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Cole Caufield

Snapshots: Lundqvist, Caufield, Popugaev

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Immediately after Henrik Lundqvist announced his retirement last month, the New York Rangers confirmed that they would be retiring his number. They’ve now announced that on January 28, 2022, his No. 30 will be raised to the rafters and never worn again. Lundqvist is the franchise leader among goaltenders in games played, wins, saves, and save percentage (among those with at least 60 appearances).

He will become the 11th player to have his number retired by the team, joining Ed Giacomin (1), Brian Leetch (2), Harry Howell (3), Rod Gilbert (7), Andy Bathgate (9), Adam Graves (9), Mark Messier (11), Vic Hadfield (11), Jean Ratelle (19) and Mike Richter (35).

  • The Montreal Canadiens have confirmed that young star Cole Caufield will be out for a week with an upper-body injury suffered over the weekend. The 20-year-old played against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday and then was pulled from the warmup for an intrasquad game on Sunday. With how important he is going to be for the team this year, keeping him healthy to start the season is extremely important for the Canadiens.
  • It appears as though former New Jersey Devils prospect Nikita Popugaev has ended his hockey career, listing himself as an “ex hockey player” on Instagram. Popugaev was a fourth-round pick of the Devils in 2017, but never signed with the team and spent last season in the KHL. Though his rights are technically retained indefinitely by the Devils, it appears as though the 22-year-old will no longer be pursuing his career on the ice.

Cole Caufield Listed As Day-To-Day

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The Montreal Canadiens today announced that forward Cole Caufield is day-to-day with an undisclosed injury. Caufield played in last night’s preseason game against the Toronto Maple Leafs but was pulled after warmups prior to today’s intrasquad scrimmage.

Head coach Dominique Ducharme confirmed today that Caufield’s injury isn’t serious, and his absence remains mainly precautionary. That’s good news for Canadiens fans, as Caufield still projects to slot in with Nick Suzuki on Montreal’s top line to begin the season.

Caufield netted a combined 17 points in 30 games between his regular season and playoff contests in 2020-21 and will improve on those totals this year, in all likelihood. He’ll undoubtedly see more than the 13:58 average ice time he saw last year.

Montreal has already struggled mightily with injuries to core pieces heading into training camp. Aside from captain Shea Weber being expected to miss the entire season, Carey Price and Mike Hoffman are both dealing with shorter-term injuries but could be out for the start of the season.

Caufield projects to be one of the favorites to take home the Calder Trophy this year along with a strong class of rookies. Last season, Caufield also scored 52 points in just 31 games while at the University of Wisconsin, along with five points in seven games for the United States at the World Junior Championships.

Poll: Are The Montreal Canadiens A Playoff Team In 2021-22?

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After making it all the way to the 2021 Stanley Cup Final, losing in five games to the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Montreal Canadiens have had one of the most interesting offseasons of any team. That much roster turnover is unusual for a team that made it that far in the playoffs, but a decent portion of it has been out of their control.

A good portion of Montreal’s starting 12 forwards will look different next season. Gone down the middle are Phillip Danault, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, and Eric Staal. Dvorak will attempt to replace Danault’s shutdown role with a little more offensive touch but less defensive prowess. Kotkaniemi’s third-line role is likely to be replaced by another young center, most probably Jake Evans. Staal’s fourth-line role will likely be comprised of a more defensive-minded pivot in Cedric Paquette. Their group of wingers will look different too, losing out on Tomas Tatar’s two-way play in favor of a power-play specialist in Mike Hoffman. Gone is veteran Corey Perry in the bottom six, being replaced by another veteran presence in Mathieu Perreault.

The team’s defense faces the loss of the team’s captain in Shea Weber. His injury will keep him out for at least this entire season and puts the rest of his career in jeopardy. His absence will be replaced by committee, as youngster Alexander Romanov and new addition David Savard should see more minutes. The left side stays relatively constant from last season, and overseas addition Chris Wideman could challenge for some games as well.

