The Montreal Canadiens announced that captain Nick Suzuki is out two to four weeks with an upper-body injury. The team did not specify the nature of the injury, but a shot hit his left hand during Tuesday's overtime loss to the Sharks.
Suzuki has been a model of durability. These will be his first missed games in more than seven seasons in the league. His 546 consecutive games played is the second-longest streak among active players, behind only Brent Burns' 1,017. Suzuki's run ranks as the 20th longest of all time.
Suzuki's availability is only part of his value. He is one of the best two-way centers in the league and has increased his scoring in each of the past five seasons, reaching a career-high 101 points last year.
The absence will test Montreal's depth as the team works without its captain for at least two weeks, and the club has not yet said when he will return to the lineup.
Source: ESPN NHL · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing