Caufield: "It's a big step in my career"

MONTREAL -- It was a whirlwind weekend for Cole Caufield.

For starters, the 20-year-old saw his collegiate career with the University of Wisconsin Badgers come to a close on Friday, falling 6-3 to the Bemidji State University Beavers in the NCAA Tournament.
Caufield made his mark on the game, scoring his 29th and 30th goals of the season, before ultimately dropping out of the tournament.

But the Stevens Point, WI native did not have long to dwell on the loss, signing his first pro contract with the Canadiens a day later, on Saturday evening.
Caufield left for Montreal on Monday, and will report to the Laval Rocket after completing quarantine.
"The decision was kind of made with everybody. We're thinking about what's best for me in my future right now," explained the forward during a Zoom call with the media, before catching a plane out of Wisconsin. "[The AHL] is a great league, and I'm just excited to get going. I know they have a great team right now, and I'm just going to be happy to be a part of it. It's a big step in my career, obviously, and the work starts now. It's kind of surreal."

The Rocket currently sit first overall in the AHL's Canadian Division with a 14-4-1-1 record through 20 games.
Caufield is counting on that winning atmosphere to aid in his development.
"I think it will help me a lot. Obviously, there's a great coach down there -- and they've got a great team too. They're all going to help me out, and I'm just going to try to soak in all that I can," underlined the right winger. "I'm excited to get down there. It's a great league, and a lot of great players have debuted there and gone on to have great NHL careers. I can't wait to arrive and just play hockey."

Of course, a learning curve is to be expected when transitioning from student athlete to pro. Luckily, Caufield has always excelled at adjusting to his environment.
After all, the Habs' first-round pick from 2019 set the all-time goals record during his time at USA Hockey's National Team Development Program (NTDP) with 126 tallies between 2017 and 2019.
Then in the Big Ten, Caufield was named Rookie of the Year in his first season with the Badgers. He followed that up by becoming the NCAA's top point-getter in his sophomore campaign.
In other words, the American welcomes the challenge.
"I think I'm ready. There are some things I'll need to adjust to, but I don't think I'll have a problem with that. I've adjusted at every level I've played at so far," stressed Caufield. "I'm excited to get going and learn as much as I can for the rest of the season. I'm looking forward to getting to work."

In the spotlight
Caufield's every move over the next few weeks with the Rocket will likely be scrutinized by Habs fans.
The 2021 World Junior gold medalist admits he already felt the hype surrounding him on a few occasions this season with Wisconsin.
"It was something special to have my college games showing on Canadian networks and stuff," admitted Caufield, in reference to the Badgers games televised on RDS this year. "I feel the support. I feel the excitement, and it's obviously exciting to play in front of a large crowd -- especially when there's no one in the stands -- just knowing people are watching is a lot of fun. It's pretty special for me."

And make no mistake - the pressure of playing in a market like Montreal doesn't faze Caufield.
"Personally, I drive myself with my own goals. So, I'm just going to push myself every day to get better. I'll do what I can with myself to prove to everybody that I'm a good player and can handle the heat when it happens," he explained. "So, just sticking with it and doing the best I can."
Icing on the cake
Caufield's ability to find the back of the net is undeniable. At each level, the young prospect has always found ways to score goals.
That being said, one of his objectives this season with the Badgers was to fine-tune his game as a whole, especially in the defensive zone.
"I think the way I learned to play in all three zones this year is something that I take a lot of pride in," said Caufield. "I think the compete factor has always been there, but I'm a lot hungrier now. I just want to prove how good of a player I am, and what I've become over this past year. I think I took a big step in my development, and I'm just excited to get out there and show it."

Good defense often leads to good offense. And Caufield was proof of that as he finished first in goals (30) and points (52) in 2021.
Caufield is heavily favored to win the coveted Hobey Baker Memorial Award, which goes to the league's top player every year.
"It would mean a lot to me. Personally, it was one of my goals going into the season and coming back to Wisconsin. I just wanted to be a leader on the team, and lead the team in the right direction," concluded Caufield. "It was a goal of mine, and my teammates have obviously helped me out, but it's been a good accomplishment so far."
The winner of the Hobey Baker Memorial Award will be announced on April 9.