Two Habs players could be on Team Canada's radar for the Olympics
PUBLICATION
Jeff Drouin
August 9, 2021 (6:05 PM)
While there are still some details to be worked out between the National Hockey League and the International Olympic Committee, NHL players will likely represent their countries at the Winter Olympics in February 2022. With less than six months to go before the start of the Games, there is no doubt that the leaders of each national team are already looking for the players that will make up their roster in Beijing.
With that in mind, several analysts from different networks have been making predictions about who will make up Team Canada's roster. Chris Johnston (Sportsnet), Lyle Richardson (Bleacher Report) and Craig Button (TSN) were among those who tried to fit the shoes of GM Doug Armstrong and his assistants (Ron Francis, Ken Holland, Roberto Luongo, Don Sweeney and Scott Salmond).
While both Johnston's and Richardson's rosters are, for the most part, similar to what most people think of Team Canada, Button's is much bolder. The 58-year-old analyst included two Montreal Canadiens players on his list: Carey Price and Nick Suzuki.
Carey Price's name appears in all three lists, and each time as the number one goaltender for the Canadian team. After all, even though the last regular season fell short of expectations for him, number 31 reminded everyone of the extent of his talent in the playoffs. At age 33, Price was the centerpiece of the Habs' run to the Stanley Cup Grand Final, just as he was for Team Canada at the 2014 Sochi Games, or at the 2016 World Cup.
The inclusion of Nick Suzuki, on the other hand, is much more surprising. It seems that he got a lot more visibility thanks to his performances during the CH's famous run last spring. In addition to his seven goals and 16 points in 22 games, it's his maturity, his overall game and his vision that impressed many observers and earned him comparisons with Patrice Bergeron, among others.
Being only 21 years old, his presence, or not, at the Beijing Games will most likely depend on his progression during the upcoming season. However, things are looking good for him, as the departure of Phillip Danault will give him a full-time position at the center of the Tricolore's first line. Add to that the excellent chemistry that Suzuki has developed with the Canadiens' other young phenom, Cole Caufield, and the 2021-22 season could well become a major turning point in Nick Suzuki's career, which could well propel him into Team Canada's choices for the Olympic Games.
In short, we'll see in the coming months if Craig Button's prediction proves accurate, but there's no doubt that Nick Suzuki's selection to Team Canada would be a big sign of appreciation for the Montreal Canadiens and their fans.
Previously on HabsFanatics
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