Nick Suzuki misses practice for major reason ahead of Canadiens playoff opener

Suzuki was away because he is soon to be a dad, which takes any panic out of the headline right away. Montreal can live with that kind of absence a few days before the playoffs.

Kaiden Guhle and Jacob Fowler were also missing, so the skate was not full strength. Still, the biggest development on the ice was not who stayed out. It was who came back.

Alexandre Carrier returned to practice with his teammates on Thursday, and that changes the mood around Montreal’s blue line in a hurry. He was back in a contact jersey after missing time with an upper-body injury.

That matters because Carrier is not a spare part on this roster. He played 73 games this season and averaged 19:05, giving the Canadiens a steady right-shot option in tough minutes.

So yes, Suzuki’s absence will grab attention. But from a hockey angle, Carrier getting back into the practice flow is the detail that could swing the tone of this week.

Montreal did not grind through this season just to show up and admire the view. The Canadiens finished with 106 points and earned a first-round shot at the Tampa Bay Lightning.

This team built great momentum in the season. Suzuki put up 101 points, becoming the first Canadiens captain to hit triple digits, and he set the pace every night from the middle of the ice.

Cole Caufield gave them a finisher who can change a game in one touch. His 51 goals turned Montreal from a hard-working club into one that can punch back fast.

Lane Hutson pushed the attack from the back end with 78 points, and that gave St. Louis another layer when the first wave got clogged up. It is a big reason this team feels faster and less fragile than it did a year ago.

Now the Canadiens get Tampa Bay, and that is where Carrier’s return starts to look bigger. The Lightning can pressure a blue line into mistakes, especially once the forecheck starts leaning on a pair over and over.

If Suzuki misses a practice for family reasons, the room will smile and move on. If Carrier gets back to full speed, Montreal’s matchup picture gets better right away.

That is why this practice was not really about one absence. It was about the Canadiens looking more like themselves again just as the playoffs arrive, and that is a much better story for Montreal than a routine panic over attendance.

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