The biggest piece in a surprisingly strong return for Max Pacioretty, Nick Suzuki immediately became one of the top prospects in the Montreal Canadiens organization on September 10, 2018. Picked 13th overall in the 2017 NHL Draft, he had just put together a 100-point campaign in the OHL before the Vegas Golden Knights decided to focus more on their present Stanley Cup chances than their future.
A first season under the Canadiens umbrella that was slightly less productive than his previous one caused some concern, but an explosion in the playoffs not only erased those doubts, but proved he was ready to challenge for an NHL spot.