3 Reasons Cole Caufield Is Great Value for the Canadiens

If they are not, Montreal Canadiens fans should be celebrating. In early June of this year, their young superstar sniper, Cole Caufield, signed for the long term. His eight-year contract extension with the Canadiens is valued at a substantial $62.8 million. That’s an average annual value (AAV) of $7.85 million.

Perhaps the key value of the contract for Canadiens’ fans is that it shows the franchise’s commitment to building upon the foundation of its emerging youthful core of talent. Caufleld is one of the biggest building blocks in the team’s foundation, and he’s now with the team for the long haul.

Caufield Has Already Made a Significant Impact in Montreal

Caufield is just 22 years old. However, he’s already made a significant impact as a scorer in the NHL. During the 2022-23 season, he showed his scoring ability by racking up an impressive 26 goals and adding 10 assists (for a strong 36 points in just 46 games). It likely would have been much more, except an unfortunate shoulder injury sidelined him for much of the season.

Cole Caufield Montreal Canadiens — Cole Caufield, Montreal Canadiens (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Now with a career total of 53 goals, 31 assists, and 84 points in 123 NHL games, Caufield has established himself as one of the NHL’s most promising young stars. What also makes this contract extension noteworthy is its potential to be an extraordinary gift for the Canadiens that keeps on giving. Despite his youth, Caufield has already proven that he can score at an elite level. That the organization locked him up for eight years at what will become a relatively modest salary-cap hit in the near future should prove to be a really smart move for the team. If Caufield continues to develop along his current trajectory, the deal will prove to be a huge bargain for the Canadiens sooner rather than later.

Reasons Why Caufield Represents Such a Great Value

Here are several reasons why Caufield and his contract represent such great value for the Canadiens. These include:

Reason One: Caufield Brings Scoring Ability at a Bargain Price

So far, Caufield’s scoring ability has been nothing short of remarkable. Despite his young age and limited NHL experience, he’s consistently found the back of the net with redundant precision. He’s an elite scorer. He plays like a veteran – far beyond what his years would suggest.

The fact he was able to score 26 goals in just 46 games during the 2022-23 season is huge. Doing the math, that works out to just under 51 goals (50.76 goals) over an 82-game schedule. Should Caufield turn out to be a 50-goal scorer, his AAV of $7.85 million represents one of the best bargains in the NHL. If everything works, and there’s no reason to suspect otherwise, the Canadiens would have retained a potent scoring threat without breaking the bank.

In today’s NHL context, his salary already represents a significant value. Elite goal-scorers often are paid much higher salaries. As the salary cap continues to rise, his value will increase with it.

Reason Two: Caufield Solidifies the Canadiens’ Young Core of Talent

The Canadiens are invested in their youthful core of talent. Last summer, the franchise also locked in their captain, Nick Suzuki, to an eight-year, $63 million contract. Now, with Caufield on board, the Canadiens have solidified two of their cornerstone stars for the long term.

This commitment by Caufield provides stability and optimism for the franchise and its fans. Building around a young, dynamic core has remained a proven formula for NHL success; and, the Canadiens are well-positioned to do just that.

Reason Three: Caufield’s Contract Augurs the Potential for Future Bargains

While Caufield’s contract extension is impressive on the face of it; at the same time, it represents a valuable example going forward. Given that the team will be signing more of its young core over the next few years, Caufield’s contract sets a standard for future contracts in the areas of both term and AAV. It would be tough for any of the up-and-comers to realistically negotiate and re-sign for more than Caufield’s eight-year, $62.8 million deal. If that proves to be the ceiling for the Canadiens under general manager Kent Hughes, it will work to keep the team increasingly competitive.

Because the team will work hard to assemble a competitive roster around its locked-down young talent, Caufield’s contract represents a positive precedent. If other young stars within the organization follow suit with such increasingly team-friendly extensions, the Canadiens will keep themselves in a viable salary-cap situation. That situation will allow greater flexibility in building a championship-caliber team.

The Bottom Line

While this is not likely the year for a long Stanley Cup run, that will probably be coming around the corner soon. The Canadiens’ rebuild is going well. With both Suzuki and Caufield committing to the team’s long-term future, the Canadiens already have two of its cornerstones. Both youngsters represent significant milestones in the team’s journey toward a Stanley Cup.

Fans of every NHL team have to hand it to the Canadiens. They’ve been shrewd in their contract extensions, and it’s clear they have a coherent and workable plan headed into the future. With Caufield and Suzuki locked in at reasonable prices, the Canadiens are positioned for NHL success.