MONTREAL — Cole Caufield’s bid to become the Montreal Canadiens’ first 50-goal scorer in 33 years officially ended on Saturday, when the team announced he’d miss the remainder of the season with a shoulder injury that will require an operation.
It should’ve ended sooner.
Shortly after dropping this bombshell as the team hit the ice for its morning skate in preparation for a game with the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Canadiens clarified that Caufield, who was a full participant in Friday’s practice, was playing with this injury for “a while.”
Why their medical staff would allow him to do so, in a season in which results have been stated as secondary to development, is absolutely mindboggling.
Without being able to speak with Caufield, we still have a sense for why he would want to keep playing through injury. The 22-year-old, who currently ranks 11th in the NHL in goals (26), is not only chasing a bit of Canadiens history with his production but also a new contract, and his ability to keep filling the net served both those ends.
Caufield’s also a proud hockey player and a good teammate, and his willingness to grit through the pain — even in inconsequential games, and through practices — speaks to his character and keeps him in line with many great players who have come before him and are alongside him in this physically demanding sport.
“I think hockey players are known for playing through injuries,” said Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki. “We’re pretty tough when it comes to playing the game banged up. Cole’s been dealing with it for a while now, so he’s been playing through it and shown how tough he is.”
But we can’t figure out why the Canadiens’ medical staff wouldn’t intervene sooner.
Decisions like those were questionable in years past, when Shea Weber and Carey Price were permitted to play through serious injuries.
But they were also somewhat justifiable considering the circumstances of both players being on the back halves of their careers and chasing the Stanley Cup win that would’ve further cemented their legacies. The risk they may not be able to finish their careers on their own terms seemed obvious at the time, and it became realized with time, and we’re not sure how doctors or trainers would’ve stopped them from assuming it.
Price even said back in October — during a press conference held to confirm his playing days were likely behind him at just 35 years old, four years shy of his $84-million contract expiring — that he wouldn’t have changed a thing.
But again, his end was at least in view and he was chasing a Cup.
This year’s Canadiens aren’t chasing anything but more favourable draft positioning, and Caufield is a foundational piece to their future success.
We’re not suggesting the medical staff was pushing him over the boards — Caufield’s agent, Pat Brisson, told Sportsnet on Saturday afternoon that they weren’t — but we can’t understand why caution wouldn’t prevail sooner that it did.
“It’s been a progressive injury the past few weeks,” said Brisson, “and every time he steps on the ice, there’s a chance it could get worse, and then it could get more complicated in surgery.
“We collectively decided it was best for Cole and Montreal to let him have the surgery and make sure that he’s back at 100 per cent for camp next year, which he will be. He could’ve played another 10, 15, 20 games with potentially no issues, but, at the same time, if he falls on the wrong side or the wrong way, it could create some more complications.”
Brisson said “a few opinions” were obtained on Caufield’s injury (not just from the Canadiens’ medical staff), that every scan necessary was had, and that all parties were aware and discussing how to proceed for over a week and a half.
Even if the medical staff wasn’t aware of the severity of Caufield’s injury in the first days after it was initially suffered, he’s appeared in five games and multiple practices since Jan. 11.
It’s particularly perplexing decision-making. The type that should concern an organization that currently has 11 players (including Price) unavailable to play due to injury.
And it’s not like Caufield’s situation is an isolated one this season.
Sean Monahan was showing up to games in a walking boot in early December and still getting on the ice for games.
It’s the same Monahan who has a history of playing through severe pain and wouldn’t stop himself a year ago despite a torn labrum in his hip and fractured ribs. The same Monahan who was likely to be out two-to-four weeks with a broken foot as of Dec. 6 and just returned to practice in a non-contact jersey for the first time on Saturday morning.
Like Caufield, he could be a big part of the Canadiens’ future, too. More likely as a trade chip at this year’s deadline than as a stabilizing force at centre on a new contract after his current one expires at the end of June, but still.
We imagine the Canadiens did intervene to finally convince Monahan to heal up, considering he seemed insistent on continuing to play hurt. Whether or not they did it to late, considering the length of absence, is certainly a fair question to ask.
Should Kirby Dach suit up against the Maple Leafs after a shot from Radko Gudas in Thursday’s loss to the Florida Panthers left him hobbling and kept him from practising Friday? That’s another one.
And why delay even a week and a half on Caufield?
“Every time he stepped on the ice, I was cringing a little bit,” said Brisson, who added he’s content with the way everything has been handled in this dossier.
Brisson is also happy that the timing of a successful surgery should still enable Caufield to return at full strength prior to next season’s training camp.
Josh Anderson confirmed, after speaking with Caufield on Saturday morning, that the Wisconsinite suffered the same injury he went through in 2019-20 — a torn labrum in his shoulder — and said he was making a good decision to fix it now.
“For Cole, in his situation, he’s a young guy and he’s got many years ahead,” Anderson said. “He’s gotta get to 100 per cent healthy and try to fix it now rather than later down the road.
“Whenever you’ve got a healthy Cole Caufield, that’s what you want as teammate, and as an organization.”
The 28-year-old said he assured Caufield he’ll get back to 100 per cent. He said he told him that his torn labrum, which he played with for over a dozen games before opting for surgery, had recovered to the point that it was even stronger than his other one.
And Anderson lamented that Caufield’s season had come to a close.
“It’s really hard,” he said. “Especially the way Cole’s been having a career year, on pace to hit 40, 50 goals. The mood that he (brings) in our dressing room, it hurts. That was devastating news to find out this morning.”
It would’ve been tough to hear at any point.
It’s certainly devastating for Caufield, who had recorded 48 goals since Martin St. Louis took over the Canadiens’ bench 83 games ago.
“I was talking to Cole earlier about it,” said Suzuki. “He wants to be here, he wants to play.”
So does Dach. So does Monahan. So do a number of players crowding the Canadiens’ infirmary at the moment, and probably some others who are currently playing hurt.
The Canadiens would be wise to stop them from doing so now, especially given the context of their season.
