Cole Caufield: via Instagram, he seems to confirm that he's in Montreal to stay

Cole Caufield’s contract situation has been the talk of Montreal for some time now. The little maverick, who is out of contract for next season, will become a restricted independent player in the coming weeks.

Initially, we sensed that there was some traction in the negotiations for his next pact, but things are currently in a state of flux. We’re still a long way from the worrying stage (remember how late Kirby Dach signed his contract last summer), but it’s something to keep an eye on.

Earlier today, however, Caufield seemed a little reassuring. Via a live stream on his dog’s Instagram account, he was asked to pet his pet if he was in Montreal to stay.

A few seconds later, he did just that.

He stay https://t.co/aXh0om0qMm

– /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) May 27, 2023

That said, we don’t know for sure if it’s really the CH forward, but considering it’s his own dog, we can suspect that it is.

Caufield has made no secret of the fact that he loves Montreal and intends to stay. That said, in the context of contract negotiations, it’s perhaps a little more “dangerous” for him to say so openly (considering he’s taking away a bit of leverage), but that doesn’t stop him from floating these clues.

Nevertheless, even if Caufield seems willing to come to terms with the organization, we may have to be patient a little longer. Perhaps, for example, Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton are waiting to see if the salary cap will rise by more than a million dollars last year, which could influence the offer made to the forward.

Some #GoHabsGo observers are concerned about perceived limited progress in Caufield’s contract talks. My theory: the Habs are waiting to see what the cap ceiling will be before signing him. NHL & NHLPA are discussing a possible increase over the projected $83.5 million.

– Spector’s Hockey (@SpectorsHockey) May 27, 2023

The good news, at least, is that even if the deal isn’t expected to close imminently, Caufield does seem willing to spend the next few years of his career in Montreal. And that’s great news for both the organization and the fans.

Breaking news

– Great read on Joe Pavelski.

Pete DeBoer: “Honestly, Joe could do my job and his job. If I’m thinking of it, Joe’s already thought about it. Let’s put it that way. That’s just Joe.”

On Joe Pavelski’s production, leadership, experience and overall impact https://t.co/fcGf0qTuSj

– Saad Yousuf (@SaadYousuf126) May 27, 2023

– Too bad.