Montreal Canadiens May Start Extension Talks With Nick Suzuki Soon

In Elliotte Friedman's most recent 32 Thoughts, he states that the Montreal Canadiens may decide to have extension talks with Nick Suzuki early on in the season. It would not be too surprising to see this, as they want to avoid another offer sheet situation like the one with Jesperi Kotkaniemi this summer. Keep in mind, Suzuki is in the final year of his entry-level contract and will be getting a big raise.

Suzuki took a notable step forward last season and seems to be emerging into one of the best two-way forwards in the league. In 56 games, he scored 15 goals and had 41 points. He also had 41 points during his rookie season, but that was in 71 games.

At just 22 years old, it is rather apparent that Suzuki is only going to continue to progress from here. He is already their first-line center and they surely need to keep him around. It will be intriguing to see if they end up giving him a bridge or long-term deal as his next contract. When looking at his significance to the team already, a long-term one may be the best call. This is especially the case if he produces even more this season.

We will have to wait and see if Friedman's prediction comes true. Most hockey fans would agree that it ultimately should.