Player Discussion Cole Caufield: The little man with the big future.

[Kudo Shinichi]

Yeah, I wouldn't hold on to this belief very much.

Unless Caufield himself chooses to take a very friendly discount, he will get more because the cap will have grown since the time Suzuki signed and whenever Caufield does.

If Caufield signs for 8 years, with the projected cap increase, he's going to get more than 7.8M.

But all of this is hand wringing over Caufield's next deal is misguided.

The dollars will likely be higher for Caufield, but the % in relation to the salary cap limit is probably going to be identical to Suzuki.

Suzuki signed his deal when the cap was at 81.5M.

By the time Caufield's new deal kicks in, the cap will be at 83.5M next season and 86.5M in 2024-25 and over 92M by 2026.

This increase in cap has to be factored into any contract extension for Caufield.

Suzuki's contract started this season with the cap being 82.5 M. Caufield's new contract will start next year when the cap will be at 83.5 M, which is just 1 M more and pretty much a negligible difference.

When Suzuki's contract was signed, they didn't know what the cap increase would be, but they knew there would be a cap increase.

Caufield's camp knowing the cap increase numbers is worth less in negotiations than the habs camp saying that Suzuki signed his contract just last year at 7.87 M and is a much more important player to the habs.

 

[417]

Suzuki's contract started this season with the cap being 82.5 M. Caufield's new contract will start next year when the cap will be at 83.5 M, which is just 1 M more and pretty much a negligible difference.

Except that number is already projected to rise to 86.5M about halfway through the length of any perspective 8 year deal.

Caufield's agent's job is to maximize his client's earnings, he's obviously going to use that and whatever numbers Caufield puts up this year as their leverage point.

Remember, an 8 year deal buys free agent years...that's going to cost in a rising cap.

When Suzuki's contract was signed, they didn't know what the cap increase would be, but they knew there would be a cap increase.

Well I think you're just highlighting the point that Suzuki's contract was negotiated with a much murkier future.

That's not the case for Caufield.

Caufield's camp knowing the cap increase numbers is worth less in negotiations than the habs camp saying that Suzuki signed his contract just last year at 7.87 M and is a much more important player to the habs.

That's your opinion, as a fan...and I get that. Most fans want to see their teams pay as little as possible for their players.

But not sure that's how it's going to play out.

Suzuki's not the salary cap limit for the Montreal Canadiens.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Boy , this kid is going to be one rich little fella soon

 

[Skip Bayless]

He's going to eclipse Gretzky's goal record IMHO.

 

[abo9]

He's the real deal. He has some Patrick Kane in him. He's exceeding all my expectations. I was seeing a pure sniper but he's much more than that.

Timmins finally got his superstar forward... but too late to save himself.

He proved it in the playoffs, other teams were focusing on taking away his shot and he'd just pass it to an open Habs (usually Toffoli or Suzuki) for a good chance.

Size is why he fell so bad, but the guy has such a vision woth and without the puck, that he's rarely (of ever?) stuck in a dangerous position.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

He proved it in the playoffs, other teams were focusing on taking away his shot and he'd just pass it to an open Habs (usually Toffoli or Suzuki) for a good chance.

Size is why he fell so bad, but the guy has such a vision woth and without the puck, that he's rarely (of ever?) stuck in a dangerous position.

His passing/vision/hands I think were underrated at the draft for sure. but I think his sophomore season is where he really stepped up that side of his game to a pretty exciting level. I remember seeing him and thinking 'Jesus is he now a pp qb/low key puck wizard too???'

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Most talented Habs forward since???

 

[Deebs]

He's going to eclipse Gretzky's goal record IMHO.

Single season and all time....

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

Most talented Habs forward since???

oh Kovalev easily. I mean if you count Kovalchuk and Vanek. Radulov too I guess. But I think I'll still say Kovalev. I loved Kovy all in all but it's amazing how many forget how frustrating he was for most of his tenure here. He really only lived up to his gargantuan skill level in 07-08 for us. Kovy was one of the most skilled players to have ever played imo.

Now does he have Kovy level skill? If he doesn't quite, he's close enough to be very excited. I don't think he quite has Kovalev's hands but Cole's shot evens out the balances a bit. I'm sure Caufield won't be as 'enigmatic'. I think he can hit 100 a few times. I feel like career PPG is attainable to the point where I wanna get extra spicy and say that's his floor lol.

