Nick Suzuki is making Marc Bergevin look like a genius

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Jeff Drouin
November 4, 2022 (5:56 PM)

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When Nick Suzuki agreed to an eight-year, $7.85 million per season contract extension last year, many analysts and fans were stunned by the staggering deal for a 22-year-old player.

At the time, Suzuki had only two seasons under his belt, both of which resulted in 41 points, although it should be noted that in his second season, the schedule was reduced due to the pandemic.

Signing the most lucrative forward contract in Canadiens history immediately put the center in the spotlight, adding more pressure to the 21-year-old in an intense market like Montreal.

While the new trend in the National League is to sign its best young players on a long-term basis as soon as their entry-level contract is up, the fact remains that the CH's number 14 was already the target of criticism because of his big contract.

In fact, he had been ranked as the ninth-worst contract in the league, even before he started the first season of his new deal, according to a ranking by Dom Luszczyszyn of The Athletic.

However, Suzuki is already bringing a return on investment that is both exceptional and unexpected to the Montreal team. After 11 games played this season, the captain has produced six goals and 13 points. That puts him on a pace to produce more than a point per game.

His offensive production rate has been increasing year after year since his arrival in the NHL, while maintaining an excellent defensive game that has already made him one of the best "two-way" center players in the league.

Suzuki currently brings in far more, in terms of production versus his salary, than many players across the National League right now. While he holds the 60th most expensive contract in the league and the 40th most expensive among forwards, he is currently the 19th best scorer in the NHL.

Given that this is only the first year of an eight-year contract, it is fair to say that his contract is not only a good return on investment for the Habs, it could become a great bargain over the next few seasons, especially when the league's salary cap goes up.

Given his steady growth and chemistry with Dach and Caufield and the fact that he's just starting to enter his prime, the Tricolore is in business with their long-term signed center.

Credit: Marqueur