Two Montreal Canadiens players are already in mid-season form and should be in the running for some hardware this season.
With all eyes on the players battling for a spot on the Montreal Canadiens’ roster, the fact that the team’s sniper, Cole Caufield, is already in mid-season form has almost gone unnoticed. In two games so far, the diminutive winger has scored three goals in two games which is tied for the league lead.
But it’s not just the fact that he’s scoring goals; it’s when he scores them. When the Habs need a goal, Caufield always answers the call. So far, he has two overtime game-winning goals and one game-tying goal. Of course, it’s only exhibition games and ultimately doesn’t matter much, but with such a short preseason, hitting the ground running is a must.
Caufield’s chemistry with standout defenseman Lane Hutson is also worth mentioning. If Juraj Slafkovsky and Ivan Demidov always seem to know where the other is, Caufield and Hutson do too, and they are a lethal combination in overtime. The Canadiens’ goal-scoring machine fell just short of capturing the Rocket Richard Trophy last year, and it certainly feels like he’ll be a serious candidate to win it this time around.
On the blueline, Hutson is leading the league in points with five in two games (one goal and four assists). The 22-year-old is literally flying on the ice this preseason, and despite his young age, he looks like a veteran out there, so much so that the coaching staff didn’t hesitate to pair him with David Reinbacher for the Kraft Hockeyville game.
Watching the pair go on Monday night felt like a glimpse into the Canadiens’ future, and as the game went on, they seemed to understand each other with even more ease. Reinbacher isn’t the same kind of defenseman as Hutson, and that’s why he complements him so well. The Austrian is very good at reading the game, and he knows when he needs to cover his partner when he joins the attack.
If Hutson carries his current form into the season, he’ll likely be in the conversation for the Norris Trophy and for numerous other seasons to come.
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