Cole Caufield

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Cole Caufield
Born (2001-01-02) January 2, 2001 (age 20)
Stevens Point, Wisconsin, U.S.
Height 5 ft 7 in (170 cm)
Weight 165 lb (75 kg; 11 st 11 lb)
Position Right wing
Shoots Right
NHL team Montreal Canadiens
NHL Draft 15th overall, 2019
Montreal Canadiens
Playing career 2021–present

Cole Caufield (born January 2, 2001) is an American professional ice hockey right wing for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL). Caufield was drafted 15th overall by the Canadiens in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.

Caufield holds the USA Hockey National Team Development Program's all-time record for goals.[1][2] Caufield played for the University of Wisconsin-Madison before signing with Montreal in late March 2021.[3]

Caufield was the recipient of the 2021 Hobey Baker Award, given to the top National Collegiate Athletic Association men's ice hockey player.[4]

Playing career[]

Amateur[]

For the 2017–18 season, Caufield joined the USA Hockey National Team Development Program (NTDP) in Plymouth, Michigan. He led the NTDP with 54 goals in combined stats of both U-17 & U-18 play, falling just shy of Auston Matthews' 55 goals from 2014–15.[1][5]

During the 2018–19 season, Caufield played full-time on the NTDP U-18 roster. On March 15, 2019, in a 12–4 win against the Green Bay Gamblers, he scored a career-high six goals. This game also marked Caufield's 105th career goal overtaking Phil Kessel's previous record set from 2003–05 (104 goals).[6] On April 13, 2019, he scored his 56th goal of the season in an exhibition game against Switzerland surpassing a single season record for goals.[7] Caufield finished the season with 72 goals, having career averaged 1.46 points per game.[1][8]

On November 19, 2017, he committed to play collegiate hockey in the NCAA for the University of Wisconsin–Madison beginning in the 2019–20 season.[9] Caufield was considered a top prospect among North American skaters entering his draft year, and would earn an A rating by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau.[10][11] On June 21, 2019, he was drafted 15th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. He had been projected by some scouting organizations and commentators to go in the top ten, but his being taken later than that was widely attributed to reservations about his height.[12] This came to be regarded by many as a draft steal for the Canadiens.[13]

Professional[]

Following his sophomore year at UW-Madison, Caufield signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Montreal Canadiens on March 28, 2021.[14] He made his NHL debut on April 26, 2021, in a 2–1 victory over the Calgary Flames.[15] On May 1, Caufield scored his first NHL goal, in a 3–2 overtime win over the Ottawa Senators.[16] On May 3, Caufield became only the third player in NHL history to score his first two career goals in overtime, helping Montreal defeat Toronto 3–2.[17] He concluded the regular season with four goals and an assist, before participating in Montreal's deep run to the 2021 Stanley Cup Final. On June 14th, he scored his first NHL Playoffs goal, in a 4-1 loss against the Vegas Golden Knights.[18] He ended the playoffs with four goals and eight assists, and was widely identified as one of the team's most promising talents, alongside linemate Nick Suzuki.[13][19][20]

International play[]

Medal record
Representing  United States
Ice hockey
World Junior Championships
Gold medal – first place 2021 Canada
World U-18 Championships
Silver medal – second place 2018 Russia
Bronze medal – third place 2019 Sweden
World U-17 Hockey Challenge
Gold medal – first place 2017 Canada

Caufield represents the United States national team. During the 2017–18 season, he participated in several international tournaments under the age of 17, including the 2017 World U-17 Hockey Challenge, where he tallied 13 points in six games (eight goals, five assists) to win a gold medal.[21] He would also be named to the tournament All-star team, and led the competition in goals.[22] At the 2017 Four Nations Cup in Veliky Novgorod, Russia, Caufield appeared in three games, notching six goals and one assist, while the NTDP U-17 finished first.[23] In February 2018, he led the team with 10 points in four games (four goals, six assists) at the 2018 Five Nations Cup in Järvenpää, Finland, enroute to another NTDP U-17 first place finish.[21]

At the 2018 IIHF World U-18 Championship, the NTDP would settle for a silver medal after losing the final game to Finland 3–2. Caufield closed the tournament with six points in seven games.