I said it during the Cup run, you don't want to know the list of players I would trade him for. It's very small. Smaller than him.

 

[ahmedou]

This summer, he skated with Q.Hughes and he trained at the same gym than N.Flanders.

 

[ahmedou]

25 Coles in his last 41 Games

 

[hardcorehabs]

8x8

 

[Andrei79]

As someone who feels scoring in my garage league is next to impossible, I can't fathom how Caufield makes scoring at the NHL level seem so easy. I have no idea how many he'll score this year. But over the long term ? On a contending team with competent defensemen ? It has to be 45+.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

8x8

we can dream

 

[Mrb1p]

Hes a star. He was the most dangerous player on the ice all night. He creates on a level that 5 maybe 10 players can in the league.

 

[HuGo Burner Acc]

we can dream

I thinks s a courtesy to Suzuki, his captain, he'll take the same cap % like what happened in Toronto. So 8-8.5 is probably what he's gonna get

 

[Team_Spirit]

When Grandma gives you homemade cookies.

 

[BehindTheTimes]

50 goal caulifields this year coming.

 

[MTL Dirty Birdy]

Most talented Habs forward since???

Kovalev

 

[Habs Halifax]

OK... very premature but can Caufield win the Rocket? His goals for playing with MSL prorated over a full season is 49 goals. 22 goals in 37 games.

Is he better than last year?
Is he playing with better talent?
Is he going stay healthy?
Is he going to be a focus by other teams and they play him more tighter/physical?

Going to be interesting to see what kind of season he has with Suzuki.

 

[Habs Halifax]

we can dream

If it's 40 goals and 70 pts, it will be around Suzuki's contract.

If it's 40+ goals and 80+ points, it will be difficult to get both the term and AAV to be on our favor. If we want it to remain around $8M, then it's a 5 year deal ish. If we want the 8 year term, it's likely $9M+

 

[Naslundforever]

Puck hound last night. He reads the play ahead of everyone. It’s like he just decided the puck was his and knows what he’s doing with it once he gets it.

 

[sandviper]

OK... very premature but can Caufield win the Rocket? His goals for playing with MSL prorated over a full season is 49 goals. 22 goals in 37 games.

Is he better than last year?
Is he playing with better talent?
Is he going stay healthy?
Is he going to be a focus by other teams and they play him more tighter/physical?

Going to be interesting to see what kind of season he has with Suzuki.

Can he? For sure, but I don’t think he will given that I suspect the team will regress over the course of the season and many of the young players will hit slumps at some point. Caufield (and Suzuki) are still learning and as the season wears on, better teams will game plan against them more.

He is better than last year, better than the pre-MSL version of himself for sure. I’d argue he is playing with better talent in that having Dach, Monahan, a healthier Gallagher behind their line may give them some relief. He’s always been pretty durable, so we’ll see if he can play all 82 games. Not worried too much about teams playing him more physical as I think this was already happening and he’s doing fine.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Can he? For sure, but I don’t think he will given that I suspect the team will regress over the course of the season and many of the young players will hit slumps at some point. Caufield (and Suzuki) are still learning and as the season wears on, better teams will game plan against them more.

He is better than last year, better than the pre-MSL version of himself for sure. I’d argue he is playing with better talent in that having Dach, Monahan, a healthier Gallagher behind their line may give them some relief. He’s always been pretty durable, so we’ll see if he can play all 82 games. Not worried too much about teams playing him more physical as I think this was already happening and he’s doing fine.

Even if he scores 49, that might put him in the top 3 or top 5 and fall short?

I'd be happy with 40. Who was the last one to score 40? I believe Patch had 39?

Puck hound last night. He reads the play ahead of everyone. It’s like he just decided the puck was his and knows what he’s doing with it once he gets it.

The difference between Caufield and other forwards we got is he gets to open space to shoot it in scoring opportunities. Others get to open space so they can pass the puck. Why? Cause their shot sucks.

Having a shot like that does wonders. Keep shooting bud! No fan or teammate will have a problem with that. Hopefully others take note and work on their shot.

 

[sandviper]

Even if he scores 49, that might put him in the top 3 or top 5 and fall short?

I'd be happy with 40. Who was the last one to score 40? I believe Patch had 39?

Oh, that’s too early right now to say. If we just compare to last year, it’d put him top-5. As for 40, wasn’t it Damphousse? Patch came close but yeah, he never cracked it. 40 would be awesome for CC.