Montreal Canadiens rookie forward Cole Caufield is set to make his Stanley Cup Playoffs debut Monday night in Game 3 against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
“I was put in here to help the team win and do the things that I can to increase our chances,” said Caufield, according to Sportsnet‘s Chris Johnston. “I’m obviously excited. It’s going to be a pretty special night.”
Caufield was a healthy scratch in Game 1 and 2.
The 20-year-old made his NHL debut on April 26 versus the Calgary Flames and played in 10 games this season, scoring four goals and adding an assist.
The Canadiens’ decision to bring Caufield into the lineup comes after a decisive 5-1 Game 2 loss to the Maple Leafs on Saturday.
He practiced on a line with forwards Joel Armia and Nick Suzuki Monday morning. Tomas Tatar will be pulled out of the lineup.
A 2019 first-round draft pick, Caufield spent the majority of this season playing for the University of Wisconsin Badgers, where he put up 52 points in 31 games and earned the Hobey Baker Award as the NCAA’s top player.
He was then called up to the Laval Rocket, Montreal’s AHL affiliate, where he produced three goals and one assist in two games before making his NHL debut.
