Sportsnet’s Eric Engels is at the GM meeting in Detroit, and he had the opportunity to speak to Tampa Bay Lightning and Team Canada coach John Cooper. The bench boss had very nice things to say about the Montreal Canadiens captain, Nick Suzuki.
Engels reports that while Cooper was impressed by Suzuki in 2021 (the year the Canadiens and the Lightning met in the Stanley Cup final), he is even more now after hosting him as one of the 42 players at Team Canada’s orientation camp. He told Engels:
The one thing I didn’t know about him was his personality. I made a point to spend time with him in Calgary, and I learned he’s a phenomenal kid. He’s pretty quiet, reads the room, but very engaging when you sit with him one-on-one. I had a great time with him, so that’s just another box checked in the cosmic trajectory of Nick Suzuki.
– Jon Cooper on Nick Suzuki
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That statement doesn’t guarantee Suzuki a roster spot on the Canadian team for the upcoming Olympic Games, but it’s a step in the right direction. Cracking the roster won’t be easy, after all, following Canada’s win in the 4 Nations Face-Off, the coach likened the Canadian brass’ job to fine-tuning a Ferrari.
The Canadiens captain certainly performed like a Ferrari after the international break last season; he put up the fourth most points in the league after the tournament, carrying his side to the playoffs. The Olympic roster is expected to include 25 players, and traditionally, teams take three goalies, meaning there are only 22 spots left for skaters. Suzuki’s body of work indeed suggests that he has what it takes to make the selection.
The Canadian team is in good hands with GM Doug Armstrong and Cooper behind the bench. The Lightning pilot has plenty of experience and knows how to get a team to become a winning one. He has a 572-306-83 record in 961 NHL games, two Stanley Cup Rings, and two more conference championships.
Furthermore, the Lightning coach is a good and generous man. For several years, a group of fans has gathered in Montreal to attend an event called the Habs Summit. They all catch a game together, but they also hold a fundraiser for the Montreal Canadiens’ Children Foundation. One year, the game the group attended was against Cooper and the Bolts. When he heard about the fundraiser, the coach not only donated one of his sticks to help raise funds, but he also got one of his alternate captains, Victor Hedman, to provide a stick as well.
While some believe Cooper is biased and favors his own players when it comes to roster composition, I think he tends to go with the players he knows will help him win. This season, when the Canadiens take on the Lightning on December 9, you can be sure Cooper will be keeping close track of what the Habs captain does on the ice. The final rosters are due on December 31, 2025, and the Canadian brass will be taking notes until then.
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