Cole Caufield: Is this the year?

[SlafySZN]

Our guy!

 

[Gillings]

It’s up to him if he wants to write history. Can he do it?

 

[Skip Bayless]

Our guy!

View attachment 742895

This is it.

 

[SlafySZN]

This is it.

Face of a man who’s gonna score 50.

 

[Alexandre Magny]

47

 

[McGees]

FITTY

 

[HuGort]

Like to see Habs acquire high octane center. Caufield should increase by 20% more. Be good for Suzuki also as he had to do a lot of the heavy lifting last two seasons.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Like to see Habs acquire high octane center. Caufield should increase by 20% more. Be good for Suzuki also as he had to do a lot of the heavy lifting last two seasons.

I’m curious to see how Dach does this year. I hope he gets some time with CC. Long term, if he can emerge as being close to as good or better than Suzuki, I think it makes more sense to pair him with CC. The size difference definitely helps.

 

[HuGort]

I’m curious to see how Dach does this year. I hope he gets some time with CC. Long term, if he can emerge as being close to as good or better than Suzuki, I think it makes more sense to pair him with CC. The size difference definitely helps.

Going to be deciding season on Dach. He needs to win faceoffs to be top offensive center. He played his best hockey with Caufield and Suzuki.

If they switch him to wing need to trade for star center. Because Caufield would be lethal with 100 point center. Usually a star improves his linemates.

They say Suzuki and Caufield are not good defensively. But I think they are looking at analytics too much. The eye test I noticed Suzuki logged a lot of minutes against stars of league. Seemed like every game it was Barkov or Matthews, Crosby he went head to head against. Or good defensive center. Like to see Suzuki play more minutes against lesser talented centers. See his numbers improve. I am quite sure of it.

 

[SlafySZN]

Going to be deciding season on Dach. He needs to win faceoffs to be top offensive center. He played his best hockey with Caufield and Suzuki.

If they switch him to wing need to trade for star center. Because Caufield would be lethal with 100 point center. Usually a star improves his linemates.

They say Suzuki and Caufield are not good defensively. But I think they are looking at analytics too much. The eye test I noticed Suzuki logged a lot of minutes against stars of league. Seemed like every game it was Barkov or Matthews, Crosby he went head to head against. Or good defensive center. Like to see Suzuki play more minutes against lesser talented centers. See his numbers improve. I am quite sure of it.

He played better when he got back to center actually.

And i don’t think it’s a deciding season, he’s still developing.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Going to be deciding season on Dach. He needs to win faceoffs to be top offensive center. He played his best hockey with Caufield and Suzuki.

If they switch him to wing need to trade for star center. Because Caufield would be lethal with 100 point center. Usually a star improves his linemates.

They say Suzuki and Caufield are not good defensively. But I think they are looking at analytics too much. The eye test I noticed Suzuki logged a lot of minutes against stars of league. Seemed like every game it was Barkov or Matthews, Crosby he went head to head against. Or good defensive center. Like to see Suzuki play more minutes against lesser talented centers. See his numbers improve. I am quite sure of it.

Dach made that line much, much better. So yes, he can always be used as a wing.

I don't think faceoffs are a reason to give up on him at center - not now anyway. Let him develop and see where things go. If we can get a big point getting center it would be huge for us. Some have his ceiling higher than I do but even if he's even with Suzuki at around 70 points... that's a solid one two punch.

As I said, long run I'd rather him with Caufield to help on the size side. Hopefully Slaf develops and we can put him with Suzuki to help there too. For now? I'd split CC between these guys. Let them both rack up some points because - in my opinion anyway - CC is our best offensive player. Very consistent goal scorer and I think his assist total was artificially low because his team didn't score. He was making nice setups and they weren't converted.

I think Caufield should be used as an exploitive player though. He's not a two way stud who I think should be killing penalties. He should be out on the PP, offensive zone starts, good linemates. Let him do what he does best. And it's not like this team is packed with goal scorers. I think he's going to be our best forward. It won't surprise me at all if he wins a Richard at some point.

 

[BenchBrawl]

He'll score at least 40 without injuries. Maybe 50.

 

[red devil]

 

[Saundies]

"If you don't want to be there, just get out."

Hell yeah Cole. None of this "can Montreal attract players?" Nah, you should wanna be here. Let's hope this kid's performance is a big recruiter in that regard for years to come.

 

[CheldishGamibno]

On pace for 50 but gets injured at game 58

 

[nhlfan9191]

Going to be deciding season on Dach. He needs to win faceoffs to be top offensive center. He played his best hockey with Caufield and Suzuki.

If they switch him to wing need to trade for star center. Because Caufield would be lethal with 100 point center. Usually a star improves his linemates.

They say Suzuki and Caufield are not good defensively. But I think they are looking at analytics too much. The eye test I noticed Suzuki logged a lot of minutes against stars of league. Seemed like every game it was Barkov or Matthews, Crosby he went head to head against. Or good defensive center. Like to see Suzuki play more minutes against lesser talented centers. See his numbers improve. I am quite sure of it.

