Montreal Canadiens: If College Season Cancelled, Where Can Cole Caufield Play?

2. Laval Rocket

While going to Europe if far better than not playing at all, it is a difficult decision for a young player to uproot his life and head overseas when there are options within North America. If the NCAA season isn’t happening, Caufield does not need to move halfway across the world to find a team to play on.

The simplest solution for him would be to just sign his entry-level contract and turn pro. He isn’t likely going to crack the Canadiens roster immediately, as Marc Bergevin stated that he needs more time to grow and build muscle before he can handle the NHL. The next best thing to the NHL would be the AHL.

A steep learning curve would still exist for the undersized winger. He plays against young men in NCAA Hockey, but the oldest players in that league are typically 22 or 23. A season in the AHL would pit the 19 year old against veterans of all ages who have years of experience in the pro game.

The Laval Rocket are well coached by Joel Bouchard. He helped young players like Cale Fleury, Noah Juulsen, Jake Evans and Jesperi Kotkaniemi rapidly prepare for NHL action. A season under the tutelage of Bouchard would do wonders for Caufield’s all-around game. We already know he can score goals and has an underrated ability to create plays with his stick handling and passing.

But can he translate him immense talent to the pro game and can he handle the defensive side of things? With some time working with Bouchard, he would be well prepared to step into the lineup for the Montreal Canadiens, if not late in the 20-21 season, certainly to begin the 21-22 campaign.