PuckSleuth
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Montréal Canadiens · Center · Shoots R

Nick Suzuki

Age 27 · 5'11" · 207 lb · Born in London, CAN

Cap hit

$7.875M

7.6% of $104M cap

Term

4 yrs

Through 2029-30, then UFA

Clause

M-NTC

10-team no-trade list

Surplus value

—

arrives with the trade tools

Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source

2026-27 regular season

GP

1

Goals

0

0.0% shooting

Assists

0

0 primary

Points

0

0.00 per game

TOI/GP

18:43

PP 2:21 · PK 0:31

xGF%

16.5

5v5, -37.2 vs. last yr

Game Score

-0.24

per game, goals above average

Faceoff %

—

7 W · 5 L

Plus/minus

-1

Blocks 1 · Hits 2

Game log

Last 5 games · NHL API

GameGASOGHITBLKTOIPPPKFOOZS%GVTK+/-GS
Sep 29
@ TOR · W 3-2
0022118:432:210:317-56031-1-0.24
May 29
@ CAR · L 6-1
0030121:046:152:007-102511-2-1.01
May 27
vs CAR · L 4-0
0032022:592:431:477-104321-1-0.64
May 25
vs CAR · OTL 3-2
0011225:372:120:004-1010011-1-0.30
May 23
@ CAR · OTL 3-2
0023019:452:450:008-810020-1-0.37

GS = our Game Score, goals above average. FO = faceoffs won-lost. OZS% = share of his 5v5 offensive and defensive zone faceoff starts that were in the offensive zone. GV/TK = giveaways/takeaways.

Advanced metrics

5v5 unless noted · 2025-26 · 1,195 min · percentile vs. NHL forwards

xGF%53.7%

79th percentile

Relative xGF%+5.7

92nd percentile

HDCF%48.0%

43rd percentile

CF%52.5%

79th percentile

Relative CF%+5.7

96th percentile

FF%54.6%

88th percentile

GF%64.9%

97th percentile

CF/6061.9

80th percentile

CA/6056.0

65th percentile

ixG/601.51

87th percentile

Goals above expected-1.1

43rd percentile

IPP62.5%

41st percentile

PDO104.5

95th percentile

OZS%54.7%

56th percentile

xGF% is his team's share of 5v5 expected goals while he was on the ice, from our own expected goals model; HDCF% counts only high-danger chances (xG of 0.15 or more). IPP is the share of his team's 5v5 goals while he was on the ice that he scored or assisted on. Relative stats compare him with his team when he was off the ice. Goals above expected and ixG/60 use his own shots at all strengths. PDO and OZS% describe luck and deployment, so their bars are grey.

Play styleElite playmaking center

Trait percentiles vs. NHL centers · 2025-26

Suzuki is a dynamic offensive engine who creates chances at an elite level through speed and vision, moving the puck up ice at the top of the NHL. He's most effective in transition and the offensive zone, where his elite playmaking (98th percentile) and exceptional speed (95th percentile) generate consistent scoring chances.

Elite playmakerSpeed-based offenseTransition creator
Shooting volume
77
Playmaking
98
Zone entries(est.)
83
Forechecking
24
Physicality
29
Defensive impact
66
Puck management
64
Speed
95

Where he shoots from

Slot 40% · Mid-range 49% · Perimeter 11%(308 unblocked shots)

Strengths

  • Playmaking ranks 98th, creating nearly a goal per game assist
  • Speed at 95th percentile powers elite rush chances and offensive entries
  • Shooting volume at 77th percentile keeps constant offensive pressure

Watch-outs

  • Forechecking at 24th percentile limits his lower-ice impact
  • Physicality at 29th percentile means he avoids direct contact
  • Defensive impact at 66th percentile shows he's offensively focused

Similar style: Nick Schmaltz (UTA), Josh Norris (BUF)

Built from play-by-play, shift data, and NHL EDGE tracking. Zone entries is an estimate (rush chances while he is on the ice) until tracking data is added.

Where his Game Score comes from

2025-26 · 82 GP · goals above average

Season total +15.6 goals, or +0.19 per game.

Even strength offense
+1.6
Power play
+1.9
Penalty kill
+0.2
Finishing
-0.9
Playmaking
+12.5
Penalties
+0.2
Faceoffs
+0.1

Game Score adds up a player's impact in goals compared with an average player given the same ice time: his share of expected goals for and against at even strength, on the power play, and on the penalty kill, plus finishing (goals minus expected goals), primary assists, penalties drawn and taken, and faceoffs. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.

By season

Regular season

SeasonTeamGPGAP+/-SOGTOI/GPFO%GS/GP
2026-27MTL1000-1218:43—-0.24
2025-26MTL822972101+3718320:4950.4%+0.19
2024-25MTL82305989+1917220:0451.6%+0.19
2023-24MTL82334477-1418521:1652.6%+0.16
2022-23MTL82264066-1316221:0647.3%+0.09

Sentiment & chatter

Fans

—

Beat writers

—

Media

—

Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.

Age curve

How players at his position age, and where his contract falls on that curve, arrives with the trade tools.

Skating · NHL EDGE

2026-27, as of Oct 2

Top speed
20.3 mph
36th pct
20+ mph bursts
1
Hardest shot
69.4 mph
50th pct
Distance
3.2 mi
OZ time
39.6%
34th pct
DZ time
42.8%