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Dans les coulisses

Olivier Primeau: “Suzuki and Caufield didn’t do it to make millions”.

Prior to Patrik Laine’s arrival, Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield (in order) were the Habs’ highest-paid forwards.

They signed big contracts because Habs management believed in their respective potential.

But in the eyes of Olivier Primeau, the Habs’ two young leaders don’t deserve to be paid so much because they’ve “done nothing” to earn millions.

At least, that’s what he said on the Le Playbook podcast, which is supported by BPM Sports.

The excerpt was posted directly to Primeau’s Instagram account :

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Olivier Primeau explains his point by saying that Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield didn’t win.

For him, since the Habs haven’t made the playoffs in recent years, the two guys have no business earning millions of dollars annually.

That’s like Carey Price, who took the Habs all the way to the Stanley Cup Final in the summer of 2021… But who didn’t have a great playoff run, according to Olivier Primeau.

Makes sense… #Not

On the one hand, it’s true that Caufield’s contract can be scary because he’s been affected by injuries, because he’s smaller than the others and because he didn’t score as many goals as expected last season.

That said, Habs management decided to offer him such a contract, and it’s not for his good looks or because he smiles in everyday life: Caufield has a specialty, and players who can score goals get paid in the National League.

The same goes for Nick Suzuki… who is establishing himself as one of the NHL’s top two-way centers after a 77-point season in 23-24.

When a player’s monetary value is as high as Suzuki’s or Caufield’s, it’s not necessarily because the player has won or has Stanley Cup rings.

It’s because the player brings something to the rink that can help you win.

In this case, it’s all too easy to point the finger at two youngsters who produced at the right level… When, on the other hand, the Habs didn’t have the resources to succeed on a regular basis.

Overtime

– Important message:

– Logical.

– He’s got things to prove, though.

– I agree.