A tandem of Carey Price and Jake Allen returns after a successful regular season campaign.

However, a team that barely squeaked into the playoffs last season returns with some question marks. Full seasons of Jonathan Drouin and Cole Caufield help boost the team, but downgrades from Danault to Dvorak and Tatar to Hoffman raise near-negating doubts. The success of youngsters like Evans and Romanov will be crucial if Montreal wants to make a return to the playoffs in 2022, and they’ll need repeat performances from players such as Jeff Petry and Josh Anderson.

So the question to you, PHR readers, is this: has Montreal done enough this offseason to yield a playoff team in an increasingly competitive Eastern Conference? Make your voice heard below:

Mobile users, click here to vote!

North Notes: Canadiens, Foligno, Pettersson, Brown

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While Canadiens winger Tomas Tatar was expected to be a healthy scratch to make room for winger Cole Caufield’s playoff debut, that won’t be the case after all.  Instead, the team announced (Twitter link) that center Eric Staal will be scratched due to an undisclosed injury.  The veteran missed the final game of the regular season when it was revealed he had been playing through something but Staal did suit up in the first two playoff games, recording an assist.  With Jake Evans remaining unavailable due to his upper-body injury, Montreal will only have three natural centers in the lineup against Toronto tonight.

Elsewhere in the North:

  • While Maple Leafs forward Nick Foligno wasn’t at their morning skate today, he will play tonight relays Joshua Clipperton of the Canadian Press (Twitter link). Pressed into playing down the middle following John Tavares’ concussion and knee injury, he was seen walking gingerly after Saturday’s game two against Montreal.  Riley Nash took his spot at the morning skate and would have been Foligno’s replacement had he not been available.
  • Although he missed the final two months of the season with a lingering wrist injury, Canucks center Elias Pettersson won’t need to undergo surgery to repair the issue, notes Postmedia’s Patrick Johnston. While surgery was discussed at one point with team doctors, they decided that simply rehabbing it would be the better way to go.  He enters restricted free agency this summer coming off a bit of a disappointing campaign that saw him miss 30 games although he still managed to pick up 10 goals and 11 assists in the 26 contests he was able to suit up for.
  • Despite a disappointing and injury-marred season, the Senators will tender a qualifying offer to center Logan Brown, reports Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch. The 11th-overall pick in 2016, Brown has just 26 career NHL games under his belt, only one of which came this season while injuries limited him to just 13 more with AHL Belleville.  A change of scenery has been speculated as something that might be beneficial for Brown and with him unlikely to be protected in expansion, he could be an intriguing project for Seattle to take a look at.

Snapshots: Kampfer, Stars Goaltenders, Caufield

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The Boston Bruins lost some of their defensive depth today when head coach Bruce Cassidy said that Steven Kampfer will miss the rest of the playoffs with an arm injury, according to NHL.com’s Amalie Benjamin. No word on how he got hurt.

Kampfer has only appeared once in the last 13 games for Boston, including no playoff games. The one game he did play, back on May 11, he did get 24:05 of ice time. For the season, the 32-year-old appeared in 20 games, scoring two goals and five points, while blocking 24 shots.

The team will have to depend more on some of their remaining defensive depth, including Connor Clifton and Jarred Tinordi. With an injury to Kevan Miller, the team will turn to Tinordi to fill in.

  • Matthew DeFranks of the Dallas Morning News writes the Dallas Stars will have a goalie logjam next season with the return of Ben Bishop. While there was some early speculation that the team believed that the Seattle Kraken might grab veteran Anton Khudobin in the expansion draft (Jake Oettinger is exempt and Bishop has a no-movement clause), the scribe believes that Khudobin’s disappointing season, his age (35 years) and two years on his contract at $3.33MM doesn’t make that much sense for an expansion team. While the expansion draft is one potential way to fix the issue, the team might be better off trying to trade Khudobin to team looking for a solid backup. With many goaltenders going for quality prices, the team could pick up a solid draft pick if they decided to go that way.
  • The Montreal Canadiens got the split they needed in Toronto and now have home-ice advantage for the time being. However, The Athletic’s Arpon Basu (subscription required) believes the team needs youngster Cole Caufield to step into Game 3. The scribe notes that Montreal spent much of the second period of Game 2 short-handed mainly because Toronto controlled the puck almost entirely. To fix that problem, the team must add speed, something that Caufield and defenseman Alexander Romanov could provide the team. When asked, coach Dominique Ducharme shrugged. “Possible, like everyone available,” he said. “We have depth, and we’re going to use it.”

