Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki is off to a stellar start this season, averaging more than a point per game with 10 goals and 16 assists in 25 outings.
But despite his strong play, the 25-year-old was left off Team Canada’s roster for the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament in February.
TSN insiders Pierre LeBrun, Chris Johnston, and Darren Dreger leaked Canada’s lineup on Tuesday, revealing a star-studded roster that does not include Suzuki — not even as an extra skater.
While GM Don Sweeney’s roster decisions aren’t based solely on stats, Suzuki’s exclusion raises eyebrows, as he boasts better numbers than more than half of the forwards who made the cut.
For example, Suzuki’s 26 points this season match Sidney Crosby’s total, and he’s scored two more goals in two fewer games. However, no one realistically expects Suzuki to bump someone like Crosby whose leadership, legacy, and playoff experience make him a shoo-in for Canada.
Still, the omission is hard to ignore when the Canadiens centre, known for his smooth passes and formidable two-way play, boasts better stats than the following Team Canada forward locks:
- Sidney Crosby – 26 points in 27 games
- Sam Bennett – 24 points in 25 games
- Anthony Cirelli – 23 points in 23 games
- Mark Stone – 21 points in 13 games
- Brayden Point – 21 points in 19 games
- Brad Marchand – 18 points in 27 games
- Seth Jarvis – 16 points in 18 games
While he won’t get the international nod this time, if he keeps up this pace, the three-time 60+ point scorer is poised to become the first Canadiens player to surpass 80 points in a single season since Alex Kovalev back in 2008.
As for Canada, here’s how the rest of their roster looks:
Forwards
Sam Reinhart – Connor McDavid – Mitch Marner
Brad Marchand – Sidney Crosby – Nathan MacKinnon
Brandon Hagel – Brayden Point – Mark Stone
Sam Bennett – Anthony Cirelli – Travis Konecny
Extra: Seth Jarvis
Defence
Devon Toews – Cale Makar
Shea Theodore – Alex Pietrangelo
Josh Morrissey – Colton Parayko
Goalies
Jordan Binnington
Adin Hill
Sam Montembeault
The tournament, scheduled from February 12 to 20, will see Canada, the USA, Sweden, and Finland face off, with games taking place in both Montreal and Boston.