The Montreal Canadiens have committed to young scorer Cole Caufield, agreeing to terms on an eight-year, $62.8 million deal.
The 22-year-old tied for the team lead in goals this season with 26, the second straight season Caufield has paced the Canadiens. This past season, he did it in only 46 games because he was shut down to undergo shoulder surgery.
After a highly successful stint with the United States national team development program, Caufield went to the University of Wisconsin and led the nation in goals and scoring. He won the Hobey Baker Award as the top college player, but Montreal was able to get Caufield with the 15th pick in the 2019 draft because some teams had concerns about his 5-foot-7 frame.
After a 10-game stint in which he scored four goals with the Canadiens in 2020-21, Caufield was a favorite for the Calder Trophy the next season, but he struggled out of the gate. He was demoted to the AHL, but returned to play 67 games and score 23 goals.
He was on a much higher pace this past season, even though he initially dislocated his shoulder in December. He was shut down in January and underwent surgery. He was back skating with the team in practice in April.