Montreal Canadiens Recall Cole Caufield

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April 26: It took another ten days, but the Canadiens are finally giving Caufield a shot. The team has assigned Alexander Romanov to the taxi squad in order to give them the cap space needed to recall the young sniper, who will make his NHL debut tonight against the Calgary Flames. Because several other forwards are currently dealing with injuries, Caufield is technically an emergency recall according to CapFriendly, meaning they can bring Romanov back down the line.

April 16: It’s happening, Montreal Canadiens fans. The team has officially recalled Cole Caufield from the AHL and placed him on the taxi squad. Montreal plays tomorrow evening against the Calgary Flames, where the Hobey Baker Award winner could potentially make his NHL debut. The team also recalled Cayden Primeau to the active roster under emergency conditions.

Of note, the Laval Rocket recently had several upcoming games postponed, meaning Caufield could just be up with the taxi squad to get some practice time in. After his early performance in the AHL however–the 20-year-old forward scored three goals (including two game-winners) and four points in two appearances for Laval–Canadiens fans are hoping he’s in the NHL lineup before long.

There’s been no stopping Caufield so far in his hockey career. Despite never reaching the size and strength of some other top prospects, the 5’7″ forward continues to outproduce almost everyone he comes in contact with. Caufield broke records set by people like Phil Kessel and Auston Matthews with the U.S. National Team Development Program, he was a point-per-game freshman in the NCAA and just recently led the entire nation in scoring with 30 goals and 52 points in 31 games for Wisconsin.

It seemed as though professional hockey may slow him down, but that certainly wasn’t the case in his debut for Laval. Caufield recorded five shots on goal, scored on the powerplay and at even strength, and added a helper in his professional debut, flying all over the ice with the puck. He came back with another four-shot performance on the next night, once again providing must-see action for the Rocket.

Now the next step is getting his first game with the Canadiens, who are coming off a 4-1 loss to the Flames on Wednesday. The team has scored just five goals in their last three games and could certainly use a bit of punch from their star prospect.

North Notes: Chiarot, Hyman, Ritchie

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The Montreal Canadiens are expecting to have Ben Chiarot back in the lineup tonight, just four weeks after breaking his hand in a fight. Chiarot is returning nearly two weeks ahead of schedule, a nice boost for a Montreal team that is still perched precariously in the final North Division playoff spot. As head coach Dominique Ducharme noted to reporters including TSN’s John Lu today, however, Chiarot’s return from long-term injured reserve complicates the Canadiens cap situation and could delay the debut of top prospect Cole Caufield who was recalled to the taxi squad today–or even many of the team’s other reserves.

Of course, as Eric Engels of Sportsnet tweets, this could change quickly and certainly won’t keep the active roster static for the rest of the season. Though Ducharme’s comments may have been concerning to Montreal fans, the important news today is Chiarot’s return to his familiar spot next to Shea Weber with just 16 games left in the season.

