Cole Caufield: Is this the year?

[Maitz]

34

 

[Seb]

I call IR for weeks/months and only 30+ goals

 

[Kaladin]

40+ goals is my base expectation if he plays 82 games. Caufield is the truth.

 

[Belial]

I voted under 30 because I don't trust his shoulder

I call IR for weeks/months and only 30+ goals

Caufield has been pretty healthy throughout his young career even though he's small.

I don't get the sudden concerns about his health.

Last year they decided to cut his season short because the team had no real aspirations to make the PO but he could've played the whole year apparently and gotten the issue fixed during the summer.

 

[BLONG7]

Kid is a natural goal scorer...........going to say 43 goals, and 27 assists....
This will happen only if we can fix the damn PP. If we can't fix the PP then it looks like he should easily get 35 goals....

If most of you are right, and he hits 50 we will have our first player to do so since, Stephane Richer.
Let that sink in...........

 

[salbutera]

Kid is a natural goal scorer...........going to say 43 goals, and 27 assists....
This will happen only if we can fix the damn PP. If we can't fix the PP then it looks like he should easily get 35 goals....

If most of you are right, and he hits 50 we will have our first player to do so since, Stephane Richer.
Let that sink in...........

Who was the first one to do so since Lafleur 9-seasons prior…

 

[Seb]

Caufield has been pretty healthy throughout his young career even though he's small.

I don't get the sudden concerns about his health.

Last year they decided to cut his season short because the team had no real aspirations to make the PO but he could've played the whole year apparently and gotten the issue fixed during the summer.

It's not about Caufield specifically, it's the Habs as a whole. They've been injured so much the past few seasons I'm just kinda expecting it again.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Kid is a natural goal scorer...........going to say 43 goals, and 27 assists....
This will happen only if we can fix the damn PP. If we can't fix the PP then it looks like he should easily get 35 goals....

If most of you are right, and he hits 50 we will have our first player to do so since, Stephane Richer.
Let that sink in...........

He paced for 48 over the past two years with a terrible PP. I don’t see why that production would slip now.

Obviously he has to be healthy. But injuries are a wildcard. I think if he’s healthy he’s going to hit 50 bad PP or not. I realize it’s a bold prediction but the talent’s there. The results have been there already. No reason he doesn’t improve at the age of 22. Only thing that stops him is health.

 

[HuGort]

Caufield has been pretty healthy throughout his young career even though he's small.

I don't get the sudden concerns about his health.

Last year they decided to cut his season short because the team had no real aspirations to make the PO but he could've played the whole year apparently and gotten the issue fixed during the summer.

I played a lot of hockey, I know a shoulder is result of getting hit. Small man if he gets crunched again, I just don't feel good about it.

 

[Habs13]

Coming off shoulder surgery is scary... voted 30+, but 50 is in the 30+ category! 30 plus another 20

 

[Scriptor]

Apart from both players staying healthy, If Suzuki scores 30+, Caufield scores 50, guaranteed.

Suzuki as a dual threat is instrumental in giving Caufield that split second more that he needs to unwind from a sweet spot on the ice.

Caufield's ability to get his shot off in record time is notorious.

The winger needs to shoot 300 times and keep the sames shot percentage as last year to reach the 50-goal mark.

Expecting a 16.5 shooting percentage from an elite shooter like Caufield may be a little high, but it is not impossible. Either that, or increase the shots to Ovechkin levels (365 shots per 82 games), rather than just 300 shots in a season.

Then, Caufield would need only a 13.7% shooting percentage torch 50 goals.

 

[Scriptor]

I think that the fear about the shoulder is overblown, personally. Caufield suffered the same type of injury as Anderson and the power horse's shoulder, given the pseudo Tommy John procedure to correct that type of injury is as strong, if not stronger today than before the injury.

You are correct to worry for the upcoming year -- but only in terms of performance -- because it took something like 18 months, if I recall correctly, for Anderson regain full mobility at full strength.

Nonetheless, when injured, because of how close to the body Caufield's shot is, he was still able to get quality shots off and would have been able to play through the injury had there been anything at stake last season.

I don't think that the lack of full range of motion, for Caufield, will be that much of a handicap, but he might just fall short of 50 goals because of it.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Apart from both players staying healthy, If Suzuki scores 30+, Caufield scores 50, guaranteed.

Suzuki as a dual threat is instrumental in giving Caufield that split second more that he needs to unwind from a sweet spot on the ice.

Caufield's ability to get his shot off in record time is notorious.

The winger needs to shoot 300 times and keep the sames shot percentage as last year to reach the 50-goal mark.

Expecting a 16.5 shooting percentage from an elite shooter like Caufield may be a little high, but it is not impossible. Either that, or increase the shots to Ovechkin levels (365 shots per 82 games), rather than just 300 shots in a season.

Then, Caufield would need only a 13.7% shooting percentage torch 50 goals.

He just needs a few more minutes a game.

