Forward Cole Caufield was grinning to the full on Monday after the Canadiens’ training session, recalling the smiling and promising young man who showed up in Montreal on the eve of the playoffs last summer. This renewed joy contrasted with the gloomy air he had displayed since the start of the present campaign.
Without saying it directly, Canadiens head coach Dominique Ducharme admitted that Caufield’s current shortage may have been due, in part, to his playing in a market as competitive as Montreal.
“It can be a trap, not just for young players – obviously, maybe even more so for young players. We have said it before: in our market, we are passionate, we have passionate supporters. When it’s good, it’s very good – you may even reach an even higher level – and when it’s bad, it can be very bad. “
“And we have to find ourselves somewhere in between [extrêmes]. For a young player, having to manage all this environment, in addition to having to settle in the NHL, these are challenges that are also part of learning, ”said Ducharme.
So after scoring four goals and amassing eight assists in 20 playoff games last summer, Caufield is still stuck with a meager assist in 12 games this season – lethargy amplified by his -7 rating.
His brief six-game stint with the Laval Rocket, during which he shone with two goals and three assists, seems to have benefited him, however – despite his non-verbal language that said otherwise, in his early days in the league. American Hockey League.
He also highlighted the contribution of his compatriot Ryan Poehling, who welcomed him with open arms at the Rocket.
“He’s a very good teammate, and I’m very close to him. When I got demoted he was the first to call and greet me [à Laval]. He went through the same thing as me, so he understood what I was going through. He is a real “leader” there, he does the right thing and makes sure that we stay focused on the task at hand. That’s what he told me and it helped me, ”said the only 20-year-old American.
Caufield also praised the work of Rocket head coach Jean-François Houle, who put him in the best possible position to regain his natural scoring touch.
“He keeps it simple, encourages you not to think too much and to develop yourself within his play structure. For me, it was about giving me more playing time and opportunities to play. touching the puck, which really helped me, ”said Caufield.
Since his recall from the school club last Thursday, Caufield has not blackened the scoresheet. Instead, he was shut out in two games against the Pittsburgh Penguins and Nashville Predators, and has a -4 cumulative rating.
The principal concerned swears, however, that he has the impression that things are moving slowly, and that his stay with the Rocket has done him the greatest good.
“I had to clear my mind and find my bearings, in order to rebuild my confidence. It made me feel good because I was able to find myself as a hockey player, relax and forget about the surrounding noise. I was happy to get the call that brought me back with the big club – I had butterflies, like the first time. I felt like I had a lot of energy for those first two games, and I want to make sure it continues like this. “
The winner of the Hobey-Baker Trophy in 2020, awarded to the MVP of the NCAA, thus summarized the message that the CH had sent him after his recall by the big club.
“I was told to be myself, not to think too much, and to play my way and to keep my confidence in my abilities,” he said.
So, what did he learn at Laval that can serve him well for the rest of his career as a sniper in the NHL?
“The most important thing for me is to make sure I’m always on the move in order to generate more scoring opportunities. I always have to be close to the puck, and close to the opposing net. That’s what I have to keep doing, and keep analyzing the video footage after the meetings to learn lessons. But I like the state of my game right now, and I want to improve it even further, ”he said.
And with any luck, who knows, the red light might start flickering again for him shortly.