It’s clear why many Montreal Canadiens fans went into panic mode when it was announced that captain Nick Suzuki would miss up to four weeks with an injury, the first of his career.

This is a captain who has single-handedly carried the team on his back on countless occasions. He was the first Canadiens player to post a point-per-game season since Alex Kovalev in 2007-08, the first to reach 100 points since Mats Naslund in 1985-86, and the first to run away with the Selke Trophy voting since Guy Carbonneau in 1991-92.

Suzuki is the team’s offensive engine, defensive anchor, and emotional leader, relying on his stoic demeanour to keep order in one of the most chaotic sports markets in the world.

However, if the last four games are any indication, the Canadiens may be far better equipped to handle his absence than anyone could have reasonably expected.

The Unexpected Heroes

Rather than scrambling to fill the void left by Suzuki, the Canadiens have had several players rise to the occasion. They put together a perfect 4-0 road trip, beating the Chicago Blackhawks, the Winnipeg Jets, the St. Louis Blues, as well as the Dallas Stars. Rookie netminder Jacob Fowler has offered spectacular efforts, but much of the credit also belongs to two veterans who have quietly become key cogs to the team’s success.

Jake Evans and Phillip Danault have stepped up in a big way, shouldering much of the leadership responsibility and becoming key driving forces behind the four-game winning streak. Both have been instrumental in shutting down opposing plays and winning crucial faceoffs. Evans even scored his first two goals of the season in Chicago, providing some much-needed offence when the team needed it most.

Danault’s veteran presence has been hugely important since he was reacquired last year, but without Suzuki in the lineup, he has taken his game to another level. He’s killing penalties, winning faceoffs and protecting the defensive zone like he’s guarding his firstborn child.

Alongside Alexandre Texier and Zachary Bolduc on the French Connection line, Danault has consistently been one of the team’s most reliable players this season. As it stands, the third line has controlled roughly 70 percent or more of the shots, scoring chances, and expected goals at 5v5, a clear-cut sign that they’re playing high-quality hockey.

The combined excellence of Evans and Danault in the faceoff circle, along with their exceptional defensive positioning, has helped Montreal limit high-danger scoring chances and provided the perfect support system for young goaltender Jacob Fowler.

Special Teams: Ups and Downs

Another major factor in the Habs’ recent success has been their penalty kill, which got off to a somewhat rocky start this season. Before Suzuki’s injury, the team was operating at a 78.4% success rate.

Following their four-game road trip, however, the Canadiens have climbed into the top third of the league, sitting 10th overall with an 83.7% success rate. They went an impressive 11-for-12 on the penalty kill over those four games.

The team appears to have adjusted to assistant coach Derek Lalonde’s aggressive “three-point pressure” system. Penalty killers are also doing a better job of taking away cross-ice seam passes and backdoor opportunities, forcing opponents into more predictable, mid-range shots. Fowler has been excellent in those situations, posting a .950 save percentage on the penalty kill, currently fourth-best in the NHL.

Unfortunately, while the penalty kill is thriving, the power play is an entirely different story. The Canadiens rank 30th in the league, having scored just four goals on 35 opportunities. This is where Suzuki’s absence, along with the injury to Ivan Demidov, is really being felt. They’re not generating enough shots, Caufield’s shooting lanes are being taken away, and head coach Martin St. Louis keeps shuffling the top unit in an attempt to get something going.

At this point, perhaps the best strategy is simply to avoid giving up any short-handed goals and wait for the captain to return.

A Glimpse of What’s Possible

Ultimately, the Habs have proven they can get the job done without their leader, at least over a short stretch of highly contested games.

There were concerns about how the team would manage without a true number-two centre, and now they’re showing they can survive without their number-one centre as well.

The question remains: What happens when Suzuki returns?

The Habs were very good with him in the lineup, and now they’re proving they can be relatively effective without him. Combine the two, and the Canadiens can evolve into a team which opponents dread facing.

All Montreal Canadiens statistics via NHL.com.