Cole Caufield and Canadiens have started to negotiate an extension

Montreal Canadiens are closer to locking down their prodigal goalscorer.

TSN’s “Insider Trading”, Tuesday’s edition, featured Darren Dreger announcing that the Canadiens are in negotiations to extend their contract with Cole Caufield, star forward.

Dreger explained that “my understanding is that the preliminary discussions of an extension between Cole Caufield’s agent, Pat Brisson (and the Montreal Canadiens) started approximately a month back.”

After playing for the University of Wisconsin from 2019-2021, Caufield is now in the last season of his three-year entry-level contract. This 22-year old is poised for a career season, with 26 goals and 36 points so far in 44 games.

Since Martin St. Louis took over as the Canadiens’ head coach, Caufield has scored 48 goals across 81 games. This was after the Hall-of-Fame retired midway through the last season. Dominique Ducharme, the previous bench boss, had only allowed one goal to Caufield in his 30 games.

After the Minnesota Wild forward, talk about Caufield’s upcoming extension has picked up Matt Boldy signed a seven-year, $49-million ($7-million AAV), extension on Monday The 21-year old has scored 27 goals and 68 assists in 89 NHL games and was chosen three picks prior to Caufield in the 2019 NHL Draft.

Montreal signed captain Nick Suzuki — Caufield’s linemate — to an eight-year, $63-million ($7.875-million AAV) contract extension in October 2021, and some expect a proven scorer like Caufield to potentially earn more on a yearly basis if he’s able to reach an agreement with the Habs.

General manager Kent Hughes is set to have over $11-million in cap space to work with next offseason, with a number of significant contracts — including those of Jonathan Drouin and Evgeni Dadonov — coming off the books. Montreal will be a seller at trade deadline, which would allow for even greater financial flexibility in the future.

Current record for the Atlantic Division is 18-23-3.

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