For the 2018–19 season, Caufield would continue his stellar play internationally. In late 2018, the NTDP U-18 claimed the 2018 Five Nations Cup in Kravaře, Czech Republic, with Caufield notching seven goals and two assists in four games.[21] The NTDP U-18 finished third in the tables of the 2019 Five Nations Cup in Sochi, Russia, where Caufield registered three goals and two assists in four games.[24][21]

On April 23, 2019, Caufield scored his 10th and 11th goal for the NTDP in just four games of preliminary round at the 2019 IIHF World U18 Championship, breaking a record set by both Brett Sterling in 2002 and Phil Kessel in 2005 (nine goals).[25][26] On April 27, 2019, Caufield tied Alexander Ovechkin's single tournament goals record (14 goals from 2002) and inscribed his 18 career goals in the national record book of the tournament. The NTDP would eventually lose their semi-final matchup to Russia 3–2 in a shootout,[27] with the NTDP claiming a bronze medal in a 5–2 win over Canada to close their tournament play. Caufield was named the MVP of the championship, as well as Best Forward (Directorate Award). Finally, he led the competition in goals and was named to the tournament All-star team.[28]

Personal life[]

Cole Caufield is a native of Mosinee, Wisconsin. His older brother, Brock, also plays for the Wisconsin Badgers men's ice hockey team.[9] Their father, Paul Caufield, born in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, played for the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point (UWSP) from 1988–92 and remains the team's all-time leading scorer.[29][30] He returned to UWSP in 2002 to work as an assistant coach, but resigned in 2006 to assume his current position as manager of Ice Hawks Arena.[29][31] Their grandfather, Wayne Caufield, a member of the Wisconsin Hockey Hall of Fame since 2011, played semi-professional hockey from 1963–76 for numerous teams, most notably the USHL's Milwaukee Admirals, and spent over two decades coaching youth hockey and managing hockey clinics in the Milwaukee area following his retirement.[32][33] He died on July 13, 2018.[33]

Career statistics[]

Regular season and playoffs[]

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2015–16 Stevens Point Area High HS-WI 23 25 33 58 6 2 4 2 6 0
2016–17 Stevens Point Area High HS-WI 22 50 29 79 17 3 3 5 8 2
2017–18 U.S. National Development Team USHL 32 23 10 33 10 — — — — —
2018–19 U.S. National Development Team USHL 28 29 12 41 23 — — — — —
2019–20 University of Wisconsin B1G 36 19 17 36 6 — — — — —
2020–21 University of Wisconsin B1G 31 30 22 52 4 — — — — —
2020–21 Laval Rocket AHL 2 3 1 4 0 — — — — —
2020–21 Montreal Canadiens NHL 10 4 1 5 2 20 4 8 12 0
NHL totals 10 4 1 5 2 20 4 8 12 0

International[]

Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2017 United States U17 1st place, gold medalist(s) 6 8 5 13 0
2018 United States U18 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 7 4 2 6 0
2019 United States U18 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 7 14 4 18 4
2020 United States WJC 6th 5 1 1 2 0
2021 United States WJC 1st place, gold medalist(s) 7 2 3 5 2
Junior totals 32 29 15 44 6

Awards and honors[]

Award Year Ref
College
Big Ten Scoring Champion 2020, 2021 [34]
Big Ten Freshman of the Year 2020 [34]
All-Big Ten First Team 2020, 2021 [35]
Big Ten Player of the Year 2021 [35]
Big Ten All-Tournament Team 2021
AHCA West First Team All-American 2021 [36]
Hobey Baker Award 2021
International
IIHF World U18 Championships MVP 2019 [28]
IIHF World U18 Championships Best Forward 2019 [28]
IIHF World U18 Championships All-Star Team 2019 [28]

Records[]

USA Hockey National Team Development Program:

