Photo credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
We captured a very interesting moment during recent post-game media availabilities involving the two Canadian captains.
Connor McDavid made a point of highlighting Nick Suzuki’s crucial offensive contribution during the competition.
It’s a sequence that’s been circulating widely, showing the best player in the world giving full credit to his teammate from the Montreal Canadiens.
While speaking with reporters, McDavid stated verbatim: “That’s a huge goal by Zuk.” (referring to Suzuki).
That simple sentence confirms two important elements for Montreal Canadiens fans.
First, the Oilers’ captain acknowledges Suzuki’s direct impact in a critical moment of the Olympic tournament.
Second, and this is the more anecdotal yet revealing aspect, he used the nickname “Zuk” to refer to number 14.
In hockey culture, having your nickname established by veterans and leaders is a sign of acceptance and respect.
We can agree that “Zuk” isn’t the most original nickname in history, but coming from McDavid’s mouth, we certainly like it.
Nick Suzuki among the elite
Receiving public praise from the best player on the planet never hurts a player’s reputation.
Suzuki, who was fighting for his spot in the lineup in the beginning of the tournament, seems to have earned the trust of his peers.
This kind of comment reinforces the idea that the Habs’ captain is not just a passenger, but a key contributor to Canada’s success.
Team Canada’s sense of unity appears strong, and the chemistry between stars from different rosters is developing.
It will be interesting to see whether this connection between “Zuk” and the other big guns continues for the remainder of this final.
Previously on Montreal Hockey Fanatics
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Connor McDavid reveals Nick Suzuki’s new locker room nickname with Team Canada
Will the nickname “Zuk” stick with Suzuki in Montreal?