Canadiens Head Coach Reacts to Nick Suzuki Making Team Canada

Montreal captain Nick Suzuki has finally earned his spot on Team Canada’s Olympic roster for Milan 2026. However, while the Canadiens fans remain excited to see the forward finally get his due, head coach Martin St. Louis couldn’t be happier to know about this opportunity.

He knows firsthand what it means to compete alongside the world's best players, and he believes the experience will benefit Suzuki in ways that extend far beyond the ice. St. Louis also understands what kind of opportunity awaits Suzuki in Italy in six weeks.

The Montreal Canadiens head coach reflected on what his captain will gain from spending two weeks surrounded by elite talent at the highest level of international competition. St. Louis emphasized that the learning extends beyond systems and strategies.

Can't Buy the Experience

St. Louis pointed out that being immersed in an environment with the best players in the world provides lessons that can't be replicated anywhere else. The little details about how elite athletes prepare, how they approach each day, and how they handle pressure situations become apparent when you're living and competing alongside them.

St. Louis made it clear this kind of opportunity holds immense value for a player's development. "I feel like when you go into those tournaments for two weeks surrounded by the elite, you're gonna absorb something," he said. "It might not necessarily be hockey stuff on the ice. It could be so many other things that the elite do, and how they do it."

Habs coach Marty St. Louis today on Nick Suzuki being named to Team Canada’s 🇨🇦 Olympic roster:

“I feel like when you go into those tournaments for two weeks surrounded by the elite, you’re gonna absorb something. It might not necessarily be hockey stuff on the ice. It could… pic.twitter.com/dfhjyVMIXD
— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) January 1, 2026

The coach knows this from personal experience. St. Louis represented Canada multiple times during his playing career, including at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi where he won a gold medal. Those tournaments left a lasting impact on how he approached the game.

"As a player, I remember going there and just trying to absorb as much as I could," St. Louis explained. "Both on and off the ice, and I think that's the opportunity that Nick is going to have." The lessons learned at Olympic tournaments often reveal themselves in subtle ways.

How Sidney Crosby prepares for games. How Connor McDavid stays focused under pressure. How Nathan MacKinnon maintains his conditioning. These details become visible when you're part of the same team, sharing the same spaces and working toward the same goal.

Earned His Spot

St. Louis made sure to emphasize that Suzuki didn't receive this opportunity as a gift. The Canadiens captain earned it through his play on the ice and his growth as a leader in Montreal. "You have to earn those opportunities and I'm glad that he did," St. Louis said.

Suzuki's selection validates the work he's put in since being left off the 4 Nations roster earlier this season. Rather than letting that disappointment derail him, Suzuki used it as motivation to elevate his game and prove he belonged among Canada's elite players.

Now he'll get the chance to compete for Olympic gold alongside players he's admired and studied throughout his career. The experience will shape him as both a player and a leader, and St. Louis knows the Canadiens will benefit when their captain returns from Italy with new knowledge and perspective gained from hockey's best.