Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki out 2-4 weeks with upper-body injury
The Canadiens captain is out two to four weeks with an upper-body injury after a puck hit his hand in Tuesday's overtime loss to the Sharks, ending his 546-game streak.
Why this is trending
Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki is out two to four weeks with an upper-body injury, the team announced, after a shot hit his left hand during Tuesday's overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks. Montreal did not specify the exact injury beyond the upper-body designation and the two-to-four-week window, and that gap is likely a big part of why people are searching his name right now.
What's known: the puck hit Suzuki's hand during that game against San Jose, and the team has ruled him out for two to four weeks. What isn't known: the specific structure involved, whether it's a fracture or something else, and whether the timeline could stretch further. Montreal has not put out a firmer target yet.
What's next is straightforward. Suzuki sits while the hand heals, and the Canadiens play without their captain and best two-way center for the first time in his career.
A streak that had to end
This is the part that turns a routine injury update into real news. Suzuki had played in 546 consecutive games, the second-longest active streak in the NHL behind Brent Burns' 1,017. Suzuki's run ranks 20th all-time among every player who has ever laced up. In seven-plus seasons with Montreal, he had never missed a game until now.
What Suzuki means to the Canadiens
Suzuki isn't just a name that shows up on the lineup card every night. He has established himself as one of the better two-way centers in the league, and he has increased his point total in each of the past five seasons, topping out at a career-high 101 points last year. Losing him for two to four weeks takes Montreal's best forward and its captain out of the lineup at the same time.
What to watch for
There is no firm return date yet, just the two-to-four-week window the team gave. Expect updates as Montreal gets closer to that range, and watch for any word on exactly what the hand injury is, since the club has not named it. Until then, the open questions are about recovery, not performance.
Facts per ESPN. Opinion is the taproom's.