Controversy: a former Canadiens member reportedly disrespected Nick Suzuki and it's causing a huge reaction

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Elias Edmonson
September 12, 2023 (6:03 PM)

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The Canadiens' golf tournament kicks off the year every season. This is enough for various sports networks in the province to take advantage of this to create special broadcasts, and to invite analysts onto their platforms to discuss the club's upcoming campaign.

The RDS network was no exception to this rule, and among others, invited the team's former goaltender coach, Stéphane Waite. The latter somewhat stole the show with a remark that will undoubtedly spark controversy.

Indeed, he stated that Brendan Gallagher's annual salary of 6.5 million dollars did not bother him because the veteran was the true captain of the team...

However, wait before crying foul and laughing at the former coach. As Marc Dumont reminds in a recent column, it should be noted that the quote seems to come from none of the discussions published by RDS on its website, and the segment in which Waite spoke about Gallagher cannot be found. It is therefore possible that it was taken out of context.

But taken in the current context, the journalist from the MTLHockeyNow site thinks, somewhat like me, that this remark is a great disrespect towards Nick Suzuki's work. While it's true that Waite knows Gallagher very well, having worked with him for many years, he has never been able to see (from the inside) the current Habs captain in action.

I completely agree that Gallagher has given his body and soul to the organization that drafted him since his arrival in the NHL. However, what Suzuki has also offered should not be minimized.

"It seems clear that Waite was trying to focus on Gallagher's level of effort over the years, and he is right to point it out, but it is rather easy to do without throwing Suzuki under the bus."

"Not only was Suzuki the only player to have participated in 82 games last year (while dealing with his own injuries), but he also confidently assumed the responsibility that comes with being the captain of the most illustrious hockey franchise."

"It should be kept in mind that Suzuki was also the youngest captain in the team's history." - Marc Dumont

When asked who the real captain of the CH is, everyone will say Nick Suzuki. This is not to minimize Gallagher's contribution, but to confirm that number 14 truly deserves his title.