains.
It’s really nice to see
We like what we C #GoHabsGo | @nsuzuki_37 pic.twitter.com/qsyp3e8BAs
Exchange 2018 in Montreal
Suzuki, who was Vegas’ first-round pick (13th overall) in the 2017 NHL Draft, was the Canadiens’ leading scorer last year with 21 goals and 40 assists for 61 points in 82 season games. regular, all career highs.
He was traded to Montreal on September 9, 2018 along with teammate Tomas Tatar and a 2019 second-round pick for forward Max Pacioretty.
Joel Edmundson is next on the mic.
Joel Edmundson is next on the mic. #GoHabsGo https://t.co/4MvHxH2Gea
In 209 regular season NHL games, Suzuki has 49 goals and 94 assists for 143 points.
Suzuki has experienced almost every high and low in his three seasons in Montreal.
I think I have to handle every situation very well, just lead by example again.— Nick Suzuki on his role as captain of the Canadiens
The Canadiens fell in the first round of the 2020 playoffs, followed by a Stanley Cup run in 2021, where Montreal fell to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
After two years of playoff experience, Suzuki and the Canadiens hit rock bottom finishing last in the Eastern Conference in an injury-plagued 2021-22 season.
“There were a lot of ups and downs, a lot of learning experiences,” Suzuki said. “I think I have to handle every situation very well, just lead by example again. It is a privilege to have this pressure on you. We want to win hockey games and that’s the main reason we’re here.
RBC becomes the first official jersey partner of the Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens signed a multi-year partnership agreement with RBC on Monday.
Adding the RBC crest to their historic jersey is part of New Jersey’s advertising program that allows teams to sell advertising on their jerseys starting in the upcoming season.
For every game jersey sold with the RBC logo on the team’s official store site, the bank will donate $20 to the Montreal Canadiens Children’s Foundation.
The logo will only appear on home Canadiens jerseys at the Bell Centre.
Montreal made the announcement and unveiled the jerseys as part of the team’s annual golf tournament.
The partnership quickly received backlash, with Greenpeace Quebec expressing their displeasure saying it’s not something the team should be proud of.
“It’s the worst bank in Canada, the one that contributes the most to climate change,” Greenpeace spokesman Patrick Bonin said in an interview with The Canadian Press.
“We call fans who are considering buying a jersey and ask them to paint the RBC logo black.”
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