Cole Caufield

Caufield has had a lot of up-and-downs for a player who is still just 23. He struggled mightily during the first half of 2021-22 before finding his game after Martin St. Louis took over as the bench boss. In the end, he finished with 23 goals and 43 points across 67 contests, but the potential to do far better was there in 2022-23. Instead, he was limited to 46 games due to injury, resulting in him supplying 26 goals and 36 points. The 2023-24 was the first time when the Wisconsin native was both healthy and consistent, leading to him setting new career highs with 28 goals and 65 points in 82 outings. That still might not be his best. Most notably, he had a shooting percentage of 8.9 in 2023-24 -- the lowest of his career by a significant margin - and likely suffered from some bad puck luck. As long as Caufield stays healthy, it wouldn't be surprising to see him surpass the 30-goal and 70-point marks for the first time.

Caufield potted 26 goals and earned 36 points in 46 games before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury. The 22-year-old sniper tied for first on the Canadiens with seven power-play goals and led the team in even-strength goals (19) despite sitting out the final 36 contests of the 2022-23 campaign. Caufield was rewarded for his outstanding potential with an eight-year, $62.8 million contract during the offseason. It probably won't be long before he is a 50-goal scorer, but a more conservative expectation for this year would be somewhere in the 30-40 range, which depends greatly on his ability to stay healthy. Caufield, who is expected to be available for training camp, is a worthwhile gamble to take in fantasy drafts.

It seemed as if the hockey world was ready to write Caufield off after he scored just once through his first 30 games a in2021-22, but the light bulb went off for the youngster midway through the year and Caufield proceeded to light the lamp 22 times in his final 47 contests. That's nearly a 50-goal pace over the course of a full year, and while no one expects Caufield to produce at that level in 2022-23, it's pretty clear the real Caufield is the guy we saw late in the year. Still just 21 years of age and locked into a major role on a team trying to find its footing, Caufield should crack the 30-goal plateau with ease assuming he is able to remain healthy in 2022-23.

Caufield burst onto the scene late in 2020-21 with five points in 10 games after wrapping up his season at the University of Wisconsin. The diminutive winger then proved he was set to stay in the NHL with four goals and eight assists in 20 postseason contests as the Canadiens made a run to the Stanley Cup Finals. The 20-year-old winger showed great chemistry with Nick Suzuki in the playoffs, which could lead to a promising pairing of young forwards in the Habs' top six to open the season. Caufield may still play some sheltered minutes as a young forward, but he'll likely see plenty of power-play time. Fantasy managers will likely draft him in the middle rounds with the expectation of 40 points, a high shot volume and perhaps a nomination for the Calder Trophy at the end of the campaign.