The Nick Suzuki injury will keep the Canadiens captain out for two to four weeks, the club announced on 22 October, and it ends his ironman streak at 546 games. Montréal called it an upper-body injury and gave no other detail. He was hit on the left hand by a shot late in Tuesday’s 4-3 overtime loss to San Jose, CBC News reported, and needed treatment after the game, which Sportsnet’s Eric Engels noted before the announcement.
Owen Beck was recalled from Laval to fill the roster spot. The Canadiens are 4-3-2, seventh in the Atlantic Division, and have won only once in regulation. Now they start a four-game road trip, Sunday’s Heritage Classic in Winnipeg included, without their captain.
How Nick Suzuki got hurt
It happened with 5:34 left in the third period on 20 October. Suzuki went down to block a shot from San Jose defenceman Michael Kesselring, and CBC News reported the puck caught him on the left hand. He finished the game.
It had been a strong night until then. Suzuki scored the Canadiens’ first goal, set up Cole Caufield in the second period and played 21:03, more than any other Montréal forward. The Canadiens led 3-1 before Michael Misa and Tyler Toffoli tied it, and Macklin Celebrini won it 2:13 into overtime with his second goal of the night.
He did not speak to reporters afterwards because he was being treated, according to the club’s communications staff, CBC said. The club announced the injury two days later.
The end of Nick Suzuki’s ironman streak
Suzuki had never missed a game. He played all 546 regular-season games since his debut at the start of 2019-20, both shortened pandemic seasons included, so Friday in Chicago will be the first time the Canadiens have played without him since he arrived.
ESPN said the streak was the second longest among active players, behind the 1,017 games of Colorado defenceman Brent Burns, and the 20th longest of all time. Burns has played all 10 of the Avalanche’s games this season.
When will Nick Suzuki be back?
Two weeks from the announcement takes him to early November. The Toronto game on Saturday 7 November is the first one outside that window. Four weeks would keep him out until around 19 November, so he could miss as many as 14 games.
| Date | Game | Time | Within the timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri 23 Oct | at Chicago | 8 p.m. ET | Inside two weeks |
| Sun 25 Oct | at Winnipeg (Heritage Classic) | 7 p.m. ET | Inside two weeks |
| Tue 27 Oct | at St. Louis | 8 p.m. ET | Inside two weeks |
| Thu 29 Oct | at Dallas | 8 p.m. ET | Inside two weeks |
| Sat 31 Oct | vs Pittsburgh | 7 p.m. ET | Inside two weeks |
| Tue 3 Nov | vs Winnipeg | 7 p.m. ET | Inside two weeks |
| Thu 5 Nov | vs Utah | 7 p.m. ET | Inside two weeks |
| Sat 7 Nov | at Toronto | 7 p.m. ET | Two to four weeks |
| Tue 10 Nov | vs Minnesota | 7 p.m. ET | Two to four weeks |
| Thu 12 Nov | at Boston | 7 p.m. ET | Two to four weeks |
| Sat 14 Nov | vs Colorado | 7 p.m. ET | Two to four weeks |
| Mon 16 Nov | at New York Rangers | 7:30 p.m. ET | Two to four weeks |
| Wed 18 Nov | at New Jersey | 7:30 p.m. ET | Two to four weeks |
| Thu 19 Nov | at Carolina | 7 p.m. ET | Two to four weeks |
Times are Eastern. Sunday’s outdoor game has its own Jets vs Canadiens preview, and the full schedule is on our Montréal Canadiens page.
Who replaces Suzuki at centre?
The Canadiens have six other centres on the roster: Owen Beck, Kirby Dach, Phillip Danault, Jake Evans, Oliver Kapanen and Alex Newhook. Martin St. Louis had not confirmed his new line combinations publicly when this was published.
None of them is a natural first-line centre, The Hockey News’ Karine Hains pointed out. Danault had that job several seasons ago, but he now anchors a settled line with Alexandre Texier and Zachary Bolduc, and moving him would break it up. The power play loses him too: Suzuki played 3:41 a game there, on the top unit with Lane Hutson, Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovský.
The timing is poor in other ways. Ivan Demidov is on injured reserve and did not travel for the trip, according to Hains, goalie Sam Montembeault is also on injured reserve, and Mike Matheson is day-to-day.
Suzuki’s season and contract
Suzuki, 27, had five goals and seven assists in nine games before the injury and was averaging 21:46 a game. Last season he scored a career-high 101 points and won the Selke Trophy as the league’s best defensive forward. His points total has gone up five seasons in a row.
He signed an eight-year contract in 2021 worth US$63M in total, according to CapWages. Its cap hit of US$7.875M a season runs through 2029-30.
What it means for Montréal’s search for a centre
The Hockey News’ Adam Proteau called centre depth Montréal’s biggest issue and argued that a longer absence would put more pressure on general manager Kent Hughes to trade for one. The obvious target is out of reach for now. TSN’s Chris Johnston reported on 22 October that Dylan Larkin’s 10-team trade list includes no Canadian clubs, though Montréal has not given up hope that he widens it. Every completed deal is on our NHL trade tracker.
Montréal Canadiens injuries
| Player | Pos | Status | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nick Suzuki | C | Out | Upper body; two to four weeks, announced 22 October |
| Mike Matheson | D | Day-To-Day | Lower body; day-to-day |
| Florian Xhekaj | LW | Injured Reserve | Lower body; on injured reserve since 17 October |
| Sam Montembeault | G | Injured Reserve | Lower body; on injured reserve |
| Ivan Demidov | RW | Injured Reserve | Lower body; on injured reserve since 6 October |
| Bryce Pickford | D | Injured Reserve | Undisclosed |
| Lucas Condotta | LW | Injured Reserve | Undisclosed |
Statuses are from ESPN’s injury list on 23 October. Every club’s list is on our NHL injury report, which updates twice a day.
For bettors, the absence of a top centre changes how a team’s games are priced, so check the lines before betting. Odds may change. 19+ (18+ in AB/MB/QC). Please play responsibly.
Nick Suzuki injury FAQs
Two to four weeks with an upper-body injury, the Canadiens announced on 22 October 2026.
He blocked a shot from San Jose defenceman Michael Kesselring late in the third period on 20 October. CBC News reported the puck hit his left hand. He finished the game.
546 consecutive regular-season games, every game since his debut in 2019-20. ESPN said it was the 20th longest in NHL history.
Colorado defenceman Brent Burns, who was at 1,017 consecutive games when Suzuki’s streak ended, according to ESPN.
No. The Canadiens play the Jets in Winnipeg on Sunday 25 October, inside his two-to-four-week timeline.
19+ (18+ in AB/MB/QC) | Please play responsibly | Statistics are the NHL’s | Contract figures from CapWages, in US dollars | Injury statuses as listed by ESPN on 23 October | ConnexOntario: 1-866-531-2600 (ON); your province’s helpline is on our gambling awareness page.