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

[Habs Halifax]

Jason Robertson was coming off a 41 goal season, he signed for 7.750M/yr for 4 years.

I seriously doubt Caufield would sign for essentially the same amount, over double amount of years, when he's trending for a similar, if not higher goal output this season.

I just don't quite understand why we have to have a compromise.

The Leafs signed Marner & Matthews for over 20M/yr combined.

It won't cost the Habs that for Suzuki/Caufield in even the most outrageous of scenarios, why is this even an issue.

To answer your last question... It's to have as much cap space as possible so we don't end up cap tight down the road and we have room to address depth issues if we have them.

7 or 8 year deals are huge decisions to make. No doubt about it. I think Hughes knows both sides very well so he will hash out a fair deal for the Habs and Caufield.

My point exactly. Habs want to avoid signing him for less years, just to have this "less than Suzuki" internal cap nonsense.

- Hughes was not over a point/game, he signed his extension in November 2021, by that time he had accumulated 52pts in 117 games the 2 years prior.

- Josh Norris was trending for pretty much what Caufield is/has been trending for and like you said he got 7.95M over 8 years in a flat cap

- Thompson's breakout came a bit later (I remember wanting the Habs to target him when he was still with the Blues) but the Sabres got a great deal with that contract.

- Jordan Kyrou is pretty much the same exact situation as Caufield and like you said, he got 8.125M over 8 years

- Ditto Robert Thomas

- Ditto Tim Stutzle

I have him pegged around 8.25M over 8 years assuming he doesn't take a discount.

His agent could push for $9M and they might delay their decision until they know what the cap projections will be next season. Cap projections moving forward is something all agents will be obsessive about.

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

Hintz has been a ~ppg center for the last 3 years, and this contract buys out like 7 ufa years. I don't think it benefits Caufield's camp much

 

[417]

To answer your last question... It's to have as much cap space as possible so we don't end up cap tight down the road and we have room to address depth issues if we have them.

7 or 8 year deals are huge decisions to make. No doubt about it. I think Hughes knows both sides very well so he will hash out a fair deal for the Habs and Caufield.

Other than a handful of teams, currently 3 (Ducks, Coyotes and Sabres), every team is within about 5M of the cap.

This is especially true if you're going to be a competitive team, you're going to spend up to or near the cap.

It's inevitable.

But signing guys like Suzuki and Caufield to their worth is not the issue, it's paying guys like Armia or Drouin or Gallagher the kind of money they're making and really even then, it's pretty much inevitable.

His agent could push for $9M and they might delay their decision until they know what the cap projections will be next season. Cap projections moving forward is something all agents will be obsessive about.

I'd wait if i'm his agent...just makes sense.

And agreed with the cap projections and agents obsessing about that.

 

[Habs Halifax]

How many RFA years does Caufield have left after this season? 5 or 6? I'm thinking it's 5 but not sure

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

How many RFA years does Caufield have left after this season? 5 or 6? I'm thinking it's 5 but not sure

His ELC signing age was 20, so if the rules haven't changed, 7 years or 27 years old. So, four seasons over his ELC.

 

[Habs Halifax]

His ELC signing age was 20, so if the rules haven't changed, 7 years or 27 years old. So, four seasons over his ELC.

RFA years of service is not tied to when ELC contract kicks in. RFA years start at 40 NHL games. I believe he would have two RFA years consumed from his 3 year ELC but the age 27 kicks in.

So 5 RFA years after this one? Age 21/22 this season (Jan birthdate). 5 more seasons would put him age 27 at the end of that 5th season. Think I got this right.

I don't believe his first ELC that got burned counts as a RFA year. Not 100% sure which is why I'm asking

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

RFA years of service is not tied to when ELC contract kicks in. RFA years start at 40 NHL games. I believe he would have two RFA years consumed from his 3 year ELC but the age 27 kicks in.

So 5 RFA years after this one? Age 21/22 this season (Jan birthdate). 5 more seasons would put him age 27 at the end of that 5th season. Think I got this right.

I don't believe his first ELC that got burned counts as a RFA year. Not 100% sure which is why I'm asking

You are wrong. This season will count as his 3rd. Go check his arbitration status. He's only missing one more season to be eligible for arbitration. Arbitration eligibility is after 4 seasons. If this is his 3rd season, ipso facto he has 4 more left after this season before he hits free agency because it takes max 7 seasons to be UFA.

I can even post the capfriendly page if you insist.

 

[CHfan1]

You are wrong. This season will count as his 3rd. Go check his arbitration status. He's only missing one more season to be eligible for arbitration. Arbitration eligibility is after 4 seasons. If this is his 3rd season, ipso facto he has 4 more left after this season before he hits free agency because it takes max 7 seasons to be UFA.

I can even post the capfriendly page if you insist.

For arbitration a player earns a year of pro experience if he plays 10 games. See below from the CBA section 12:

A Player aged 18 or 19 earns a year of professional experience by playing ten (10) or more NHL Games in a given season. A Player aged 20 or older (or who turns 20 between September 16 and December 31 of the calendar year in which he signs his first SPC) earns a year of professional experience by playing ten (10) or more Professional Games under an SPC in a given season.

