Nick Suzuki | The unifying captain

Nick Suzuki begins his third season as captain of the Canadiens. How does he exercise his leadership? Testimonials.

March 2022. The Habs are training in Vancouver, the last stop on a long trip to five Canadian cities. Captain Shea Weber, sidelined since the start of the season due to injury, stops by the arena to greet his teammates. “I still miss journalists so much,” he jokes to reporters. Then away from the cameras, he meets his new bosses, notably general manager Kent Hughes, who has only been in office for a few weeks.

The great defender, renowned for his reserve, confided in him enthusiastically. “Kent, you have a future captain at your club. Nick Suzuki. »

Three months later, Weber was traded.

Three more months later, Suzuki became, at age 23, the youngest captain in team history. A title that comes with prestige, but also great responsibilities and additional pressure.

This is because the captain must unite his teammates, reinforce the coach’s message, respond to journalists more often than the others, meet club clients, participate in fundraising and represent the values ​​of the organization, both both on and off the ice. A big mandate which, in a market like ours, can become stifling.

“It’s certain that in Montreal, it’s bigger than elsewhere,” he told me. But for me, being the captain of the Canadian has never been a burden. It’s an honor. »

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Nick Suzuki assumes his role as captain with calm, seriousness and humility. He is the antithesis of the stereotypical TV series leader, loud-mouthed and extroverted. He doesn’t crush his teammates, like Michael Jordan did. He also does not practice an aggressive style of play, bordering on legality, a common trait among several captains, according to author Sam Walker (The Captain Class).

That doesn’t stop Nick Suzuki from being competitive though. “I’m not the one who makes big speeches in the locker room. I prefer to set the tone on the ice. This is my way of leading. That’s also how I was raised. »

Throughout his youth, Nick Suzuki played a leadership role in his team. “I always had a letter on my sweater. Either the captain’s C or the assistant’s A. I think I have the personality for it. »

When he arrived in the NHL, he observed the way the Canadiens’ many veterans behaved. “I also read a lot about leaders and leadership styles. » A documentary series particularly inspired him. This one from Netflix on the captains of the 2022 Soccer World Cup. “I liked seeing how these players reacted in specific situations. The series explains well the special role of the captain in a team. None of them took their role lightly. »

Nick Suzuki’s leadership style – his discreet and democratic communication, his ability to motivate others without speaking – is in tune with the values ​​of our time. “Since the time of Mark Messier, the role of captain has evolved,” argues Kent Hughes. The basis remains the same: players must be ready to follow you. Afterwards, the way of using this power varies from one person to another. »

“In the past,” he continues, “the captain would say: ‘Come on the boat with me, or stay on the beach.’” Nick is not like that. His style more closely resembles that of Patrice Bergeron. »

A good example was when Suzuki attended the Lasso festival, in the summer of 2023, with Josh Anderson, Kaiden Guhle, Juraj Slafkovsky and Arber Xhekaj. The latter three, then rookies, had finished the previous season away from the club, due to significant injuries. An outing like that sends a message to players whose confidence may be shaken that they are still part of the group, despite their prolonged absence.

“I like to bring guys together,” confides Suzuki. It’s a facet of my role that I love. In a team, there are people who hang out together more often, and others less. Going out as a group allows us to develop bonds. To know ourselves better. It’s good for club chemistry. »

This attention to others is one of the great strengths of the leadership exercised by Nick Suzuki, believes the president of the Canadiens, Geoff Molson.

“The first word that comes to mind when I think of Nick is compassion. Compassion towards teammates, towards the organization and, more broadly, towards the community. He embraces everything that surrounds him with great sensitivity. He is also a patient man. He has a vision for the team. He wants to win every night. Except that he understands what we are building. He has the patience to support our process, and guide his teammates through it. »

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The other, lesser known aspect of a Canadiens captain’s tasks is his involvement in society.

Geneviève Paquette, vice-president of community engagement and general director of the Canadian Children’s Foundation, has worked closely with all the club’s captains for 25 years. She works closely with Nick Suzuki on a few projects, including the Foundation’s casino night, a major fundraiser of which the attacker and his wife, Caitlin Fitzgerald, are co-organizers.

“The captain does pretty much the same thing off the ice as he does on the ice,” she explains. He is the torch bearer. He’s the leader. He is the one who sets the tone. It was true for Saku Koivu, for Brian Gionta, for Max Pacioretty, for Shea Weber, and today, for Nick. »

Geneviève Paquette also worked with the most memorable captain in the club’s history, Jean Béliveau. A model of excellence, leadership and civility. “For each captain, I always try to see if there is a little bit of Jean in them. In Nick, I see the same calm temperament and great listening skills. When you talk to him, he’s a very attentive guy. When he answers you, he will weigh his words. I see it a bit as embarrassment, but it’s also because he knows that his words can have an impact. It’s a sign of maturity. »

After his teammate Jonathan Drouin revealed he suffered from mental health problems, Nick Suzuki decided to get involved as an ambassador for the Asista Foundation, which trains dogs to provide therapeutic support to children and adults. When Drouin left the Habs for the Colorado Avalanche, Suzuki took over from him to sponsor the rental of a box which allows the Canadian Children’s Foundation to invite young people in need to club games. We are talking here about an annual donation in the six figures.

“Nick never does anything by halves,” explains Geneviève Paquette. He’s a guy who is very informed. Before getting involved, he talked about it with Jonathan. With Shea Weber, who also rented a dressing room. He asked about the program. He is truly a person with good intentions. He reminds me of Saku Koivu, who gave back a lot to Montreal after surviving cancer, and Shea, who insisted that we take concrete action after the Humboldt tragedy, in which 15 people died when a semi truck -trailer collided with a bus transporting hockey players.

“For me,” she concluded, “a captain is that. »