We know that Suzuki, who wasn’t selected by Canada for the 4 Nations Confrontation, broke everything in the final stretch of the season. Inevitably, therefore, there’s reason to believe that his candidacy has gained points in recent months. Especially since teams can bring 25 players to the Olympics, two more than at the 4 Nations Confrontation. The problem, though, is that there are quite a few candidates for the chair Suzuki would occupy. Guys like Robert Thomas, Macklin Celebrini and Connor Bedard, for example, could all vie for the position… but Suzuki has the advantage of playing in the Montreal market, which means he gets the spotlight more often. That helps build a reputation. However, the captain will need to make a strong start to the season to secure his place, as he’ll need to find a way to force the hand of management. And Engels brings up another interesting point: if Christian Dvorak doesn’t return to Montreal and isn’t really replaced, Suzuki could even more easily win points. Dvorak’s departure would force the captain to play even more short-handed, for example… and you’d think he’d take on a role like that with Canada. If he excels at short-handed play and does it often, his candidacy will become even more interesting.