Habs top prospect continues to roll during 2020-21 season

Fans of the Montreal Canadiens should be very excited for the future. A plethora of high end prospects are on the way, some could be joining the team as early as 2021. For an organization that's in desperate need for an elite goal scorer, it appears one may be on the way in University of Wisconsin forward Cole Caufield.

In Tuesday night's 7-3 win against Penn State University, Caufield scored a hat-trick, his second of his collegiate career so far. His second goal of the game, was a pure snipe, putting it past the Penn State goaltenders glove, in what looked like an impossible angle.

🚨 COLE CAUFIELD - 2ND OF THE NIGHT!
6-1 Wisconsin pic.twitter.com/0bn0xLwaZh— Here's Your Replay ⬇️ (@HeresYourReplay) November 25, 2020

🎩🎩🎩
Cole Caufield had a hat trick to lead @BadgerMHockey to a 7-3 victory over Penn State tonight in @B1GHockey action. pic.twitter.com/J4qJ2E4HEC— NCAA Ice Hockey (@NCAAIceHockey) November 25, 2020

Caufield, 19, was drafted in the first round, 15th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2019 NHL entry draft. Many experts called this the steal of the draft, based on the fact Caufield was the best pure goal scorer available, but his size (5'7") may have played a factor in why he went 15th overall, opposed to the top 10.

During his draft year, Caufield broke Auston Matthews' record for most goals in a single season in US National Development Team history. Caufield finished the 2018-19 season with 72, which demolished Matthews' tally of 55 during the 2014-15 season.

Since joining the University of Wisconsin ahead of the 2019-20 season, Caufield has put up 44 points (26 G, 21 A), 6 penalty minutes, and is a +/-0. So far this season, he has 8 points (4 G, 4 A), 0 penalty minutes, and is a +3.

Internationally, Caufield has represented the United States on multiple occasions, most recently at the 2020 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships. In 5 games, he had 2 points (1 G, 1 A), 0 penalty minutes, and was a -2 as the USA placed sixth following a 1-0 loss to Finland in the quarter-finals. Caufield is expected to take on a leadership role at next month's World Juniors in Edmonton, Alberta.

At the 2019 IIHF U-18 World Championships, Caufield tied Alexander Ovechkin's record for most goals in a single tournament with 14. In 7 games, he had 18 points (14 G, 4 A), 4 penalty minutes, and was a +12, as the USA won the bronze medal. For his incredible effort, Caufield was named tournament MVP.

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