NHL Player of the Month: Nick Suzuki
Whether the Montreal Canadiens play poorly, see a sudden burst in their play to rival some of the best teams in the NHL, or fall into a funk when that adrenaline wears off to start the second half of the season, Nick Suzuki is there on the best shifts the team has in a particular game, producing his one point every night.
In January, he led the way with 15 points in 14 games, bringing his season total to 51 through 51 matches. That’s the 29th-best production in the league to this point, and tied for 11th among centremen. He came up five short of his goal of being a point-per-game player last season, but is on pace to achieve that for the first time at 25 years old.
Nick Suzuki steals, Nick Suzuki scores
— Scott Matla (@scottmatla.bsky.social) January 19, 2025 at 9:48 PM
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The captain will be relied upon even more with Kaiden Guhle out for an indeterminate period of time as the club needs its captain’s 200-foot play to hold them in the playoff race. Now that the Canadiens have completed a demanding stretch of their season facing many top teams, they have the third-easiest schedule in the NHL for their remaining 31 games, which should help the cause, and at the very least give Suzuki plenty of chances to add more points to his season total.
Honourable mention: Jakub Dobes
Jakub Dobes made his NHL debut on December 28, and it wasn’t until 33 days later in his seventh start that he was dealt his first regulation loss. He was brought up because the Canadiens had to do something to address their goaltending after being forced to give Samuel Montembeault three starts in four nights before Christmas when Cayden Primeau wasn’t playing at an NHL standard. The team couldn’t have imagined his performance would be as strong as it has been. Even when taking out the shutout of the Florida Panthers he had to open his career, he was 4-1-1 in January with a .912 save percentage and 4.08 goals saved above expected.
Jakub Dobes are you KIDDING me?
— Matt Drake (@drakemt.bsky.social) January 25, 2025 at 10:42 PM
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He hasn’t maintained that form through his first month, and has begun allowing more goals in recent starts. But he still gives the team a chance to win the game he gets the call for, and that’s all you can really ask of a backup goaltender.
— Justin Blades
AHL Player of the Month: Cayden Primeau
The new year didn’t get off to the best of starts for Cayden Primeau as he was placed on waivers and eventually sent down to the AHL while Dobes replaced him as the NHL backup. A lot of players might take this news hard or struggle to adjust after seemingly making the next step in their pro career. Primeau however, locked in and used the demotion as a launching pad to get himself back on track.
Primeau started eight games for the Rocket in January, a month in which the Rocket lost just two total games, and only one of those losses came in regulation. Primeau put up a flawless record, going 8-0-0 in his starts with a stunning .932 save percentage, 1.73 goals-against average, and one shutout to his name.
The biggest part of this AHL assignment for Primeau was to regain his confidence and rediscover the form that made him the anointed NHL backup going into this season. Everything about his game with Laval has been nearly impeccable in the last month, from positioning to a new unshakeable confidence. Scrambles around his net are calmly dispatched, there are no mishandled shots from distances that create rebounds … everything is settling back into place for Primeau.
It remains unclear what the long-term plan might be for himthis season and beyond, but he’s given Kent Hughes and the Laval coaching staff everything they could have asked for in his demotion thus far.
— Scott Matla
European Prospect of the Month: Ivan Demidov
Demidov’s 14 points (9G, 5A) in 11 games in January make him the easy choice for the honours. While focus has been on increased ice time and points, it really is his overall play that has stood out. The ice-time has been earned the hard way, and power-play time has come with it.
Ivan Demidov fakes the defender and the camera man before scoring his 16th goal of the season.
— Patrik Bexell (@zebhabs.bsky.social) January 21, 2025 at 1:33 PM
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It is easy to be blinded by the flashes of brilliance and no-look passes, but to me it is his forecheck, backcheck, and positioning in the defensive zone that have stood out. He is showcasing himself to be a complete player, a team player who works well in most aspects of the game, something that will make his transition to the NHL a much smoother experience than I expected a couple of months ago.
He is relentless on the forecheck in the offensive zone. He is a bit over-eager in the neutral zone, but his positioning in the defensive zone is sound and secure. He keeps his head on a swivel and checks his position at all times, making sure to cut off passing lanes and most importantly doesn’t jump the play to get an easy chance for himself. His work ethic is spot on.
