Player Discussion Nick Suzuki Part 11

[Lafleurs Guy]

I mean he's 26th in PPG for the last two years, that pretty much proves wtv you wanted it to prove.

He was like 76th in league scoring last year. Bottom tier center production. That’s a marginal number one. Right where he’s always been.

He's 20th in points since 2023 for Cs, he's 23rd in PPG in the last 100 games. There's no way he is not at the very least a mid to low end range 1C, and he's clearly better than a lot of players above him in ppg and points both offensively and or defensively.

Again, just look at this year. This thread got all excited when he was pacing for 76 points on his last streak and then he slumped back towards 62. Then it was real quiet in here for a while. Now he’s killing it and this thread is back. It’s a marathon not a sprint.

If he can consistently play at another gear (and he has great linemates now) there’s no reason he can’t be at a point per game. None.

I’ll say what I’ve said for a while. I think he has the ability to be a number one. But he had to go and prove it. He has to consistently play at a higher level. No excuses. Go do it.

 

[Mrb1p]

He was like 76th in league scoring last year. Bottom tier center production. That’s a marginal number one. Right where he’s always been.


Again, just look at this year. This thread got all excited when he was pacing for 76 points on his last streak and then he slumped back towards 62. Then it was real quiet in here for a while. Now he’s killing it and this thread is back. It’s a marathon not a sprint.

If he can consistently play at another gear (and he has great linemates now) there’s no reason he can’t be at a point per game. None.

I’ll say what I’ve said for a while. I think he has the ability to be a number one. But he had to go and prove it. He has to consistently play at a higher level. No excuses. Go do it.

He was 27th for center in raw point production. Again, he did produce like at the very least, a low end 1C, even last year, with hands down the worst offensive support in the NHL.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

He was 27th for center in raw point production. Again, he did produce like at the very least, a low end 1C, even last year, with hands down the worst offensive support in the NHL.

Weve had this debate before. I’m not having it again.

If he’s going to be called legit first line center, he needs to produce like one. No excuses. Prove it.

Hopefully this is the year. Hopefully going forward that’s what he is forever. Make it beyond debate. Go put up at least a point per game. He’s shown he can do it in spurts, now he needs to do it for a season. No excuses.

 

[salbutera]

Is a Selke on the horizon? If so, it could be a first of many.

“That giant step” IMO will need an external inducer such as making the Olympic team and playing with the Team Canada’s best like it has many times in the past with other good players who found a next level of game

 

[Mrb1p]

Weve had this debate before. I’m not having it again.

If he’s going to be called legit first line center, he needs to produce like one. No excuses. Prove it.

Hopefully this is the year. Hopefully going forward that’s what he is forever. Make it beyond debate. Go put up at least a point per game. He’s shown he can do it in spurts, now he needs to do it for a season. No excuses.

The bar for a first line C isn't "PPG", it's actually contributing like a 1C though. He has, it's on paper, it's on the ice too. If you want to say he's not a high-end 1C, Im with you, just drop the "not a 1C" thing.

 

[Tyson]

Weve had this debate before. I’m not having it again.

If he’s going to be called legit first line center, he needs to produce like one. No excuses. Prove it.

Hopefully this is the year. Hopefully going forward that’s what he is forever. Make it beyond debate. Go put up at least a point per game. He’s shown he can do it in spurts, now he needs to do it for a season. No excuses.

Did Patrice Bergeron ever average a point per game? Was he a #1 center? Suzuki may top out as a 75 point player who plays 22 minutes a night and is used in all situations. Who would you rather have in a game 7...90 point Mitch Marner or 75 point Nick Suzuki?

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

The bar for a first line C isn't "PPG", it's actually contributing like a 1C though. He has, it's on paper, it's on the ice too. If you want to say he's not a high-end 1C, Im with you, just drop the "not a 1C" thing.

He’s produced like a bottom end 1st. A marginal number one.

He can be better. He should be better. And now he’s playing like he did at the start of last year. He just needs to maintain that higher gear at a more consistent rate. It’s past time for him to level up.

After his crazy streak he’s close to a point per game. If he can do that going forward then there’s no debating it. That’s what he needs to do.

