Bottom Six Minutes: Cole Caufield turns playmaker

Nov 16, 2024; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens right wing Cole Caufield (13) has a conversation with right wing Josh Anderson (17) during warm-up before the game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

Despite a concerningly bad second period on Saturday night, the Montreal Canadiens got it together and took a big win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on home ice. They managed to sandwich two good periods around that second frame, and saved the best for last with a very strong third to get the win.

Cole Caufield, for his part, abandoned his pursuit of the Rocket Richard trophy for one night, and decided to take on the role of playmaker.

He is a more capable passer than most would give him credit for, and that side of his game is often overshadowed by his shot. We saw this from him last year as well, when he was struggling to put the puck in the net at times, and it led to a surprising 37-assist season. This likely benefits his ability to reach the 40 goal plateau this season, as his torrid pace through 18 games is going to see other teams game planning on how to keep him off the board. Having to worry about him dishing the puck will complicate things a bit, and he could find some nice shooting lanes to exploit as a result.

The line blender has basically been out all season for the top six, and right now it has Caufield skating with Jake Evans and Alex Newhook. They have had some struggles at five-on-five, but Caufield re-discovering his versatility from last season could be a big help in getting that line up to par. It won’t just help Caufield with his own production, it could be a key to tiding this team over until they’re back to full health, and can put together a more competitive top six.

And it could just be the push that USA hockey needs to put him on the Four Nations roster. Rumours have been swirling that he’s not in the picture right now, despite being an early participant in the Rocket Richard race. A little versatility shown by him could go a long way to silencing those rumours, as he probably does deserve the chance to represent his country.

We know that Caufield wants to do more shooting, but this was an important game for him in proving that he can contribute without shooting as well.

Click the link below to listen to your full Bottom Six Minutes, also available wherever you get your podcasts. We’ll be back on Monday night, when the Habs will continue their home stand against Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers.

https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/bottom-six-minutes-18-habs-vs-blue-jackets-chicken-wings/id1405421470?i=1000677199730