Speaking from personal experience, Suzuki's parents, Rob and Amanda, have always been an integral part of his support system.
He recalls them springing into action when his services were acquired by the Canadiens from the Vegas Golden Knights in September 2018.
"When I was traded, I was in Vegas and they were there. I didn't really know what to think of the whole thing. They were watching my rookie camp. They actually found out on Twitter before I was even able to tell them. They kind of calmed me down a bit. It was hard. I was pretty nervous about coming over here. I hadn't even played in an NHL game and I was going into Montreal getting traded for Max Pacioretty, who was a big player for this organization," remembered Suzuki. "I had to be in Vegas for the next couple of days, so I was kind of struggling mentally just overthinking a lot of stuff. They were there and we went to the Grand Canyon. It was good to get away from hockey and process everything."
Everything worked out for the best in Suzuki's case, and he's thriving in his new hockey home.
It always helps to have good teammates when you're learning the ropes in the NHL ranks, of course.
"Every single guy is available. I always end up talking to some older guys, even just one-on-one about stuff they've done in my shoes as a younger guy and what they've struggled with. They're all helping me out so I can learn from them," said Suzuki. "And all the young guys are always around each other and just talking about games, practices, and stuff that goes on away from the rink, too."