Nick Suzuki Bio
Nicholas Masaru James Suzuki is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who serves as the centre and captain for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL). Born on August 10, 1999, in London, Ontario, Suzuki was selected in the first round, 13th overall, by the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2017 NHL entry draft. Known for his craftiness on the ice, he earned the nickname “Slick Nick” early in his career. Since making his debut in the 2019–20 season, Suzuki has become an integral part of the Canadiens and one of the most respected young leaders in the league.
Early Life and Background
Suzuki was born on August 10, 1999, in London, Ontario, to parents Rob and Amanda. As a child, he dealt with several health conditions, including hand, foot, and mouth disease, multiple bouts of pneumonia linked to respiratory syncytial virus, and recurrent ear infections that required surgery to insert tympanostomy tubes. His health improved as he grew older, and he began ice skating at the age of three.
He befriended his neighbour Isaac Ratcliffe, and the two began playing sports together at the age of eight, including ice hockey in the winter and golf and soccer in the summer. Suzuki and Ratcliffe later played minor ice hockey for the London Jr. Knights, where they led their team to the semifinals of the annual OHL Cup. After finishing atop the league with 34 goals and 68 points in 31 games, Suzuki was named the ALLIANCE Hockey Player of the Year for the 2014–15 season.
Path to Hockey
Suzuki was selected in the first round, 14th overall, of the 2015 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) priority selection draft by the Owen Sound Attack, and he signed with the team that June. He made an immediate impact in his rookie season, recording two goals and one assist in his first three games. He finished the year with 20 goals and 38 points in 63 games, becoming the first Attack rookie to produce 20 goals in his 16-year-old season since Joey Hishon in 2008, and the only 16-year-old in the OHL to reach that mark that year.
Entering his sophomore season, Suzuki was named a Player to Watch by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau. He finished the year with 45 goals and 96 points in 65 games, adding 23 points in 17 playoff games as the Attack reached the OHL Western Conference Finals. His strong two-way play earned him the William Hanley Trophy and the CHL Sportsman of the Year award. In June 2017, the Vegas Golden Knights selected him in the first round, 13th overall, of the NHL Entry Draft, and he signed an entry-level contract the following month.
Nick Suzuki Career
Early Career (2015–2019)
After his draft year, Suzuki returned to Owen Sound, where he was named an assistant captain. During the 2017–18 OHL season, he recorded his 200th OHL point and 100th OHL goal, becoming the fifth Attack player in history to record a 100-point season. He finished the year with 42 goals and 58 assists in 64 games, winning his second consecutive William Hanley Trophy. The Golden Knights later assigned him to the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League for the 2018 Calder Cup playoffs.
On September 10, 2018, the Golden Knights traded Suzuki, along with Tomáš Tatar and a 2019 second-round pick, to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for veteran forward Max Pacioretty. Suzuki returned to Owen Sound as captain and was later traded midseason to the Guelph Storm. He finished the OHL season with 34 goals and 94 points in 59 games, and he went on to lead Guelph to the J. Ross Robertson Cup as OHL champions in 2019, winning the Wayne Gretzky 99 Award as Playoff MVP. He concluded his major junior career with 141 goals and 328 points in four OHL seasons.
Montreal Canadiens Debut and 2021 Playoff Run (2019–2021)
Suzuki made his NHL debut on October 3, 2019, a 4–3 shootout loss to the Carolina Hurricanes, and he recorded his first career NHL goal in his seventh game against the Minnesota Wild. He finished the pandemic-shortened 2019–20 season with 13 goals and 41 points in 71 games, earning a place on the NHL All-Rookie Team. In the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs, he tied for the team lead with seven points in 10 games.
During the 2020–21 season, Suzuki recorded 15 goals and 41 points in 56 games, forming strong chemistry with rookie Cole Caufield. In the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs, Suzuki scored the overtime winner in Game 5 against the Toronto Maple Leafs and helped Montreal sweep the Winnipeg Jets. After defeating the Vegas Golden Knights in the semifinals, the Canadiens faced the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Stanley Cup Finals, losing in five games. Suzuki finished the postseason with seven goals and 16 points in 22 games.
