Nick Suzuki Declines World Championship Invite, Focuses on Recovery and Future Olympics

Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki’s season came to an end with a tough five-game loss to the Washington Capitals in the playoffs. While many players are looking to extend their campaigns by representing their countries at the IIHF World Championship, Suzuki is opting for rest and recovery instead of international competition.

According to Marc Antoine Godin, Suzuki declined an invitation to join Team Canada for the upcoming World Championship. The decision comes as Suzuki continues to nurse injuries that he had been playing through during the final stretch of the regular season and into the playoffs.

“Nick Suzuki is still nursing injuries and won’t be joining Team Canada at the World Championship,” Godin reported.

Suzuki had been invited alongside some of Canada’s biggest stars, including Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, and Marc-Andre Fleury, who is making a return to international play after coming out of retirement. While fellow Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson accepted his spot on the roster, Suzuki’s decision to pass on the tournament reflects the toll his injuries took on him during the season.

During his exit interview with the media, Suzuki opened up about the physical strain he had endured, revealing that he had been playing through multiple injuries. Despite this, he maintained his durability, not having missed a single game in his NHL career. However, after a long and taxing season, the Canadiens captain made it clear that prioritizing his health and recovery was the best choice moving forward.

“I just gotta get cleared by the team,” Suzuki said. “Was pretty banged up down the stretch and into the playoffs. We’ll see what happens.”

Suzuki, who registered 89 points in 82 regular-season games and added two goals in the Canadiens’ brief playoff run, is already setting his sights on bigger international aspirations. He is particularly focused on the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, which he views as a significant goal.

“It’s pretty big,” Suzuki said of the Olympic opportunity. “Been a dream of mine ever since I was a kid to play in the Olympics. So, I’ll try to do everything I can. If I have a good start next year, I feel like I can put my name in the hat.”

As Suzuki recovers from his injuries, his sights are set on achieving even greater success with the Canadiens and, in the long term, securing a spot on Team Canada for the 2026 Olympics. While this offseason may be a quiet one for Suzuki on the international stage, his focus on recovery could pay dividends in the future.