Skip to content
Your daily dose of hockey
Cole Caufield: Even if he’s improving at this level, he needs to hit the net more often.

We can all agree that there’s one particular element of Cole Caufield’s playing that makes him so special.

He likes to score goals… and he excels in that department. Leaving aside half a season under Dominique Ducharme, when he struggled a little, Caufield has always found a way to find the back of the net wherever he has gone in recent years.

That said, I was looking at his stats earlier today and one thing stands out. He’s started to trust his shot more… And he needs to keep doing that.

In the last two seasons, he has accumulated a total of :

  • 188 shots in 67 games, a full-season pace of 230 shots
  • 158 shots in 46 games, 282 shots over a full season

We can already see the progression. If he’d finished last season as healthy as he was before his injury, he’d have been among the NHL leaders in this regard:

(Credit: NHL.com)

That’s exactly what you want from your best maverick.

We’ve learned about the quality of his shooting and we’ve seen how dangerous he is. What works in his favor, too, is his ability to score goals in any way he can…

His wrist shot is a threat, he has a powerful slap shot and he’s able to draw on reception. It’s hard to ask more of him.

That said, I’d like to see him hit the net more often. Yes, you’re going to tell me that he was already one of the best at it last year… But still.

He still needs to make more use of the skills he possesses, because let’s face it, that’s what allows him and will allow him to be part of the National League’s elite.

Everyone knows that the best way to score goals is to shoot the net…

That’s why Alex Ovechkin has been so successful in his career. The same goes for Steven Stamkos.

David Pastrnak scored 61 goals (!) last season… And to help himself, he finished the campaign with 407 shots on net. I’m not saying that Caufield absolutely has to have the same stats season after season…

But maybe he could take a leaf out of the Bruins’ book and realize what a potentially devastating weapon he is.

Because, in reality, Cole Caufield has what it takes to become a 50-, 55- or even 60-goal scorer in the NHL.


In gusto

– They’re (already) among the elite.

– Hey boy.

– A legendary moment in the career of the former CH goaltender.

– He’s had quite a run so far at the US Open.

– That much?

More Content