Nick Suzuki (MTL) capped off one of the most impressive junior seasons in recent memory with 42 points in 24 playoff games as his Guelph Storm won the Ontario Hockey League championship in a tight six-game series against the Ottawa 67’s.
He’s been huge for our run. He’s been that key guy, that key player we look to…He’s just improved so much over the years, just those little minor skills. The puck always seems to find him.
Teammate Isaac Ratcliffe (PHL)
Centering one of the most dominant lines in the OHL with Ratcliffe and MacKenzie Entwistle (CHI), Suzuki dominated the playoffs and helped carry the Storm back from a 3-0 series deficit in the second round against London and a 2-0 series deficit in the finals against Ottawa. In addition to scoring, Suzuki was integral to the Storm with his strong two-way play, killing penalties and shutting down Ottawa’s top line.
Overall, the 2018-2019 season was a banner year for hockey players of Asian descent in the OHL: Filipino-American Jason Robertson (DAL) led the OHL in scoring with 117 points, averaging over two points per game for the Niagara Ice Dogs after a mid-season trade, while Nick Suzuki was named the Most Sportsmanlike Player of the Year for the third consecutive season.
Both Robertson and Suzuki have younger brothers projected to go at the beginning of the NHL draft later this year: Ryan Suzuki, a former first-overall OHL draft pick and creative playmaking centre who’ll go in the first round of the NHL draft, and winger Nick Robertson, who’s non-stop motor will see him drafted in the first two rounds next month. Both younger siblings averaged over a point per game in the OHL this season, with 75 points for Ryan Suzuki and 55 points for Nick Robertson.
Asian Americans in Hockey 