Latest on Extension Talks Between Canadiens and Cole Caufield

According to Elliotte Friedman in a recent 32 Thoughts blog, the Montreal Canadiens are making internal plans around a long-term extension for forward Cole Caufield. The team needs to decide on what a long-term contract could look like, and while talks haven’t officially begun, they have a good idea of where the franchise is willing to go.

Caufield is a huge part of the Canadiens’ future. His tenure in the NHL hasn’t always been on the rise, but he’s established himself now as a regular NHL’er and it’s clear he’s a threat to score every night. The Canadiens want to lock him into a long-term deal and would prefer an eight-year deal at a cap hit below Nick Suzuki’s $7.875 million salary. Whether Caufield is willing to accept that as the NHL salary cap is projected to see a significant jump is the question.

There is some speculation that the salary cap will rise by $4 million as early as next season. A number rof things have to go right for that to happen, but if there are rumblings the league is looking to make a jump sooner than projected, that could certainly impact negotiations. Caufield is still an RFA and any long-term deal he signs includes him giving away a number of his unrestricted free agency years. He may prefer to sign a five-year deal, giving him some security, but also the ability to sign another huge contract at the age of around 26 years old.

A comparable of Jason Robertson has been used when imagining what Caufield’s deal could look like. Robertson recently signed with the Dallas Stars at a cap hit of $7.75 million for four years.

Since Martin St. Louis arrived as the Canadiens’ head coach in February of 2022, Caufield has been steadily improving. He’s now got seven goals in nine games and is among the top goal-scorers in the NHL to date. The season is still young and he may see some inconsistencies, but he’s a goal scorer. He’s got a skill set that is valued in the NHL and the Canadiens are going to have to pony up the money if they want him to sign anything more than a hefty bridge deal at this point.

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