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Nick Suzuki, captain of the Montreal Canadiens, is about to see his continuous playing streak draw to a close.
Following an uninterrupted run of 546 regular-season appearances, the organization stated on Thursday that Suzuki is expected to miss two to four weeks because of an upper-body issue.
His run stood as the second-highest active sequence, trailing only Avalanche blueliner Brent Burns (1,017 games), while ranking 20th overall in the history of the NHL.
Ever since entering the league in the 2019–20 campaign, the Montreal skipper had yet to sit out a single contest.
During Tuesday’s 4-3 defeat in extra time against San Jose, Suzuki registered a goal alongside an assist while logging slightly more than 21 minutes on the ice.
With roughly five minutes left in regulation, a shot launched by blueliner Michael Kesselring struck him on his left hand.
Throughout his entire professional career, Montreal’s captain had never skipped an NHL contest. He participated in 546 straight matches—a mark second only to Brent Burns’ 1,017 games among current players.
Although the center remained on the ice until the end of the match, team media relations reported that he skipped post-game interviews to receive medical attention.
The forward is fresh off a career-defining 2025-26 campaign in which he registered 101 points and earned the Selke Trophy, awarded to the NHL’s top defensive forward.
Additionally, he earned a silver medal while representing Team Canada at the 2026 Olympic Games.
His current campaign was off to an impressive start, having accumulated 12 points (five goals, seven assists) through his first nine outings.
Currently sitting in sixth place in the Atlantic Division, the Canadiens are set to launch a four-game road swing targeting Western Conference opponents, beginning Friday in Chicago.
