Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield has turned his contract into one of the sharpest bargains in the NHL.
Year after year, when he’s been able to stay on the ice, Caufield has found another gear. That steady climb reached a new level with a historic 50-goal season, putting him in a conversation that includes The Rocket, Guy LaFleur and Boom Boom Geoffrion. And he’s picked up right where he left off.
Through eight games this season, Caufield has five goals, putting him on another track that points beyond 50. The production is impressive enough on its own. The price tag makes it even louder.
For a player who was taken 15th overall, the value stands out even more. A 50-goal scorer in today’s NHL can command massive money, and the names set the market.
Nathan MacKinnon, Leon Draisaitl, Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews - all players who have reached the 50-goal mark at least once - are all making at least $12 million. That figure keeps climbing.
Caufield, meanwhile, is locked in at a $7.85 million cap hit per season through the next decade. A deal like that would have been elite money not long ago. In the current market, it looks like a bargain.
He’s earning nearly half of what some of the league’s top finishers make, and in a few years, that gap could look even wider.
The Canadiens should feel the benefits well beyond the score sheet. The salary cap is at $104 million this season and is projected to reach $127.5 million by 2028-29. That kind of room gives Montreal options, especially when one of its most productive players is already accounted for at a relatively modest number.
That flexibility could shape the lineup around him. Caufield is currently on the top line with Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky, both of whom are also locked down.
With more cap space to work with, Montreal could shift Slafkovsky to the second line and build a more balanced attack. It also opens the door for a bigger-name free agent who could slide in next to Caufield and Suzuki and provide the kind of playmaking that can really make that line hum.
The payoff for Caufield comes later. He’s 25 now, and he’ll be 30 when his pending free agency arrives. By then, nobody knows where the cap will be or what his next contract will look like.
For now, the Canadiens get the best of both worlds: a top-end scorer at a team-friendly number, and enough breathing room to keep building around him.
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Canadiens Let Another Winnable Game Slip Away Late
The Canadiens had enough through two periods to feel in control, with their top line driving the offense and Juraj Slafkovsky, Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield each finishing with a goal and an assist. For a team trying to stack wins and turn promising starts into points, a 3-1 lead heading into the third period looked like the kind of game it needed to close out.
Instead, the third period turned into the latest reminder that nothing comes easy for Montreal right now. San Jose chipped away, erased the cushion and eventually finished the comeback in overtime, leaving the Canadiens with another result that will sting because the opportunity was there for the taking. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Fans Have A New Reason To Watch The Dylan Larkin Rumors
Andrei Markov got the kind of welcome at the Bell Centre that only a longtime Canadiens favorite can command, drawing a standing ovation during the game and reminding everyone how quickly old connections still matter in Montreal. It was the sort of moment that had the building buzzing before the night even moved into more serious hockey business, with familiar faces and front-office energy all around the arena.
Among those watching from above was Red Wings assistant general manager and director of amateur scouting Kris Draper, which naturally sent the rumor mill spinning in a city that never ignores a hint of roster intrigue. The timing lines up with the ongoing Dylan Larkin chatter, as Detroit is said to be looking for a major return, but there is still no trade to report and nothing concrete yet for Canadiens fans to grab onto beyond the possibility. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Could Get Caught In Winnipegs Goalie Drama Fast
Connor Hellebuycks standoff with the Winnipeg Jets has created a situation Montreal has to keep an eye on, even if it is not directly involved. The veteran goalie was suspended for failing to report to training camp, and with that suspension set to run out on Friday, Winnipeg suddenly faces a short-term decision on how to handle one of the biggest names on its roster.
The Jets appear hesitant to simply fold Hellebuyck back into the mix, and the possibility of a trade before Sundays meeting with the Canadiens adds another layer to a divisional matchup that was already worth watching. Montreal is monitoring the situation because any move involving Hellebuyck could ripple into the game plan for both teams, and the timing leaves Winnipeg with little room to sort out what comes next. [Read more 🡒]