Cole Caufield: Stevens Point’s Messi on Ice

Credit: © David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports

This article was written by Michael Bourassa, who is part of the Professional Hockey Writers Association x To Hockey With Love Mentorship Program. This program pairs aspiring writers with established members of the association across North America to create opportunities for marginalized people that do not traditionally get published on larger platforms covering hockey.

To Hockey With Love is a weekly newsletter covering a range of topics in hockey – from the scandals of the week to providing a critical analysis of the sport.

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When Cole Caufield was drafted in 2019, many scouts were comparing him to players like Alex DeBrincat. But longtime hockey analyst Craig Button went off the board and surprised many when he listed Caufield’s player comparable as Lionel Messi. Yes, the soccer player Lionel Messi.

“That was the best one,” Caufield said as he laughed when asked about the comparison.

A player similar in size who also possess an elite goal scoring ability, Button was confident in Caufield becoming an excellent goal scorer at the NHL level. Caufield has proven him right so far in his young career.

Caufield has since gone on to become a household name for hockey fans since he made his NHL debut in 2021, displaying his ability to score goals and make highlight reel plays whenever he touches the ice. However, this all began with the hard work and dedication he put into improving his craft in his hometown of Stevens Point, Wisconsin.

Caufield, who was on pace for 46 goals this season (the most for a Canadiens player since 1990) before his year was cut short due to shoulder surgery, spent two seasons playing at Stevens Point Area High before eventually joining the United States National Team Development Program.

“Looking back on it feels like forever ago,” Caufield said when asked about his high school playing days. “I had a lot of fun, you never really thought of the next level too much, just to be playing with those guys, it was fun. To try and win with those guys that you grew up with is awesome.”

“Cole would work on his craft every day, whether it was in season or in the off season,” wrote via message Brandon Busse, who was the head coach of the hockey team at Stevens Point Area High during Caufield’s time there. “He was at the rink in the summer every day with a few others and worked on skill drills. Cole would make up drills using ice tools/equipment to skate/pass through/over/under. That along with just maturing over the summer were just a few things he did to progress in his career.”

Caufield would spend most of his time training on the ice alone with his older brother Brock, who he credits with helping improve his game.

“My brother was doing a lot more work behind the scenes to get drills than I was. I was just doing them with him,” Caufield said. “We had a good balance; he would push me and I would push him. To have a guy like that, I’m really thankful for. He was pretty hard on me, but I would always give it back to him whenever I could. Having a guy like that made it easier to try and get better.”

Better is just what Caufield has become as he’s gone on to leave his mark on the game at every level he’s played, taking home prestigious awards and setting records in the process. Amongst these accolades include both the single season and career goal records at United States National Team Development Program and the prize for the top collegiate hockey player, the 2021 Hobey Baker award.

“You want to dominate at every level you play at,” Caufield said “That second year (in college) I wanted to go back and prove myself, know that I beat that level before going onto the next one.”

However, it is not the individual success that Caufield cherishes from his time at the University of Wisconsin, but rather that of the team.

“For me it was more about helping the team win and the individual stats come with that,” Caufield said. “I really liked how my first year we were pretty bad with a good team and our second year we lost key guys and were still able to win a Big Ten Championship. That was more important for me. The Hobey Baker’s obviously special, but I think the team success we had was pretty crazy. Those are the things I remember more than just myself.”

Despite displaying elite goal scoring prowess prior to the 2019 NHL draft, it wasn’t until the 15th overall pick that Caufield finally heard his name called, with many teams passing on him mainly due to size concerns. I’m sure that many teams are still regretting their decision to pass up the opportunity to draft the man that has garnered the nickname “Goal Caufield” as he continues to showcase his skill at every level.

When asked if winning the Hobey Baker award in 2021 was a way to prove those teams that had passed on him wrong, Caufield said, “No, I wouldn’t want to play for them!” as he let out a laugh. “I’m thankful to be here, everything obviously happens for a reason and I mean 15th overall isn’t bad in my book. In the moment it was pretty frustrating, but looking back on it, honestly, it was just the heat of the moment and I’m really thankful for where I ended up. I love it here so I can’t complain.”

Shortly after completing his college sophomore season, Caufield signed an entry-level contract with the Montreal Canadiens, officially becoming a pro. He helped the team reach the Stanley Cup Final that year, where they lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning, tallying 12 points in 20 playoff games. He entered the next season being the favorite to win the Calder Memorial trophy as rookie of the year, however he experienced a slow start as the Canadiens endured a disappointing beginning to the season. Things changed when new general manager Kent Hughes replaced head coach Dominique Ducharme with Hall of Famer Martin St. Louis, a change Caufield has benefited from as his ice time and point production have both increased with him tied for the eighth most goals in the NHL ever since the coaching switch.

“I think everybody in this room looks up to Marty,” Caufield said “I’m learning a lot from him every day, he’s teaching me a lot.”

Caufield has managed to find himself in elite company after recently completing his 100th career NHL game. He ranks fourth in Canadiens history for goals scored in their first 100 games. The only players that have more? Bernie Geoffrion, Jean Béliveau and Maurice Richard, all of whom have their jerseys retired for one of the most storied franchises in all of sports.

“It’s honestly just weird,” Caufield said with a laugh when asked about having his name attached to such legendary players. “You’re never really in the moment thinking about those things, you can always see it on social media and people point them out to you, but it’s obviously pretty special.

“Those guys did it a long time ago, it’s cool to get that going again, we’ve got an exciting team built for the future. To be mentioned in a group of names like that is pretty cool.”

Yvan Cournoyer, another Canadiens legend, has praised Caufield for being a game changer while on the ice, citing similarities in their style of play. When asked about the praise coming from the Habs icon, Caufield said, “I try to learn as much as I can from him, obviously he’s saying some pretty big things about me. I think it’s cool he cares so much about this team and he’s always around, makes you appreciate where you are more and try not to take things for granted here”

Caufield is now focused on becoming the best version of himself that he can be, wanting to be remembered as a hard worker who loves the game of hockey. He is someone who has valued winning at every level, doing so while leaving his mark on the game in the process. As he continues to take the league by storm and bring an exciting style of play to the city of Montreal that has not been seen in a long time, the young man who began his career in Stevens Point is on track to become undoubtedly one of the best goal scorers on the planet, much like his player comparable on draft night, Lionel Messi.

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Cole Caufield: Stevens Point’s Messi on Ice

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