Ivan Demidov on a tear, coming in from the halfwall and just rips it for SKA's opening goal.
— Patrik Bexell (@zebhabs.bsky.social) January 28, 2025 at 1:08 PM
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However, even with all the positives on the wrong side of the puck, it is with the puck that he excels. He dekes, he sends defenders to the hotdog stand, and he has an accurate and fast shot. He is multifaceted, and this is what has Montreal Canadiens fans dreaming about a bright future. Even if it will have to wait until next season, according to Kent Hughes.
So far it is clear that Demidov is better than Matvei Michkov in all areas of the game but one: Demidov still hasn’t scored on a Michigan during his short professional career.
— Patrik Bexell
North American Prospect of the Month: Jacob Fowler
After skipping his turn in December, Jacob Fowler is back on top for January. With three shutouts, a 1.25 goals-against average and a .953 save percentage, Fowler racked up some impressive performances for Boston College last month. Most notable were his back-to-back 30-save performances over last weekend’s showdown against Boston University, leaving no doubt about his spot on this list.
Fowler is gaining confidence; bad games don’t shake him as much as they did last year. He allowed five goals in a loss to start the month, and hasn’t lost a game since, allowing five goals total in his last seven matches. On top of his improving mental game, the development of Fowler’s athletic abilities has been at the forefront of his top-class performances of late. He plants his feet more precisely when squaring up to shots, and can explode off his edges much more effectively.
With the Canadiens leaning on Samuel Montembeault in the medium term, and with Jakub Dobes prematurely hitting the NHL and not looking out of place, the Habs are in a good spot between the pipes, but Fowler has the potential to outperform both of them. His poise, technical soundness, and improving footwork offer a sound base of NHL skills, and he will soon outgrow his learning curve in Boston College. With enough patience and steady development, the Habs will have their next starter.
— Hadi Kalakeche
PWHL Player of the Month: Marie-Philip Poulin
Marie-Philip Poulin didn’t have a bad start to the season anywhere but on the stat sheet. She was the same player she always was, a game-breaker and game-changer who was as good defensively as she is when she has the puck on her stick. In January, she reminded everyone who may have forgotten why she is (still) the best player in the world. In seven games she had six goals, including a hat trick on January 29. She moved into the PWHL lead in goals, and she’s also creeping into the top 10 in league scoring despite Montreal playing the least amount of games.
She also had goals like this missile:
POULIN !!!! OTT 1, MTL 1
— Victoire de MontrĂ©al (@victoire-lphf.bsky.social) January 29, 2025 at 8:20 PM
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And who can forget her Superwoman goal in Vancouver?
Marie-Philip Poulin doing Marie-Philip Poulin things. Scores a beauty of a goal from her knees. 3-0 Montreal. Victoire are taking over the game. #PWHL pic.twitter.com/hI53RotCoc
— Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) January 9, 2025
The fact that she hasn’t been leading the way offensively all season but Montreal is still the best team in the league should scare every other team. Their power play is under 20% effectiveness too, which, given the talent on the team, is another scary thought.
Poulin wasn’t the only person who was considered for this spot, and really it could have been one of several players, the result of a month that saw the Victoire go 5-1-1 with four of those wins in regulation (which net a full three points in the PWHL).
Erin Ambrose had eight assists in seven games, in a month she was actually removed from the first power-play unit. She’s a difference-maker whenever she is on the ice, as evidenced by her league-leading +9 while playing the most minutes of anyone on the team. She had a slow start on the stat sheet, but that changed quickly in January
The final honourable mention was Ann-Renée Desbiens. The Montreal goaltender posted a 4-0-1 record and her only regulation loss dates back to the second game of the season on December 4. Over the five games in January, she had a 1.57 goals-against average and .944 save percentage. She leads all starting goaltenders in the PWHL in wins, goals-against average, and save percentage.
— Jared Book
NHL Player | AHL Player | EUR Prospect | NA Prospect | PWHL Player | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
January | Nick Suzuki | Cayden Primeau | Ivan Demidov | Jacob Fowler | Marie-Philip Poulin |
December | Jake Evans | Adam Engström | Oliver Kapanen | Owen Protz | Abby Boreen |
November | Nick Suzuki | Jared Davidson | Oliver Kapanen | Jacob Fowler | |
October | Cole Caufield | Joshua Roy | Ivan Demidov | Sam Harris |