NEW YORK — Following his latest two-goal performance that pushed his season total to 49, Montreal Canadiens forward Cole Caufield displayed the same precision with his wit as he does with his hockey stick.
When reporters questioned whether he’s focused on hitting the 50-goal milestone and potentially overtaking Nathan MacKinnon for the NHL’s scoring lead, Caufield initially responded with a straight-faced “No.” Following a moment of silence, he broke into a grin and admitted “Yeah,” sparking laughter from the gathered media.
“We’re focused on our team game and winning games, and I think individual stuff comes with that,” Caufield said. “Doing the right things, you get more chances and opportunities. Obviously, it helps when you’re winning games and stuff.”
Montreal’s recent success has positioned them as legitimate Stanley Cup contenders, potentially ending Canada’s championship drought that stretches back to the Canadiens’ 1993 title. Remarkably, the franchise has celebrated a Cup victory more recently than producing a 50-goal scorer, with Caufield poised to become the first Montreal player to reach that benchmark since Stephane Richer achieved it in 1990.
“I didn’t know it was (nearly) 40 years,” teammate Alex Newhook said. “It’s been fun to watch. It seems like he keeps scoring every night. We’re happy for him. We’re pushing for him. Hopefully he keeps this thing rolling.”
Since returning from the Olympic break — following his omission from Team USA’s roster — Caufield has been unstoppable, tallying 17 goals across 17 contests, leading all NHL players during that span. His current 83 points already exceed his previous career-best mark by 13 points.
“He’s on a tremendous heater right now,” Canadiens captain and leading scorer Nick Suzuki said. “He’s just playing the right way, doing the right things and he’s getting rewarded for it.”
The complete player fans see today wasn’t always Caufield’s identity. Standing 5-foot-8 and weighing 175 pounds, the undersized forward faced expectations to produce offensively while battling defensive limitations. His struggles led to a demotion to Laval of the American Hockey League during fall 2021, when he managed just one assist without a single goal through 10 NHL appearances.
“I think it was worth it,” Caufield said, crediting coaches, linemates and others for helping him round out his play. “There’s still a lot more room to grow in my game. I think progressing every year with the team and the staff that we have, it’s pretty easy to kind of find yourself working every day. I think it’s just an addiction to kind of find ways to get better.”
Rival teams have taken notice of Caufield’s development since he turned 25 in January.
“He thinks the game at a real high level,” New York Rangers coach Mike Sullivan said. “It’s the combination that gives him the competitive advantage that he has. He’s a really good player.”
Sullivan, who has captured two Stanley Cups as a coach and guided Team USA to Olympic gold, described Montreal as “one of the emerging teams in the league” due to their combination of elite talent and speed throughout their lineup. The Canadiens excel at moving the puck quickly — both around the ice and into opposing nets.
Caufield serves as a crucial component of that system. Among NHL players with at least 100 shots on goal this season, only two maintain a better scoring percentage than his 21.2% rate, frustrating goaltenders while thrilling teammates eager to collect assists.
“I enjoy it,” linemate Juraj Slafkovsky said. “You have a goal-scorer like this, you can always pass to him and there is a big chance it’s going in. That’s what we’re trying to do. I hope he can get (to 50) as soon as possible and get a lot more.”
Caufield understands the historical significance of his pursuit, as he would join an elite group of just seven Canadiens players to score 50 goals in a single season, alongside Richer (twice), Guy Lafleur (six times), Steve Shutt, Bernie Geoffrion, Pierre Larouche and Maurice Richard. Should he surpass MacKinnon to lead the NHL in goals, he would also claim the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy, named for one of Montreal’s most legendary players.
Despite his success, Caufield maintains he’s “still hungry.” This individual chase, followed by what he hopes will be an even more significant playoff run, continues to fuel his motivation.
“Certainly it’s a good feeling to be producing, but at the end of the day I think I’ve grown a lot as a player and I’m just going to try and continue to do that,” Caufield said. “For me, right now, I still feel like there’s more out there.”