He gets the best wingers, all the ice he can handle, tons of PP time. If he can’t do it now… what’s the excuse then?

He needs to take the next step. He’s got the opportunity. He’s shown he can do it in the past. Now go prove it. Do it consistently.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Did Patrice Bergeron ever average a point per game? Was he a #1 center? Suzuki may top out as a 75 point player who plays 22 minutes a night and is used in all situations. Who would you rather have in a game 7...90 point Mitch Marner or 75 point Nick Suzuki?

Patrice Bergeron was a unicorn. He dominated at a level few can match. He was a different kind of center and his possession numbers were insane.

Suzuki has been a good two way guy but he hasn’t been Bergeron. That’s okay though, nobody has.

 

[salbutera]

Did Patrice Bergeron ever average a point per game? Was he a #1 center? Suzuki may top out as a 75 point player who plays 22 minutes a night and is used in all situations. Who would you rather have in a game 7...90 point Mitch Marner or 75 point Nick Suzuki?

Bergeron was over PPG in 18-19 season but I agree & digress, pls continue

 

[Mrb1p]

He’s produced like a bottom end 1st. A marginal number one.

He can be better. He should be better. And now he’s playing like he did at the start of last year. He just needs to maintain that higher gear at a more consistent rate. It’s past time for him to level up.

After his crazy streak he’s close to a point per game. If he can do that going forward then there’s no debating it. That’s what he needs to do.

He gets the best wingers, all the ice he can handle, tons of PP time. If he can’t do it now… what’s the excuse then?

He needs to take the next step. He’s got the opportunity. He’s shown he can do it in the past. Now go prove it. Do it consistently.

When you say "he's not a 1C", this also means "he's not a bottom end 1C".

He is a 1C, he's proven he is, and yes he can be better. He's a low-end first line player WHILE having the worst support in the league and being more than responsible defensively, which means his absolute floor is that, a low-end 1C.

You can now shift to goalposts to "He has not proved he is a top C" and you would be right, but we both know that's not what you were arguing just a few months ago.

 

[MTL Dirty Birdy]

He was 100% an elite C before blowing out his knee, I remember how dominant he was. Still amazing he had such a great career with all the injuries and the cancer

And also played on some pretty bad Habs teams

 

[Mrb1p]

Did Patrice Bergeron ever average a point per game? Was he a #1 center? Suzuki may top out as a 75 point player who plays 22 minutes a night and is used in all situations. Who would you rather have in a game 7...90 point Mitch Marner or 75 point Nick Suzuki?

Suzuki is very good defensively, and is better offensively, but Bergeron was something else as an ice-tilter and defensive player. His value transcended production much more than Suzuki ever will. A lot of it was mythical too, for sure though.

 

[MTL Dirty Birdy]

Some posters will be doing double duty on the crow as Slaf firmly cements himself as a future star and Suzuki as a top tier #1C

Future is bright

Imagine a top line in the mold of
Rantanen-Bergeron-Debrincat

That’s basically what we have coming if their development continues like this. That’s nuts

I mean he's 26th in PPG for the last two years, that pretty much proves wtv you wanted it to prove.

He's 20th in points since 2023 for Cs, he's 23rd in PPG in the last 100 games. There's no way he is not at the very least a mid to low end range 1C, and he's clearly better than a lot of players above him in ppg and points both offensively and or defensively.

And doing that on a bottom five team for the last couple years

 

[Mrb1p]

Imagine a top line in the mold of
Rantanen-Bergeron-Debrincat

That’s basically what we have coming if their development continues like this. That’s nuts


And doing that on a bottom five team for the last couple years

It's actually Hossa-Toews-Kane

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

When you say "he's not a 1C", this also means "he's not a bottom end 1C".

He is a 1C, he's proven he is,

I disagree with you. But we’ve been there done that. And I don’t want to be the skunk at the party. I think he’s leveled up lately and I hope he can maintain a higher pace. He’s got a lot of help from Slaf and all the ice he can handle. There’s no excuse. Want there to be no doubt you’re a number one? Go produce like it.