Caufield is adequate defensively for the raw goal scoring he should bring in his prime. Suzuki is great regardless of metrics on a bad team.

 

[Miller Time]

"If you don't want to be there, just get out."

Hell yeah Cole. None of this "can Montreal attract players?" Nah, you should wanna be here. Let's hope this kid's performance is a big recruiter in that regard for years to come.

If you build it, they will come.

Hughes, MSL & Gorton are building a culture that's an easy sell for players. Add to that the energy of playing in front of the loudest crowd in pro hockey and the legacy piece (that means something to a lot of guys who have bled hockey and nice their early childhood) and you have the recipe for long term success.

Gainey was tinkering around the edges of it, but he dropped the ball on his coaching decisions & messed up the one big reset summer with the Gomez trade & Smurf brigade approach.

Hughes has his coach, gets the nuances of relating to a younger generation and time will tell if he has a nose for seizing the opportunity & timing for the big splash to push the roster over the top

Future is bright

 

[Nedved]

If this guy stays healthy he'll be a top 10 goal scorer for a decade. He's got "it".

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

MIA for almost the whole game. Then shows up and looks like Steve Yzerman for the last five minutes.

He's the first player I can remember since Richer who I expect to score a goal when I'm watching a game. Somehow, some way he's going to put one in. He has the makings of a really special player if he can stay healthy.

 

[JianYang]

Alot of stars have to align for him to have a chance at 50. First of all, he's gotta be healthy all year. That means not only that he plays a full year, but also he can't have any nagging injuries in those 82 games which hamper his scoring. That in itself is hard to do.

40 plus would also be excellent.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

Alot of stars have to align for him to have a chance at 50. First of all, he's gotta be healthy all year. That means not only that he plays a full year, but also he can't have any nagging injuries in those 82 games which hamper his scoring. That in itself is hard to do.

40 plus would also be excellent.

almost sounds like one star has to align

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Alot of stars have to align for him to have a chance at 50. First of all, he's gotta be healthy all year. That means not only that he plays a full year, but also he can't have any nagging injuries in those 82 games which hamper his scoring. That in itself is hard to do.

40 plus would also be excellent.

It is a very tall order. No shame if he doesn't hit it.

The reason I think he does is because he's coming into his prime. He has a great track record of success. He's got 48 goals in his last 83 games.

Obviously he won't do it if he gets hurt. That's the wildcard (as it is for every player.)

If he's healthy for 82 games though? I think he'll get to 50.

There's no problem with his shot. And there's actually a little more sizzle to his game as he's progressed. There's definitely some flash that he's starting to show. The biggest challenge for him is going to be getting the puck in the opposing zone and keeping it there. We've got a really green blueline. I think we're still very young and will be outplayed in most games. He will have to be better than he's been in the preseason at hitting the net as well.

So yeah, it's not like it'll be a cakewalk. But 50 is a realistic goal and one I'm sure he's got marked on his wall. I think he does it this year.

 

[MadMslm]

It is a very tall order. No shame if he doesn't hit it.

The reason I think he does is because he's coming into his prime. He has a great track record of success. He's got 48 goals in his last 83 games.

Obviously he won't do it if he gets hurt. That's the wildcard (as it is for every player.)

If he's healthy for 82 games though? I think he'll get to 50.

There's no problem with his shot. And there's actually a little more sizzle to his game as he's progressed. There's definitely some flash that he's starting to show. The biggest challenge for him is going to be getting the puck in the opposing zone and keeping it there. We've got a really green blueline. I think we're still very young and will be outplayed in most games. He will have to be better than he's been in the preseason at hitting the net as well.

So yeah, it's not like it'll be a cakewalk. But 50 is a realistic goal and one I'm sure he's got marked on his wall. I think he does it this year.

That’s one area of the game where Caufield actually got better. Even when he was playing under Ducharme and not scoring, he was starting to win some battles for the puck.

He’s a smart player, you see he uses multiple techniques to get out with the puck on the boards and position himself or his stick to gain some time and keep the cycling going.

That’s why I’m not worried about his offensive production, he showed he could adapt and find ways to keep the offense going.

Add that to his shot and you know he will score a lot of goals.

 

[Lshap]

It is a very tall order. No shame if he doesn't hit it.

The reason I think he does is because he's coming into his prime. He has a great track record of success. He's got 48 goals in his last 83 games.

Obviously he won't do it if he gets hurt. That's the wildcard (as it is for every player.)

If he's healthy for 82 games though? I think he'll get to 50.

There's no problem with his shot. And there's actually a little more sizzle to his game as he's progressed. There's definitely some flash that he's starting to show. The biggest challenge for him is going to be getting the puck in the opposing zone and keeping it there. We've got a really green blueline. I think we're still very young and will be outplayed in most games. He will have to be better than he's been in the preseason at hitting the net as well.

So yeah, it's not like it'll be a cakewalk. But 50 is a realistic goal and one I'm sure he's got marked on his wall. I think he does it this year.

Totally agree. The kid has 50 in him. Health plus Suzuki and/or Dach equals a top-10 goal scorer.

 

[Team_Spirit]