Hughes 'super happy' to see Caufield on cusp of 50th goal

NEWARK, N.J. -- Jack Hughes could talk for hours about former teammate Cole Caufield if given the chance.

The bond he has with his former linemate from their days at USA Hockey's National Team Development Program in Plymouth, Michigan, is palpable. 

It’s no surprise the New Jersey Devils center is excited to witness Caufield become the first Montreal Canadiens player in 36 seasons to score at least 50 goals, too.

"I can't say I'm surprised, but 50 goals is a massive number in this league, so I'm definitely just impressed with what he's done and how fast he's done it," Hughes told NHL.com on Saturday. "I've been there for pretty much all the steps of his hockey career and to see him do this ... super happy for him."

Caufield needs one goal to reach 50 this season, something not seen in Montreal since Stephane Richer had 51 in 1989-90. Hughes said he and Caufield, who live minutes away from each other during the summer months, still text and chat regularly. 

While Caufield didn't get No. 50 in Montreal's 4-3 shootout win against the Devils on Saturday, Hughes will get another chance to see his former linemate hit the mark when the Devils and Canadiens play the second half of a home-and-home back to back Sunday at Bell Centre in Montreal (7 p.m. ET; RDS, TSN2, MSGSN). 

"He has a knack for (scoring goals)," Hughes said. "Then, you see him off the ice, he's got big forearms. Look, obviously 50 is such a big number, but I can't say it's shocking to me because he's always been a goal-scoring machine."

Hughes and Caufield were part of a 2001 birth-year group at the NTDP that scored a franchise record 699 goals over two seasons together (2017-19).

"I'm probably not here without him," Hughes said, "just because the impact his game had on my game in two of the biggest years of our hockey journey was so big. He was just a special guy in my life."

Hughes led the NTDP with 112 points (34 goals, 78 assists) in 50 games in 2018-19 and set the record for most assists (154) and points (228) in 110 games over two seasons with the program. 

"I played two years with him at the program and, if you look at a lot of my points, they're all off his goals," Hughes said. "At that time in my life, he was the perfect linemate for me because I'd pass him the puck and the puck would go into the net."

Hughes became the fifth NTDP alum to go No. 1 in the draft, following Auston Matthews (Toronto Maple Leafs, 2016), Patrick Kane (Chicago Blackhawks, 2007), Erik Johnson (St. Louis Blues, 2006) and Rick DiPietro (New York Islanders, 2000). He was the first NTDP player to go No. 1 and play in the NHL the following season.

A record eight players from the NTDP were selected in the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft. Hughes, Minnesota wild forward Matt Boldy, Caufield and Philadelphia Flyers forward Trevor Zegras rank among the top five in points in the NHL from that draft class.

Hughes tops the list in assists (255) and points (421) and Caufield ranks first in goals (167), two ahead of his former linemate.

Hughes said he remembers how determined Caufield was at perfecting his shot.

"Growing up, he always had a knack for scoring," Hughes said. "I feel like there's guys that just know how to score and he's a guy that could always score five-hole. I remember at the program, he never did it as work. He loved hockey and still loves hockey so much, but he was always working on the shot, always shooting."

Hughes skated alongside Caufield and Boldy over the first half of his NTDP Under-17 season, before Zegras replaced Boldy in his U-18 season.

"I remember the big thing back then was Auston Matthews coming from the program and doing the pull-and-drag shot," Hughes said. "Everyone would stay on the ice after practice and work on the Matthews toe-drag release. I'm not surprised by his scoring because he hides it well. It comes off his stick so nice, and it looks so good."

Caufield holds the NTDP record for goals in a season, with 72 in 2018-19, and at the time set the record for career goals (126) in 123 games over two seasons. He tied Alex Ovechkin (2002) for most goals (14) at the IIHF 2019 Under-18 World Championship to help the United States win a bronze medal while playing right wing on a line with Hughes.

Cole Eiserman, chosen No. 20 by the New York Islanders in the 2024 NHL Draft, passed Caufield in career goals at the NTDP, scoring 127 in 119 games from 2022-24.

Hughes is hopeful one day he and Caufield will again join forces on an international level or the World Cup of Hockey. Hughes became a national sports hero when he scored at 1:41 of overtime to give Team USA a 2-1 win against Team Canada in the gold medal game of the men's hockey tournament at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics on Feb. 22. A whirlwind media tour followed.

The 24-year-old has 70 points (25 goals, 45 assists) in 55 games with the Devils this season, including 34 points (13 goals, 21 assists) in 19 games since returning from Milan.

"Cole is one of the premier USA Hockey players around," Hughes said. "Obviously, we won gold, so we had the perfect lineup. But Cole's had such a tremendous year. If there's more spots, he deserves to be on that team, like Jason Robertson. It just so happens there's only so many guys you can take, but Cole's a guy who, down the line, will be on plenty of U.S. National teams."