Montreal Canadiens: What Should We Expect From Cole Caufield’s First NHL Game?

Ever since Cole Caufield signed his NHL contract with the Montreal Canadiens, fans have been extremely excited to see him play for the big team.

Caufield scored two goals and added an assist in his first professional hockey game with the Laval Rocket. Unfortunately for fans, the only time they can see Cole Caufield in the NHL is if a player is injured, since the Canadiens do not have any cap space left.

We still don’t know for certain if Caufield will play this season, but if he does here is what to expect.

Caufield is a goal scorer and he has proven that he can score in every league he has played in so far. The 20-year-old scored in the USHL, the NCAA, the World Juniors, and the AHL. Is it reasonable to expect him to score a hat-trick in his debut?

Although it wouldn’t surprise me, I doubt it. He will, however, most likely generate offensive opportunities for him and the players around him. In his first game with Laval, Caufield had many chances to score with his powerful shot. If given the opportunity to play during the power play, we should definitely expect Caufield to shoot the puck every time he gets the chance to fire it.

Cole Caufield isn’t a big guy, so don’t expect him to play a physical game. However, his size will allow him to hide and find open space to prepare his shot. We saw him do the same thing in his first two games in the American Hockey League.

We also shouldn’t expect him to be great defensively. Caufield is not a defensive player, and he will have to improve in this area. He won’t be able to block many shots and will most likely struggle in his 1-1 matchup.

Few people know how skilled Caufield is with his stick. It’s something we’re sure he’ll use in his first game.  With his stick-handling, the young American-born player is able to create more room and make plays for his teammate to score.

It’ll be fun to see Caufield play alongside Kotkaniemi and Anderson if he plays this season. With their physiques, both of these guys will make way for Caufield. Caufield would have more time to position himself on the ice while KK and Anderson win their battles on the boards.

One thing is certain: we cannot put too much pressure on Caufield in his first game. He is a bright young man who will undoubtedly improve with time. His talent will not fade away, but his confidence could, especially if we put too much pressure on him and he fails to score. Cole Caufield will without a doubt make fans happy once he joins the Montreal Canadiens on the ice.