  • Toronto Maple Leafs forward Zach Hyman will sacrifice $5,000 for his high-stick on Winnipeg Jets defenseman Neal Pionk, but won’t face any suspension for the incident. Near the end of last night’s game, Hyman was involved in a net-front battle and after receiving a slash from Pionk, turned and struck Pionk in the face with the blade of his stick. The Maple Leafs forward was given a penalty on the play and now faces the maximum allowable fine under the CBA.
  • Before joining the Vegas Golden Knights, first as assistant GM and then as GM, Kelly McCrimmon ran the entire Brandon Wheat Kings organization for decades. The owner of the WHL franchise, McCrimmon acted as GM and quite often head coach as well through 2015-16. One of the important members of that front office, in fact the man who took over as GM in 2019, is also now heading to the NHL. Darren Ritchie, who has been with the Wheat Kings since 2006 in various roles, most recently general manager, has left the junior club to take an amateur scouting position with the Maple Leafs. The Wheat Kings have named AGM Doug Gasper as his replacement.

Minor Transactions: 04/15/21

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The NHL Trade Deadline may be over, but noteworthy player movement continues. With NCAA and Europeans ending, there are players becoming available with NHL appeal for next season and beyond. Track their movement right here:

  • One of the heroes of the NCAA Champion Massachusetts Minutemen has found his first pro contract. UMass leading goal scorer Carson Gicewicz has signed a two-year AHL contract with the Rockford Ice Hogs that begins next season, hypothetically keeping him with the club through the 2022-23 season. However, if Gicewicz continues to find the back of the net in the pros as he did in his final collegiate season, the Chicago Blackhawks may be forced to make him an entry-level offer before then or else risk losing him to another NHL team. Gicewicz was one of the best goal scorers in the NCAA this season, recording 17 tallies in 28 games. He finished fourth overall, behind such top NHL prospects like Montreal’s Cole Caufield and Colorado’s Sampo Ranta. While Gicewicz was a grad transfer at UMass, following four years at St. Lawrence, making him an older prospect at 24, he still brings plenty of potential to the pros. However, the first step will be to show that this season wasn’t a fluke after his first four collegiate season left a lot to be desired. If Gicewicz keeps it up though, his time on an AHL deal could be short.
  • Vadim Shipachyov has long been an intriguing name to NHL fans. The KHL superstar has been scoring at elite levels for a decade, begging the question of what he could bring to North America. With 637 points in 646 KHL games, Shipachyov has long has the label of one of the best players outside of the NHL. Even after a failed attempt at making the jump with the Vegas Golden Knights in their inaugural 2017-18 season, Shipachyov has continued to score at a torrid, league-leading rate in Russia and many still wondered if he could try again in the NHL and find success with another club. Well today that question has been answered, likely for the final time. Shipachyov, now 34 years old, has signed a three-year extension with KHL powerhouse Dynamo Moscow, likely putting to rest any thoughts of an NHL comeback. A two-time Gagarin Cup champion, three-time KHL points leader, and six-time KHL All-Star, Shipachyov will just have to settle for his accolades in Russia having never really given North America a fair shake.
  • The SHL’s Malmo Redhawks have worked quickly to clarify their plans for the off-season following an early playoff elimination. The team has announced that nine of their players on expiring contracts will not return to the team. Among that list is Detroit Red Wings prospect Joe Veleno, who obviously will not be back after spending the season on loan with the QMJHL out of action. However, a surprise separation came in the form of Oskar Magnusson, a 19-year-old prospect of the Washington Capitals. The 2020 seventh-round pick has been developing in the Malmo system for many years, but has failed to make much of an impact in his recalls to the top club, so they have cut ties. Magnusson will have to find a new team with which to continue his development, likely still in Sweden but leaving open the option to jump to North America if the Capitals feel that is the best step. One final familiar name leaving Malmo is veteran forward Matt Puempel. Unable to find an NHL contract this off-season, Puempel joined the Redhawks in January. However, he only played in 15 games with the team, recording five points. Without much luck in his first foray into Europe, Puempel could look to return to North America this off-season. With 87 career NHL games and a long history of AHL scoring success, there should be a job for him at some level.

Cole Caufield Wins 2021 Hobey Baker Memorial Award

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As expected, Montreal Canadiens prospect Cole Caufield has been named the 2021 Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner. The 20-year-old forward beat out Shane Pinto and Dryden McKay, the other two Hat Trick Finalists that were announced earlier this month.

