Yahoo Sports The First Since Kovalev
On Saturday night during the game against the New Jersey Devils, Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki picked up three points, giving him 50 points in just 49 games. With 33 games to go, the center is on pace for 83 points (well 83.67 so might as well make it 84) in 82 games.
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The last time a Montreal Canadiens was a point-per-game player was in 2007-08 when the right wing put up 84 points in 82 games. In other words, that was in the team's first centennial. We've not seen that since the team turned 100 years old and there's a reason for that.
There's a reason for that though. In 2005, the organization picked a franchise goaltender at fifth overall in Carey Price and then, progressively, the organization's philosophy changed. With Marc Bergevin at the helm, the focus began to be "Let's get to the playoffs and then all bets are off". The GM thought his goaltender was so good, that he could take them to the promise land.
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Furthermore, back in his playing days, Bergevin was a hard nosed defenseman and he decided to build a tough to play against defense corps, big and physical blueliners, safe in their own zone but not offensive powerhouses. In other words, the focus was not on scoring.
It is now though. Kent Hughes has repeatedly said he wants his team to play a fast and offense focused game, he's hired a great offensive mind in to be his coach in Martin St-Louis and last Summer, he went out to get Patrik Laine.
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There's no mistaking the Canadiens' intentions, they want to win and they want to do it by scoring goals, not by suffocating their opponents. That has allowed Suzuki to grow his offensive game and to land with offensively gifted players on his wings.
Unless something goes really wrong or Suzuki's iron-man streak comes to an end, there's no reason why he couldn't reach the point-per-game status. Better yet, Cole Caufield might just be right there with him.
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