Photo credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images
It has indeed become difficult, and even somewhat disheartening, to watch Nick Suzuki continue to struggle in the shootout despite everything else he brings to the Montreal Canadiens.
At this point, it is no longer something that can be brushed aside or laughed off.
A recent post from the HabsOnReddit account highlights a rather concerning statistic, and it does not reflect well at all on number 14.
Nick Suzuki is in the midst of a historic slump, having failed to convert on his last 17 shootout attempts (0-for-17).
Even worse, his last shootout goal dates back more than two years, to December 13, 2023.
For a player with such great talent and such skilled hands, this prolonged stretch of failure is becoming increasingly difficult to explain and is starting to look more like a confidence issue than simple bad luck.
Should Martin St-Louis reconsider Nick Suzuki’s role in the shootout?
That’s the question on every fan’s mind: is the head coach stubbornly sticking with his star center unnecessarily?
In reality, the answer seems more and more obvious.
With 17 consecutive failures, sending Suzuki out in the shootout is almost becoming a missed opportunity for the team to secure a crucial extra point in the standings.
Martin St-Louis should probably start looking elsewhere, especially since he has several highly talented players at his disposal.
A good coach needs to know when to protect his player.
In this case, continuing to insist seems to be doing more harm than good to the captain’s confidence during his breakaways.
Nick Suzuki remains one of the Canadiens’ most important players and one of their most reliable leaders, which is exactly why this ongoing struggle in that situation is becoming harder and harder to ignore.
Previously on Montreal Hockey Fanatics
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Nick Suzuki’s one weakness has been exposed despite his outstanding season
Should Martin St-Louis stop sending Nick Suzuki in shootouts?