Nick Suzuki might not be grabbing the headlines like Lane Hutson or Cole Caufield, but he's quietly putting together a season for the ages with the Montreal Canadiens. While Caufield chases goal-scoring milestones, Suzuki is on track to hit the magic 100-point mark, a feat not achieved by a Canadiens player in 40 years.
With 74 points in 62 games, Suzuki is sitting pretty in 10th place in the league's scoring race and sixth among centers. If he maintains this pace and stays healthy, he's projected to finish with 98 points.
The last Canadiens player to surpass this was Mats Naslund in the 1985-86 season with 110 points. Others, like Vincent Damphousse and Pierre Turgeon, came close but didn't quite reach the century mark.
Suzuki's chances of hitting 100 points are bolstered by the Canadiens' offensive style, driven by necessity due to their goaltending challenges. In recent high-scoring matchups, Suzuki has been at the forefront, tallying six points over the last three games and nine in the last five.
At 26, Suzuki is making multipoint games look effortless. With 20 games left in the season, he needs just 26 more points to reach that elusive 100. Given his strong finish last season, betting against him seems unwise.
It's curious that Suzuki's stellar performance hasn't sparked more buzz. Perhaps his consistent excellence has become so expected that it's almost routine.
Stay tuned as Suzuki continues his quest for 100 points in a season that could be one for the record books.