Canadiens: What to Expect From Cole Caufield

Montreal Canadiens forward Cole Caufield will be looking for more goals this season. Unless there is a surprise at training camp. it's highly likely the new number 13 will be lining up with Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky when the season start. Starting the season with his now established linemates should help the winger have a better start to the season.

Last Season

Caufield didn't have a bad season last year, he did reach 65 points while tallying 28 goals and 37 assists, but he did have a rather low shooting percentage. Of course, keeping up the 16.5 shooting percentage he had in his rookie season would have been a miracle, but seeing his success rate drop off to 8.9 percent was incredible to say the least.

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Still, he had consistency throughout the year, putting up 17, 14, 17 and 17 points in the four quarters, but the last quarter was the one in which he scored the most goal with nine compared to six, seven and six in the previous three.

The Canadiens first line kept improving as a unit as the season went on. Slafkovsky was in constant progression putting up six, 10, 15 and 19 points through the four quarters while Suzuki's production was steady as always.

What to Expect

More goals. When the Canadiens drafted Caufield with the 15th overall pick at the 2019 draft, they were thrilled to finally grab a bona fide sniper. In his initial 10 games with the Canadiens, he scored four goals in 10 games, then in his rookie season he had 23 in 67 games, his sophomore season ended by Christmas because of a shoulder injury but he still had time to collect 26 goals in 46 contests. Had he played a whole season, he was on pace for 46 goals.

Last season though, his number of goals dropped, a direct consequence of his shooting percentage decreased. His overall production didn't drop though. In his sophomore season he was on pace to score 64 points when his shoulder issue forced him to call is a year and last year, he collected 65 points playing a full 82 season.

Under Martin St-Louis' tutelage the new number 13 has become a more complete player, he doesn't have to be a unidimensional player who's sole job is to score to be successful. Still, there's no doubt Caufield will have his sight set on reaching the 30-goal mark for the first time in his career.

Related: Canadiens: What to Expect From Martin St-Louis

Patrik Laine's arrival might just mean more healthy competition in the Canadiens' line-up to earn the top sniper title. In an ideal world, the two would push each other to be better and produce more. The big Finn has said he doesn't want to come back as a 30-goal scorer but as a 40 or 50 one. That's a tall order, but there is no reason why Caufield couldn't be a 40-goal producer himself eventually.

The drop in his shooting percentage last season was an anomaly, one that should be fixed this year. It won't go back up to 16% but it should be closer to the 10% mark. Caufield and Laine both like to set up in the same spot and the competition for said spot on the power play should be fascinating to watch.

Related: Canadiens: Caufield Changes Number to Gaudreau's 13

Logic dictates that Caufield should be very motivated this season. He just changed his number to 13 to honour the memory of his role model and inspiration Johnny Gaudreau. He will spend the year trying to make him proud and be up to the standard his former Team USA teammate set for shorter players everywhere.

Whatever happens this year though, I see Caufield improving his final points tally and reaching the 70-point mark for the first time of his career. He was on the ice in Brossard yesterday and looked in tip top shape, locked, loaded and ready to go.

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