Montreal Canadiens: Five Bold Predictions For 2023-24 Season

Jan 17, 2023; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens right wing Cole Caufield. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports

Cole Caufield Scores 45 Goals

Just like Suzuki will benefit from Caufield, the pair will play brilliantly off one another and their YouTube highlight reel is available to anyone who disagrees. The shot is devastating, and there is no ounce of doubt about that, but having a pinpoint passer threading one timers makes Caufield’s life much easier. Through 44 games, Caufield scored 26 goals, before going down with a shoulder injury. It’s hard to argue that he doesn’t get right back to his scoring ways, especially after a full offseason to get healthy and work on sharpening his skills to make him even more of a nightmare to goalies.

After a big offseason, Caufield said that he was feeling 100% and he looked as though he hit the weights hard. With a healthy shoulder and some added physical strength, that 50-goal pace might not be so far out of reach. For the sake of not getting too crazy so early on the list, I predict that Caufield will score 45 goals, and help improve the Habs powerplay.

Staying healthy holds the highest importance, and with an unblemished 82-game schedule ahead, there will be ample opportunities for Suzuki and Caufield to rekindle their chemistry.  Finding the winger that will turn the duo into a trio will be huge, and the Canadiens will find the answer during training camp. But Caufield’s goalscoring ability will shine brighter in year two, and he could find himself being the first Canadien to score 40+ goals since Vincent Damphousse scored forty in 1993-94.