After the Montreal Canadiens’ 4-3 comeback win over the Vancouver Canucks on Oct. 25, Nick Suzuki wasn’t talking about luck, bounces, or even his own strong play. He was talking about mindset. That word—maturity—kept coming up, and it might just be the best way to describe what’s happening in Montreal this season.
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Suzuki’s post-game chat with Dan Murphy (see video below) offered a small window into how this young Canadiens group is starting to grow up. “We’re just having a more mature mindset,” he said. “We’re not trying to force things that aren’t there. We’re letting the game come to us.”
Suzuki Points to Maturity as a Difference Maker for the Canadiens
That’s a simple sentence, but a telling one. A season or two ago, if the Canadiens fell behind early—as they did in this game—they often panicked. They’d start pressing, stretching plays, and giving up odd-man rushes the other way. You could almost see the frustration build shift by shift.
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This time was different. Suzuki said they “loved” their first period and didn’t let a bad second one knock them off track. Down 2–0, they didn’t chase the game; they stayed within it. “We got rewarded in the third,” he said, smiling. It’s the kind of calm that comes from players who’ve been through those failures before and learned how to handle them.
The Canadiens Have Prized Composure Over Chaos
Suzuki’s captaincy has become the quiet center of that composure. He’s not a rah-rah, pound-the-chest kind of leader, but he doesn’t need to be. His steadiness has started to rub off on his teammates, and you can see it in how they handle momentum swings.
Nick Suzuki, Montreal Canadiens (David Banks-Imagn Images)
Suzuki mentioned afterward that, in previous seasons, they might have come out “trying to press.” This season, the group seems to know when to wait for the right opportunity. That patience paid off in the third period as the Canadiens capitalized on a couple of power plays and got “some other big goals,” as Suzuki put it.
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It’s a subtle shift—but it’s everything in the NHL, where emotional control often decides close games.
Suzuki also made a point of singling out forward Ivan Demidov, who’s been turning heads. “He’s just making really good plays,” Suzuki said. “He’s finding space, using his time wisely. You can tell when a player has that—it’s been really good to see.”
Montreal Canadiens forward Juraj Slafkovsky, forward Ivan Demidov, and defenseman Lane Hutson celebrate Slafkovsky’s goal against the Vancouver Canucks (Bob Frid-Imagn Images)
For a 20-year-old, Demidov (who had a three-point game against the Canucks) looks surprisingly comfortable. He’s not just surviving out there; he’s starting to influence games. Suzuki’s praise sounded genuine, not rehearsed, which says a lot about how well Demidov has blended into the group. The Canadiens have been looking for that kind of dynamic young winger who can complement Suzuki’s cerebral style.
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And while Suzuki didn’t overdo the compliments, you could hear a captain’s pride when he talked about Demidov’s growth. “We know he’s a special player,” he said.
The Canadiens Have Reason to Trust Their Goalies This Season
Suzuki finished by talking about the other key figure in the win—the goaltender. “We’ve got a lot of trust in him to go in the crease and have good games,” he said, referring to Jakub Dobes, who many still label as the backup. “That’s all we need from both goalies—give us a chance to win every night.”
Montreal Canadiens goalie Jakub Dobes (David Kirouac-Imagn Images)
Again, the theme circles back to trust and steadiness. No panic. Just a belief in whoever’s in the net. It’s another sign of a maturing team that’s starting to understand what consistency looks like over 82 games.
A Final Take on the Canadiens’ Success
What I liked most in Suzuki’s words was how unforced they were. There was no grand statement about turning corners or proving doubters wrong. Just a captain describing a team slowly figuring out what it takes to win the right way.
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The Canadiens aren’t suddenly contenders, but they’re building something more durable—a foundation of patience, trust, confidence, and self-belief. Suzuki seems to know it, and if you listen closely, you can hear that confidence creeping into his voice.
For Montreal, that might be the surest sign of progress yet.
