Canadiens teammates Caufield, Suzuki surprise each other with NHL awards

Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki were voted winner of the Lady Byng Trophy and Frank J. Selke Trophy, respectively, and the NHL came up with an idea for the Montreal Canadiens teammates to surprise one another. 

"Kind of a unique way of revealing the trophies," Canadiens president of hockey operations Jeff Gorton said. "They're very humble guys. They want to always give credit to the team, and you saw that."

The Canadiens were summoned to their locker room one day after a 6-2 win against the Buffalo Sabres at Bell Centre on May 10 that gave them a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference Second Round. The next night was Game 4, Suzuki proclaiming it the toughest game of the best-of-7 series. Neither Caufield nor the team captain expected anything beyond a routine team meeting. 

Turns out there was a lot more to the gathering than met the eye, a clandestine operation unveiled when a reclining Caufield was taken out of a chill state by Suzuki's presentation of the award given annually to the player voted best to combine sportsmanship, gentlemanly conduct and ability by the Professional Hockey Writers Association. The 25-year-old forward became the first Canadiens player to score 50 goals since Stephane Richer in 1989-90 and finished with 51, second in the NHL behind Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon (53).

"I kind of got tricked into not knowing what was going on today," Caufield said. "It's an individual award that comes with all the team aspects of things, and all your great teammates and coaches and everything that comes along with it."

Though Caufield's 88 points in 81 games tied for 15th in the NHL, the sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct behind the spirit of the Lady Byng are reflected by him taking just seven minor penalties and 14 penalty minutes while averaging 18:11 of ice time per game, fewest among top-25 players in scoring. That convinced voters to name Caufield the first Canadiens player to win the award since Mats Naslund in 1987-88 over finalists, center Anze Kopitar (Los Angeles Kings) and defenseman Jake Sanderson (Ottawa Senators), even with Kopitar retiring from the NHL a three-time Lady Byng winner and Sanderson taking four minor penalties while averaging 24:50 of ice time per game. 

"I didn't expect this," Caufield told his teammates. "This doesn't happen without you guys, everybody in this room."

Then it was Caufield's turn to surprise and delight, handing Suzuki the trophy given annually to the forward voted best to excel in the defensive aspects of the game by the PHWA. The 26-year-old has not missed a game in his seven-season NHL career and led the Canadiens with an NHL career-high 101 points (29 goals, 72 assists), power-play points (43) and plus-minus (plus-37) in 82 games. 

"I thought I was coming in this morning just to our meeting and present Cole with the Lady Byng," Suzuki said. "I didn't expect that at all, after. You guys definitely tricked both of us. Pretty surreal right now, really honored to be selected for the award."

Suzuki was chosen ahead of centers Anthony Cirelli (Tampa Bay Lightning) and Brock Nelson (Avalanche) and is the first Montreal skater to win the Selke since Guy Carbonneau in 1991-92. He was sixth in the NHL with 1,449 face-offs taken, winning 50.4 percent, and averaged 20:49 of ice time per game, best among Montreal forwards.

"He's been special for us not only this year but in years past with the work that he puts in, the detail," Caufield said. "Not only on the offensive side, but the defensive side. Nobody's more deserving of this award than Nick."

Suzuki was traded to the Canadiens in the deal that sent Max Pacioretty to the Vegas Golden Knights on Sept. 10, 2018, at age 23 was named the youngest captain in team history Sept. 12, 2022, and signed an eight-year, $63 million contract with Montreal on Oct. 12, 2021.

Caufield, the No. 15 pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, joined Suzuki when he made his NHL debut with four shots on goal in 15:40 of ice time in a 2-1 win at the Calgary Flames on April 26, 2021. 

The two have since bonded on and off the ice, including when Suzuki assisted on Caufield's goal for his 300th NHL point in a 7-5 win at the Buffalo Sabres on Nov. 11, 2024. They helped the Canadiens (48-24-10) finish second in the Atlantic Division this season and advance to the Eastern Conference Final, a five-game loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.

"Two great people, unbelievable hockey players that get recognized what kind of impact they have in the League, so it's special," Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis said. "'Suzi's' a little bit older but he's been a great role model for Cole and took him under his wing. They shared so many things, but I think to share this experience, this day, I think it's something they'll remember. 

"Our focus here has been so much about the team that I don't think Cole and Suzi wouldn't want it any other way. As much as they are the recipient, they know that it's also probably a team award because it takes more than one guy to go get these trophies."