Captaincy and Established Star Era (2021–2024)
On October 12, 2021, Suzuki signed an eight-year, $63 million contract extension with the Canadiens running through 2029–30. He set new career highs with 21 goals and 61 points in 2021–22, and on September 12, 2022, he was named the 31st captain in Canadiens history and the youngest in franchise history at 23 years old. In 2022–23, he tied his career high of 61 points before surging to 26 goals and 66 points overall, earning his first NHL Second Star of the Week honor and a second consecutive Molson Cup.
During the 2023–24 season, Suzuki skated in his 300th career NHL game against the Golden Knights and was selected to the All-Star Game for the third straight year. He scored his 100th career NHL goal on March 5, 2024, and finished the season with a team-leading 33 goals and 77 points, becoming the fifth Canadiens player to record 70 points in the salary cap era. He was also named the Canadiens’ nominee for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy.
Continued Excellence (2024–Present)
Entering the 2024–25 season, Suzuki reached his 300th career NHL point on November 11, 2024, against the Buffalo Sabres, and skated in his 400th career game on December 7, 2024. He surpassed 200 career assists on December 21, 2024, in a win over the Detroit Red Wings, and on April 3, 2025, he became the first Canadiens player since Alex Kovalev in 2007–08 to reach the 80-point mark. Two days later, he passed 82 points, becoming the first Montreal skater since Kovalev to record a point-per-game season.
He finished the 2024–25 regular season with 30 goals and 89 points, helping lead the Canadiens to the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in four years. He earned his fourth consecutive Molson Cup honor and was again selected as Montreal’s nominee for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy.
Driving Style and Strengths
Suzuki is widely recognized for his craftiness, vision, and two-way responsibility at centre. He excels at controlling the pace of play, distributing the puck on the power play, and generating chemistry with linemates such as Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovský. His combination of skill, composure, and leadership has been central to the Canadiens’ rebuild.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among his career milestones, Suzuki scored his 100th NHL goal in overtime against the Nashville Predators on March 5, 2024, and led the Canadiens to the 2021 Stanley Cup Finals as a 21-year-old. His 2024–25 season saw him match offensive outputs not reached by a Montreal player in nearly two decades, cementing his status as a franchise cornerstone.
Nick Suzuki Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Of Japanese Canadian heritage, Suzuki is one-quarter Japanese and is considered Gosei, as his great-great grandparents immigrated to Canada in the early 1900s. He is also of Scottish Canadian descent on his mother’s side. His younger brother, Ryan Suzuki, is also a professional hockey player, drafted 28th overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in 2019. The brothers are related to David Suzuki, the geneticist and television presenter, who is a first cousin of their grandfather.
Personal Life
During the 2016–17 OHL season, Suzuki began dating Caitlin Fitzgerald, a fellow Londoner, after the two connected on social media. The couple announced their engagement on April 24, 2024, and later eloped in a private ceremony in Turks and Caicos. In December 2025, it was announced that the couple was expecting their first child.
2025 Season Performance
The 2024–25 season marked a turning point in Suzuki’s career, as he produced 30 goals and 89 points in the regular season while guiding a young Canadiens roster back to the Stanley Cup playoffs. His offensive consistency, including reaching 80 points for the first time in his career, helped anchor a Montreal team that leaned heavily on its captain for leadership and production.
Suzuki’s on-ice partnership with Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovský flourished throughout the year, with the trio serving as the offensive engine of the Canadiens’ top line. His disciplined two-way play and special-teams contributions were central to Montreal’s improvement in the standings, and he was recognized for his community efforts with another King Clancy Memorial Trophy nomination.
Looking ahead to the 2025–26 season, Suzuki enters as the unquestioned leader of the Canadiens with his long-term contract extension in place. With a talented supporting cast around him, he is positioned to remain the franchise’s top centre and one of the NHL’s most reliable point producers for years to come.