Nick Suzuki
The poised and crafty center who, in his early twenties, was entrusted with leading the historic Montreal Canadiens franchise.
Born 1999 (age 27)·Canadian ice hockey player·Birthday: August 10·Generation Z
Biography
Nick Suzuki's path to hockey's most pressure-filled stage was one of quiet excellence. Drafted by the Vegas Golden Knights in 2017, he was traded to the Montreal Canadiens before playing an NHL game, a move that would define both his career and the team's future. In Montreal, he didn't just arrive; he assimilated, displaying a hockey IQ and two-way maturity that belied his age. His nickname, 'Slick Nick,' speaks to his elusive playmaking and clutch scoring, qualities he showcased during the Canadiens' unexpected run to the 2021 Stanley Cup Final. In 2022, the organization placed its faith in him, naming him the 31st captain in team history—a symbolic passing of the torch to a new, skilled generation tasked with restoring glory to a storied club.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Nick was born in 1999, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Nick Was Born
The biggest hits of 1999
#1 Movie
Star Wars: Episode I
Best Picture
American Beauty
#1 TV Show
ER
Nick's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1999Born
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2004Started school
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2012Became a teenager
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2015Could drive
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2017Could vote
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2020Turned 21
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 27 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Became the captain of the Montreal Canadiens in 2022, one of the youngest captains in team history.
- Recorded 7 goals and 9 assists during the Canadiens' 2021 playoff run to the Stanley Cup Final.
- Won the OHL Championship and Memorial Cup with the Guelph Storm in 2019.
Did You Know?
His brother, Ryan Suzuki, was also a first-round NHL draft pick, selected by the Carolina Hurricanes.
He is of Japanese and European descent; his middle name, Masaru, means 'victory' in Japanese.
He was a standout baseball player as a youth and only focused exclusively on hockey in his mid-teens.
“I want to be the guy that's counted on in every situation.”