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

Just needs to stay healthy and he’ll hit 40 at least possibly 50.

 

[Scriptor]

He just needs a few more minutes a game.

Really? I think his average TOI of 18:03 last season is perfect for him.

What he needs to dois produce more on the PP and get his goal production on the PP closer to the 35%/40% range in terms of his total goals, rather than the 26% mark it is currently at.

Basically, he needs to score 17 or 18 goals the PP to reach the 50-goal plateau, IMO.

Maybe he should play with Dach and Monahan on the PP, and not with Suzuki?

Something needs to give for that PP to be better. There are good enough players to have better results.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

I voted 30+

 

[Rapala]

I voted 30+

As I did simply because I don't know who his right winger will be. To hit higher numbers that line has to be a three headed monster not two.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Really? I think his average TOI of 18:03 last season is perfect for him.

What he needs to dois produce more on the PP and get his goal production on the PP closer to the 35%/40% range in terms of his total goals, rather than the 26% mark it is currently at.

Basically, he needs to score 17 or 18 goals the PP to reach the 50-goal plateau, IMO.

Maybe he should play with Dach and Monahan on the PP, and not with Suzuki?

Something needs to give for that PP to be better. There are good enough players to have better results.

I think a good PP would absolutely get him there. But he’s pacing for it without a good PP. I think he gets there regardless if he’s healthy.

 

[Scriptor]

As I did simply because I don't know who his right winger will be. To hit higher numbers that line has to be a three headed monster not two.

Which is precisely why I believe, after trying a few different line combinations,MSL will return to a first line of Caufield - Suzuki - Dach, at least while everyone is healthy and still on the team.

A second line of either Slafkovsky - Monahan - Newhook, or Newhook - Monahan - Anderson will maker a top-6 that supports the first line of Caufield - Suzuki- Dach and takes all three players' point production to new heights.

Chope Slafkovsky can risotto the occasion and play a meaningful role on a second line. That way, we could rely on budding chemistry (last season) between RHP and Anderson for a complementary third line that can bring secondary scoring.

With Dvorak likely out of the lineup to start the season, I'd give Beck up to a nine-game tryout to see if he belongs in the NHL this early in his career, rather than sending him automatically back down to Juniors.

Start of season lineup (with Dvorak out of the lineup):

Caufield - Suzuki - Dach
Slafkovsky - Monahan - Newhook
RHP - Beck - Anderson
Armia - Evans/Andersson - Gallagher

Late season lineup (after trade deadline, with Monahan likely traded):

Caufield - Suzuki - Newhook
Slafkovsky - Dach - Anderson
RHP - Dvorak - Heineman
Armia - Evans/Andersson - Gallagher

Of course, I'd rather also see Roy also make the lineup later on in the season, but I'mcounting on Heineman being closer the NHL:

Caufield - Suzuki - Newhook
Slafkovsky - Dach - Roy (like the talent level this line and better hockey IQ than with Anderson)
RHP - Dvorak - Anderson
Heineman - Evans/Andersson - Gallagher
Armia

I think a good PP would absolutely get him there. But he’s pacing for it without a good PP. I think he gets there regardless if he’s healthy.

I can't imagine how exciting it will be to track Caufield's scoring this upcoming season!?

Still think Dach needs to start the season on the RW with Caufield and Suzuki to get things going. I'd hate to start the season with a rotating cast of RWs as we try to establish chemistry on that line with someone other than Dach. I'd rather start by building confidence all around and then see if there is chemistry with someone else as another option before returning Dach to C.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Everybody is writing that he hits 50 or him and Nick go ppg if we have a good pp , we won't have a good pp , it's an irrelevant point, they have a really hard time gaining the zone as a duo in my opinion , need some help

 

[atrud66]

Caufield at 7.85 vs Matthews at 13.25. We did well

 

[SlafySZN]

Everybody is writing that he hits 50 or him and Nick go ppg if we have a good pp , we won't have a good pp , it's an irrelevant point, they have a really hard time gaining the zone as a duo in my opinion , need some help

That’s why i’ve wanted Caufield to play with a player like Dach. Once we have more top 6 talent you can split Caufield and Suzuki.

But Cole paced for around 43 goals last season without a good PP, he scores mostly 5on5 ans even strength so i think 50 is not that unattainable. Probably not next season but in the near futur.

 

[Matthew McConaughay]

Caufield at 7.85 vs Matthews at 13.25. We did well

For 8 years also, a steal.

 

[KevSkillz4]

44 and 36 assists for a great total of 80 points!

 

[Scriptor]

Everybody is writing that he hits 50 or him and Nick go ppg if we have a good pp , we won't have a good pp , it's an irrelevant point, they have a really hard time gaining the zone as a duo in my opinion , need some help

Dach at RW. Everybody on that line, including Dach, benefit from it in the short, medium and long term.

Other prospects need to grow into a first line role before we remove Dach from that line.