To become an UFA, see below:

Has seven (7) Accrued Seasons where an Accrued Season is earned when the player was on the clubs active roster for 40 Regular Season games (30 if the player is a goaltender). Games missed due to a hockey related injury will count towards an accrued season in the season of the injury, plus one additional season after the injury.

Thank You - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

Thank you for the amazing 9 years

www.capfriendly.com

Since Caufield played 10 games his 1st year he earned a pro experience year for arbitration rights, but he never played 40 games so he didn’t accrue a season towards UFA.

 

[Adam Michaels]

Martin McGuire of 98.5 FM said during the pregame that the negotiations between Habs and Cole have started.

 

[Habs Halifax]

You are wrong. This season will count as his 3rd. Go check his arbitration status. He's only missing one more season to be eligible for arbitration. Arbitration eligibility is after 4 seasons. If this is his 3rd season, ipso facto he has 4 more left after this season before he hits free agency because it takes max 7 seasons to be UFA.

I can even post the capfriendly page if you insist.

I don't know for sure but I think he has 5 RFA years left, not 4. 1st season where he signed at the end of the season counted on his ELC but did not burn a RFA year. Need to play 40 games for that.

40 games kicks in the RFA season. Then it's age 27 or 7 seasons (whatever comes first). Arbitration might not be tied to RFA like you are insisting. ELC, RFA, and Arbitration may have 3 different level of rules

 

[Habs Halifax]

Martin McGuire of 98.5 FM said during the pregame that the negotiations between Habs and Cole have started.

A lot of us are talking $8M+ for 8 years and for all we know, his contract could be 8 years at $7.5M.

Depends when it's signed.

* If it's signed in season, I think they settle on projected performance. Habs won't give him sure shot 40 goals and 80 pts season/season type value. So in this case, I think both sides want to get a deal done and maybe they use his career stats with a little bump? That's prorated for 82 games at 32 goals and 57 pts. So a little bump is 35 goals and 70 pts? That likely means something around 8x $8M or under (not over).

* If it's signed after the season is done or deeper into the season where they know what the cap is next year, then it's a different story. If the cap is projected to be $85M (for example) and Caufield is on track for 40 goals and 80 pts, he might get 8x $8.5M-$9M range.

However, he does have 5 RFA seasons left so a 8 year deal is buying 3 UFA years. That limits him compared to what Hintz just got at age 26 with one RFA year left. He signed for 8x $8.45M.

I won't be shocked if it's 8 or 7 years at $7M - $7.5M range.

 

[SlafySZN]

 

[Skip Bayless]

Thought he played the worst game of his career last night. The dream for 72 has died, but he can still get 40 I guess.

 

[Sagikev]

What is it with NHLers and T Swift?

Thought he played the worst game of his career last night. The dream for 72 has died, but he can still get 40 I guess.

 

[Team_Spirit]

Short King in the Shell

 

[Adam Michaels]

 

[Skip Bayless]

Would've been #2 if it wasn't for the first half of last season.

 

[Matthew McConaughay]

Would've been #2 if it wasn't for the first half of last season.

Indeed.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

His production has dropped off a little. No longer pacing for 50 but it’s still striking distance.

 

[SlafySZN]

His production has dropped off a little. No longer pacing for 50 but it’s still striking distance.

Pacing for 45 goals! That’s more than good

But there’s many games still, has time to get back to that pace, let’s enjoy

 

[ReHabs]

His production has dropped off a little. No longer pacing for 50 but it’s still striking distance.

We're about to hit a rough patch and production will be hard to come by -- I will pay especially close attention to Caufield. I hope he remains electric and productive -- it would affirm his status as an elite NHL player (rather than a very good one who is still in development).

One thing I've learned from Caufield and Suzuki is that development isn't as long a process as we're made to think. With the coaching change both of them took off and didn't look back. Sometimes talent just needs opportunities.

 

[KevSkillz4]

Stop passing Cole and shoot!!

Let's be honest, Habs need to sign this guy for 8 years, he is at least a 40 goalscorer per season (he prove that since MSL is there).

He is a very good playmaker too, 40g, 40a per season, that's a realistic projection for him, maybe more.

I think all Habs fan likes Cole Caufield, he is the best offensive forward since Alex Kovalev, no doubt about that.

 

[The Great Weal]

I love Cole but he is nowhere near the player Suzuki is. Anything above 8 million is an overpay and frankly it should be closer to 7.

 

[Belial]

I love Cole but he is nowhere near the player Suzuki is. Anything above 8 million is an overpay and frankly it should be closer to 7.

I agree completely, no way should he get more cash than Suzuki.

 

[SlafySZN]

I love Cole but he is nowhere near the player Suzuki is. Anything above 8 million is an overpay and frankly it should be closer to 7.

Suzuki wasn’t as good as Cole at 21. And there’s many things i like more about Cole as a player than Suzuki but that’s another subject.

the comparative for his contract isn’t Suzuki, it’s other players in the league. He probably won’t get more than 8 anyway, since he is a winger, not a center and doesn’t play PK.