Canadiens Captain Ready for Team Canada Roster Competition

The Montreal Canadiens captain has embraced a rebuild with open arms, and now he is ready to battle for a Team Canada Olympic roster spot.

Mar 22, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens center Nick Suzuki (14) plays the puck against the Colorado Avalanche in shootout at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images / David Kirouac-Imagn Images

Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki has been one of the most important players for the club's rebuild, and the lessons he has learned could serve him well in his quest to represent Canada at the 2026 Olympics in February.

The rebuild has given him plenty of challenges, especially learning how to be patient and battle hard even when it felt like the club was at rock bottom. His willingness to tackle the rebuild head-on and help mentor younger players, while growing with the older guys, matches his mentality towards battling for his spot on Team Canada.

Habs captain Nick Suzuki on trying to make Team Canada 🇨🇦:

“It's the toughest team to break into in hockey, so I'm looking forward to the challenge.” pic.twitter.com/kFlZuePU7K

— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) August 23, 2025

It will certainly be a challenge, and if it weren't, the quality of players wouldn't be quite as high as it is. The reward at the end, a spot, ensuring an opportunity to help Canada win Olympic gold, is so sought after because only the best of the best earn the chance to represent their country in Olympic competition.

Off the back of a new career-high in points (89) and the Canadiens' first playoff berth, with him captaining the team, Suzuki's confidence is understandably high. This should serve him well, especially when he looks down the bench at guys like Nathan MacKinnon and Connor McDavid, who set a high standard and are considered two of the best forwards throughout the entire National Hockey League.

Suzuki has become accustomed to matching up against the opposition's best players every night, so while the competition is stiff, he isn't a stranger to tough match-ups. Also, another thing to take into account is that Suzuki isn't likely to play a top-six role for Team Canada, which is a testament to Canada's depth.

Mar 22, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Colorado Avalanche goalie Mackenzie Blackwood (39) makes a save against Montreal Canadiens center Nick Suzuki (14) in shootout at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images / David Kirouac-Imagn Images

Imagine, for Canadiens fans anyway, Suzuki matching up against the other team's third and fourth best lines. The competition difference is significant, and that will make it very hard for the coach across from Team Canada to game plan and ice the right players to ensure they aren't getting beat every other shift.

The London, Ontario native has faced plenty of pressure playing for Montreal, and has felt the sting of losing on the biggest stage of them all. Everything that he has learned, especially the sour taste from getting so close to a Stanley Cup, has fueled him and encouraged him to work even harder to get to the next level, either an Olympic Gold Medal, and/or Lord Stanley's holy grail.

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