Caufield focused on 'being more than just a goal scorer' for Canadiens

Cole Caufield realizes the importance of rounding out his game for the benefit not only of the Montreal Canadiens, but a possible spot on the United States roster for the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off.

"If there's one thing I've learned, you don't really have the puck on your stick that much for an NHL game, so how are you going to help the guys with the puck when you don't have it?" Caufield told NHL.com. "Arriving to the spot at the right time to help out, transitioning quickly to the defensive side of the puck, being harder to play against, winning more battles ... these are all things me and coach [Martin St. Louis] have talked about."

That's quite an admission from a player considered one of the finest goal scorers in the NHL and in the history of USA Hockey's National Team Development Program. But the 23-year-old left wing is willing to do whatever it takes to become an even better all-around player.

"I think he's been in a process the last 14 months of just being more than just a goal scorer with playing a 200-foot game and playing the defensive side of the puck too," St. Louis said. "I think he's still going through his process. He's a young player like the rest of our team and that's what we're after."

The Canadiens (6-10-2) also are after some more wins and hope Caufield can maintain his prolific scoring touch when they host the Edmonton Oilers at Bell Centre on Monday (7:30 p.m. ET; RDS, Prime).

Caufield set a single-season NTDP record with 72 goals in 64 games in 2018-19, and his 126 goals in 123 games in two seasons with the program are second all-time.

Caufield grew up a fan of Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane and at the time considered him to be the best United States-born player. Now in his fifth NHL season with Montreal, which selected him in the first round (No. 15) in the 2019 NHL Draft, he was asked who he considers the best American-born player in the game today.

"Probably Auston Matthews (Toronto Maple Leafs)," he said. "I think being able to see where he's come and dominated the league as he has. I like watching him for his goal scoring ability, but he does a lot of other things with the puck that I appreciate and are special."

Caufield has 15 points (12 goals, three assists) in 18 games this season. His 26.7 percent shooting percentage is well above the NHL average (12.7 percent), per NHL EDGE statistics, and Montreal has a 50.0 on-ice goals-for percentage at 5-on-5 when he's on the ice.

Earlier this season, he joined Mats Naslund (eight games, 1985-86), Brian Savage (10, 1999-00 and 1995-96) and Pierre Turgeon (10, 1994-95) as the fourth Canadiens player in the past 40 years to reach 10 goals in 11 games or fewer.

"It's hard to score goals in this league ... those players are the ones circled on the lineup card every game by the opposing team, but those are also the guys working hard in practice, doing a lot of video and reps with a purpose," Caufield said. "The more reps you get in games, you can kind of figure how the team defends. At the end of the day, if you're getting a couple chances every game to score, there's no panic. Once you stop getting those chances, I think that's when you have to find a different way."

Caufield does think about the possibility of representing his country at the 4 Nations Face-Off, which will see the United States face Canada, Sweden and Finland from Feb. 12-20, with games played at TD Garden in Boston and Bell Centre.

He knows it won't be easy to crack the lineup.

"I would 100 percent relish the opportunity to play for Team USA," Caufield said. "I think everyone wants to be on that team, especially with the 2026 [Milano Cortina] Olympics on the horizon. It's obviously a very competitive group ... you could probably have two all-star teams full of USA players.

"But I'm just going to keep competing and doing what I can to focus on myself, and whatever happens, happens."

It doesn't hurt that the first two games for the United States in the 4 Nations Face-Off will be at Bell Centre on Feb. 13 and 15.

"I love playing there and it's pretty cool to be an American playing in a Canadian city where they love hockey," Caufield said. "We share the same interests and the same passion, and I think they recognize that. Everyone loves going there, playing at Bell Centre, so I'm really lucky and fortunate to have that opportunity as an NHL player."

Caufield also never will take for granted an Original Six franchise taking a chance on him.

"Any young player of my stature (5-foot-8, 175 pounds) looking to play in the NHL needs to know you always have to have more compete than anyone else when you're on the ice," he said. "Winning battles doesn't come as easy for guys our size, so you have to use your brain, your mind, to outsmart guys in ways you can beat them. In the end, though, it always comes down to compete.

"Personally, I'm never really satisfied with where I'm at and I think there's always stuff left on the table. But it's always fun and interesting to discover more ways to create more scoring chances. It's the toughest league in the world for a reason and that's what makes it so fun."