What happened: Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki will miss the next two to four weeks, per TSN. Oliver Kapanen is slated to move onto the first line to fill the top-center spot during Suzuki's absence.

Why it matters: Losing Suzuki removes Montreal's primary two-way center and on-ice leader after seven years as a lineup fixture. Shifting Kapanen into top-line duties tests the club's center depth early in the 2026-27 regular season while the Canadiens rework their special-teams units.

What to watch: Montreal will monitor Kapanen's handling of top-six matchups across the opening games of Suzuki's two-to-four-week recovery window.