 

[the valiant effort]

“That giant step” IMO will need an external inducer such as making the Olympic team and playing with the Team Canada’s best like it has many times in the past with other good players who found a next level of game

Goes without saying a lot can change between now and whenever they submit the 2026 roster (Dec 2025 or Jan 2026), but right now Canada's centreline looks like this:

McDavid
MacKinnon
Reinhart
Suzuki

Crosby, Bedard, Point, and the like will defer to wing. Mediocre junk like Horvat, Schiefele, Thomas won't be considered for more than 14th forward.

 

[salbutera]

Goes without saying a lot can change between now and whenever they submit the 2026 roster (Dec 2025 or Jan 2026), but right now Canada's centreline looks like this:

McDavid
MacKinnon
Reinhart
Suzuki

Crosby, Bedard, Point, and the like will defer to wing. Mediocre junk like Horvat, Schiefele, Thomas won't be considered for more than 14th forward.

Could always be put on W.

1981 - Gretzky started LW w Lafleur & Dionne before being moved by Scotty to C
1987 - Lemieux on RW w Gretzky

Bergeron played on RW w Crosby as C

Happens all the time

 

[Mrb1p]

I disagree with you. But we’ve been there done that. And I don’t want to be the skunk at the party. I think he’s leveled up lately and I hope he can maintain a higher pace. He’s got a lot of help from Slaf and all the ice he can handle. There’s no excuse. Want there to be no doubt you’re a number one? Go produce like it.

Man...

Goes without saying a lot can change between now and whenever they submit the 2026 roster (Dec 2025 or Jan 2026), but right now Canada's centreline looks like this:

McDavid
MacKinnon
Reinhart
Suzuki

Crosby, Bedard, Point, and the like will defer to wing. Mediocre junk like Horvat, Schiefele, Thomas won't be considered for more than 14th forward.

Reinhart hasnt been a C for almost a decade. Crosby, Bedard and Point is too much competition IMO. He is likely, however to play RW and be used as C insurance. Celebrini too.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Man...

What’s the problem?

He’s always been around 28th and there’s always been excuses. There are no excuses now. Go and prove it.

And next year it will be the same with CC. He gets a mulligan this year but if he wants to be known as a legit top line sniper he can’t have another year like this.

It’s that way for every player. You have to constantly prove yourself.

 

[Mrb1p]

What’s the problem?

He’s always been around 28th and there’s always been excuses. There are no excuses now. Go and prove it.

And next year it will be the same with CC. He gets a mulligan this year but if he wants to be known as a legit top line sniper he can’t have another year like this.

It’s that way for every player. You have to constantly prove yourself.

28th is literally top line C range, he achieved that WITH the excuses. What you mean is "hes not an elite 1C".

 

[Sorinth]

What’s the problem?

He’s always been around 28th and there’s always been excuses. There are no excuses now. Go and prove it.

And next year it will be the same with CC. He gets a mulligan this year but if he wants to be known as a legit top line sniper he can’t have another year like this.

It’s that way for every player. You have to constantly prove yourself.

28th is already #1 territory

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

28th is literally top line C range, he achieved that WITH the excuses. What you mean is "hes not an elite 1C".

It’s bottom tier. Guys in that range are borderline first liners and that’s what he’s always been. A poor man’s first.

 

[Mrb1p]

It’s bottom tier. Guys in that range are borderline first liners and that’s what he’s always been. A poor man’s first.

Production wise sure, when you add in his two-way play, his durability and his lack of offensive support theres no way hes mixed in with the borderlines.

 

[MTL Dirty Birdy]

It's actually Hossa-Toews-Kane

I can’t put Caufield on the Kane Category, but I’ll take the other two

 

[Ezpz]

Is a Selke on the horizon? If so, it could be a first of many.

I don't think he has the reputation yet. If he keeps the advanced metrics and gets a 5th place finish it could be coming. Kopitar is absolutely done defensively. Never seen a -6 game for an elite defensive center in all my years.

There's not a lot of rep guys left since he and bergeron were two of the three finalists for like ten years. I could see staal getting a career nod like due doughty.

Barkov is in a similar boat. Not really best in the league metrics and Reinhart is having a quantifiable better season offensively and defensively.

I think Barkov or staal get due awards even if Nick has better metrics. The argument will be Nick's +/-.