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e "All-Time NTDP Record Book". USA Hockey. Retrieved March 27, 2019.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c "U18MWC Record Book". Team USA Hockey. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
  3. ^ "Three-year, entry-level contract for forward Cole Caufield". NHL.com. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
  4. ^ "Cole Caufield wins Hobey Baker Award". NHL.com. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  5. ^ "Cole Caufield. U.S. National Under-17 Team 2017–18". USA Hockey. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
  6. ^ "Hughes, Caufield set NTDP records heading toward NHL Draft". NHL. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  7. ^ "Team USA Shuts Out Switzerland 8-0 in Second U18 MWC Exhibition Tilt". Team USA Hockey. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
  8. ^ "Cole Caufield. U.S. National Under-18 Team 2018–19". USA Hockey. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
  9. ^ Jump up to: a b "Badgers men's hockey: Five-star prospect Cole Caufield commits to Wisconsin". Wisconsin State Journal. November 20, 2017.
  10. ^ "2019 Draft Prospect Rankings". NHL. Retrieved March 27, 2019.
  11. ^ "NHL mock draft for draft lottery teams: Stock rising, Cole Caufield draws Alex DeBrincat comparison". USA Today. March 26, 2019.
  12. ^ "Canadiens select Cole Caufield with 15th-overall pick of NHL Draft". sportsnet.ca. June 21, 2019. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
  13. ^ Jump up to: a b Klinkenberg, Marty (June 27, 2021). "Cole Caufield 'living out his dream' as breakout star for the Canadiens". Globe & Mail. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
  14. ^ "Three-year, entry-level contract for forward Cole Caufield". NHL.com. March 28, 2021. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
  15. ^ "Montreal beats Calgary 2-1, strengthens hold on 4th in North". ESPN. April 26, 2021. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
  16. ^ "Caufield scores 1st goal in OT, Canadiens beat Senators 3-2". ESPN.com. May 1, 2021. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
  17. ^ Leijon, Erik (May 4, 2021). "About Last Night: Cole encore! Another OT winner for Caufield". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  18. ^ "Canadiens' Cole Caufield scores first playoff goal in loss to Vegas". montrealgazette.com. June 14, 2021. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
  19. ^ Pronman, Corey (September 1, 2021). "NHL Pipeline Rankings: No. 12 Montreal Canadiens have legit talent in Nick Suzuki and beyond". The Athletic. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
  20. ^ Bouabdo, Maria (August 3, 2021). "Montreal Canadiens: Three Candidates to Play on the Left Wing With Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield". A Winning Habit. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
  21. ^ Jump up to: a b c d "Cole Caufield". Team USA Hockey. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
  22. ^ "Game Summary. 2017 World U-17 Hockey Challenge. Canada Red–United States". Hockey Canada. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
  23. ^ "U.S. National Under-17 Team Defeats Russia Junior. Wins Under-17 Four Nations Tournament". JuniorHockey.com. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
  24. ^ "Five Nations Cup Tournament". Russian Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
  25. ^ "Team USA Tops Latvia, 7-1, To Conclude U18 MWC Preliminary Play". Team USA Hockey. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
  26. ^ "Can Caufield keep making music?". IIHF. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
  27. ^ "Amirov shoots U.S. down in semi-final". IIHF. Retrieved April 30, 2019.
  28. ^ Jump up to: a b c d "Caufield named MVP". IIHF. Retrieved April 30, 2019.
  29. ^ Jump up to: a b Willes, Ed (June 22, 2019). "Ed Willes: Size doesn't matter for Cole Caufield, who's out to prove his doubters wrong". Retrieved June 27, 2019.
  30. ^ Williams, Scott A. (February 25, 2016). "Hockey is a part of the Caufield lineage". Retrieved June 27, 2019.
  31. ^ Bates, Greg (August 2018). "Family Values: A Passion For The Game Runs Through The Caufield Bloodlines". USA Hockey Magazine.
  32. ^ Shoust, Christopher (February 4, 2017). "Sault Legends: Wayne Caufield". Retrieved June 27, 2019.
  33. ^ Jump up to: a b "Wayne Caufield". July 15, 2018. Retrieved June 27, 2019.
  34. ^ Jump up to: a b "Hockey Postseason Honors Announced". BigTen.org. May 11, 2020. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
  35. ^ Jump up to: a b "Hockey Postseason Honors Announced". BigTen.org. March 16, 2021. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  36. ^ "Boston College, Minnesota, North Dakota, Wisconsin lead way with three All-American college hockey players apiece for '20-21 season". USCHO.com. April 9, 2021. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
  37. ^ "Un record de la LNH pour Cole Caufield". TVA Sports (in French). July 6, 2021. Retrieved September 5, 2021.

External links[]

Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Jesperi Kotkaniemi 		Montreal Canadiens first round draft pick
2019 		Succeeded by
Kaiden Guhle
Preceded by
 Big Ten Freshman of the Year
2019–20 		Succeeded by
Thomas Bordeleau
Preceded by
Taro Hirose 		Big Ten Scoring Champion
2019–20, 2020–21 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
Preceded by
Cole Hults 		Big Ten Player of the Year
2020–21 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
Preceded by
Jack Dugan 		NCAA Ice Hockey Scoring Champion
2020–21 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
Preceded by
Scott Perunovich 		Hobey Baker Award
2020–21 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
Retrieved from ""