"The Canadiens definitely wanted a top prospect, but it wasn't necessarily Suzuki that they coveted. It was the young left-handed offensive defenseman Erik Brannstrom that they had in mind, as it was a significant organizational need while Victor Mete was playing on a pair with Shea Weber. They also made an attempt with Cody Glass.
However, the Canadiens ultimately agreed to receive any of the three first-round picks from the Golden Knights in 2017 and let the Knights choose between Glass (6th overall), Suzuki (13th overall), or Brannstrom (15th overall) to complete the deal, hoping it would be Brannstrom. Vegas decided that Glass was untouchable and eventually traded Brannstrom to the Senators a few months later in the Mark Stone trade. The Knights had doubts about Suzuki's ability to produce at a high level, and he was ultimately the one they sacrificed."
