Canadiens HC Martin St. Louis must address Nick Suzuki problem soon

When Martin St. Louis sent his captain, Nick Suzuki, over the boards to try and tie the game in a shootout against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Canadiens' fate was almost sealed.

The reason is simple. As effective as Suzuki is in many aspects of the game, he has been in a deep shootout slump for a long time. In fact, No. 14 hasn't scored in the shootout since December 13, 2023, failing to convert on his last 15 attempts.

This season, the forward has 40 points, including 10 goals, in 36 games, but he is 0-for-4 in the shootout, including on Sunday when he was the final shooter in the Canadiens' 4-3 loss to Pittsburgh.

Canadiens face shootout problem with captain Nick Suzuki

Suzuki tried to beat Arturs Silovs on the glove side, but the Penguins' netminder stayed with him and made the save, snapping Pittsburgh's eight-game losing streak on a historic night for Sidney Crosby.

The captain, however, was once a shootout ace. In 2022-23, he went 5-for-7 (71.4%). But for his career, he now sits at just 32.4%. The Canadiens, as a team, are 2-3 in the shootout this season.

Two years ago, Suzuki started the season by converting 3 of his first 5 shootout attempts, including his last success on Dec. 13 against these same Penguins. He then went 0-for-4 to finish the year.

Last season, St. Louis used him five times, and the 26-year-old center failed to score on each try. Despite the cold streak, Suzuki kept getting the call whenever the shootout went to at least three rounds.

For the record, David Desharnais holds the Canadiens' record for most shootout goals. He scored 17 times on 41 attempts (41.5%). Cole Caufield, who scored Sunday, is second with 15 goals on 31 attempts (48.4%). Despite his slump, Suzuki ranks fourth in club history, behind Saku Koivu (11-for-26, 42.3%).