Though the other finalists had outstanding seasons, this was always going to be Caufield’s year after leading the nation in goals and points. The diminutive forward recorded 30 goals and 52 points as a sophomore for the University of Wisconsin, while also helping lead the U.S. World Junior team to gold. It was an incredible performance for the 15th overall selection from 2019, one which has now put him in a small fraternity of Hobey Baker winners.

Caufield quickly signed his entry-level contract with the Canadiens after Wisconsin was eliminated from the NCAA tournament–in a game where he recorded 13 shots, scoring two goals and registering an assist in a losing effort—and is expected to make his professional debut for the Laval Rocket tonight.

It’s difficult to have a better two post-draft years than Caufield has, and Canadiens fans are anxiously awaiting his time in Montreal. Though he stands just 5’7″ he is the first player in Big Ten hockey history to win consecutive scoring titles and is an offensive machine from anywhere in the attacking zone. He has broken records at the U.S. National Team Development Program, tied some of Alex Ovechkin’s U18 international records, and now added the Hobey Baker to his growing resume.

If you want to bet against Caufield because of his size, you’re probably going to lose your money.

2021 Hobey Baker Hat Trick Finalists Announced

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The college hockey season may have looked a little different this year, but award voting went on anyway. Today, the Hobey Baker Hat Trick finalists were announced. The trophy is given to the top NCAA player in the country and has an impressive line of winners over the past few years. In 2014, Johnny Gaudreau took home the award as a junior for Boston College, followed by Jack Eichel in his only year for Boston University in 2015. Jimmy Vesey, Will Butcher, and Adam Gaudette don’t bring quite the same impact but are still NHL regulars after winning from 2016-18.

2019’s winner was University of Massachusetts defenseman Cale Makar, who has gone on to win the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s best rookie and is now dominating the league with the Colorado Avalanche. Last year the award was given to Scott Perunovich, but his NHL debut has been postponed thanks to a major shoulder injury.

The award also has several top NHL alumni in its small fraternity, including Neal Broten, Tom Kurvers, Paul Kariya, Chris Drury, Ryan Miller, and Brendan Morrison. With that group behind them, this year’s winner is certainly not someone to take lightly.

Earlier this year, more than 50 players from the NCAA ranks were nominated for the award, and ten finalists were announced last month. Those ten players have been narrowed to just three, your Hat Trick finalists:

Cole Caufield – University of Wisconsin (Montreal Canadiens)

Already signed to his entry-level contract with the Canadiens, Caufield is the overwhelming favorite to win the award. The 15th overall pick in 2019, he led the nation in goals (30) and points (51) and routinely showed he was on a different level skill-wise. The diminutive winger also took home the gold medal with Team USA at the World Juniors and has simply dominated at every level throughout his hockey career. His tenure at Wisconsin is over no matter what happens with the Hobey Baker, as he’ll start his pro career in the coming days.

Shane Pinto – University of North Dakota (Ottawa Senators)

Caufield wasn’t the only impressive forward in the country though and Pinto’s place in the final three is well deserved after another strong season. The 20-year-old center scored 32 points in 28 games for UND while routinely being asked to check the opponent’s best. Though he had more offensive players on his team, there might have been no one as valuable given how many important situations Pinto was deployed in. An elite faceoff man, dogged back checker, and strong offensive facilitator, his game should translate quickly to the pro level.

Dryden McKay – Minnesota State University-Mankato (undrafted)

Not to be forgotten is McKay, the small undrafted goaltender who just keeps stopping the puck. From the moment he stepped foot on the ice for the Mavericks he has been among the best in the country, posting a .934 save percentage in 96 games. His record of 75-14-4 speaks for how strong the team around him has been during that stretch as well, but there’s no reason to doubt McKay’s contributions. For the second straight season he posted 10 shutouts, this time in just 25 games. Though his size may keep him from being an NHL starter in the long run, his college career has been almost completely unblemished to this point.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

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