Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield spent last season pushing the Montreal Canadiens’ offense into rare territory, and now the idea of both men threatening franchise single-season records in 2026-27 doesn’t sound far-fetched at all.
Caufield’s next step would be the headline grabber. If he reaches 61 goals, he would move past Guy Lafleur and Steve Shutt for the Canadiens’ single-season mark. Suzuki’s chase is just as eye-catching: 83 assists would be enough to pass Peter Mahovlich.
That kind of double threat starts with the way these two have been tied together since Caufield became a full-time Canadien in the 2021-22 season. They’ve almost always skated as a pair, and the production has followed. Suzuki feeds Caufield, Caufield finishes, and the numbers keep climbing.
Last season, Caufield scored more than 50 goals for the first time in his career, becoming the first Canadiens player to hit that level since 1989-90. Suzuki, meanwhile, posted 72 assists, a career high and the most by a Canadiens player since 1979-80.
The fit is obvious. Suzuki’s assist total doesn’t happen without a finisher like Caufield.
Caufield’s goal total doesn’t happen without a passer like Suzuki. Their game is built on each other.
The Canadiens’ record book also shows how these kinds of seasons can line up. Peter Mahovlich set the franchise assists mark with 82 in 1974-75, and Guy Lafleur set the goals record that same season with 53. A couple of years later, Steve Shutt raised the scoring bar again with 60 goals in 1976-77, while Lafleur nearly matched Mahovlich’s assist total with 80.
Suzuki and Caufield didn’t topple those marks last year, but they got close enough to make the conversation real. Both finished strong after slowing down in November and December, and that late-season surge is what keeps the door open for 2026-27.
If they avoid that early dip and keep producing the way they did over the final months of the season, the math works. Caufield would need nine more goals. Suzuki would need 10 more assists.
That both records could fall in the same season might sound unusual, but for this duo, it fits. They share the ice constantly.
According to Natural Stat Trick, they logged more than 1,375 minutes together. Caufield had only 97 minutes without Suzuki, and Suzuki had only 331 without Caufield.
Last season was already a big one for both players. The next one could be the one that puts their names in Canadiens history.
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