Yardbarker
x
Caufield is set to win the Maurice Richard Trophy, too many shots, and Gallagher in the stands
James Guillory-Imagn Images

Caufield is set to win the Maurice Richard Trophy, too many shots, and Gallagher in the stands

Originally posted on Dose.ca  |  Last updated Apr 1, 2026 1:40 PM ET

Cole Caufield found the back of the net again yesterday in Florida. Montreal's speedy #22 is well on his way to becoming the first Habs player to score 50 goals in a single season since Stéphane Richer in 1989-90.

I don't know if you knew this, but only six players have scored 50 or more goals in a single season in the entire (glorious) history of the Montreal Canadiens: Maurice Richard, Bernard Geoffrion, Guy Lafleur, Steve Shutt, Pierre Larouche, and Stéphane Richer.

Do you realize just how HUGE a feat scoring 50 goals would be for Cole Caufield? All of this without scoring a single empty-net goal!

Caufield needs to score just three goals in total over the Habs' final eight regular-season games to achieve this. It's going to happen…

This season, Caufield hasn't produced at this pace only in late December and early January, as well as in mid-November.

Since January 1, Caufield has scored no fewer than 28 goals. No other NHL player has scored more than 22 during that period. Nathan MacKinnon, with whom Caufield is competing for the Maurice Richard Trophy, has scored only 15.

The young Montreal forward has been in a league of his own since the start of 2026.

Still not satisfied with Cole Caufield's offensive stats
? Here's something for you: he has 10 goals in his last 10 games and has failed to find the back of the net in only two of those contests
.

The Maurice

Richard Trophy Race
It's April 1st, roughly two weeks before the end of the season, and to say the race for the Maurice Richard Trophy is in full swing is an understatement. Nathan MacKinnon has 49 goals with nine games remaining on the schedule, and Cole Caufield has 47 goals with eight games left to play.

Statistically speaking, MacKinnon is the heavy favorite to win the trophy. This morning, according to Polymarket, MacKinnon has a 77% chance of winning the Maurice Richard Trophy, while Caufield has only a 16%chance. What would Cole Caufield's odds have been if Suzuki had passed him the puck at the end of last night's game?

(Credit: Polymarket)

However, it's worth noting that Caufield was at around 2 or 3% just a few weeks ago, and on March 26, he was at nearly 50%. Will he be able to complete his comeback?

With Montreal's schedule set to be one of the “easiest” between now and the end of the regular season, anything is possible.

Let's go, Cole! (Credit: Getty Images)

What Worries Me

The Habs have just racked up six consecutive regulation-time wins, a first in years in Montreal. Let's face it: the team has been doing very well since deciding to bench Samuel Montembeault (and Patrik Laine) and put the best possible lineup on the ice—that's it.

Since the trade deadline—and without any additions—the Habs have been scoring a lot of goals and giving up very few. They sit atop the entire NHL in both categories.

There is, however, one small thing that worries me: against top-tier teams, the Habs tend to allow too many shots on goal. Jakub Dobes and Jacob Fowler can't work miracles every night.

Yesterday against the Lightning, 37 shots were fired at Jakub Dobes. In Carolina, it was 35. Against those same Hurricanes last week at the Bell Centre: 43. Fortunately, Dobes was in top form during those three games because otherwise, the team could very well have suffered three losses.

And the situation this morning would be very different.

Martin St-Louis will have to find a way to tighten up the defense and prevent the opponent from getting so many shots on goal. Even though many will say that these long-range shots are often not very dangerous…

Because in the playoffs, the Habs will inevitably face a quality team.

In the end, the law of averages is infallible.


Brendan
Gallagher's Role

Watching yesterday's excellent game in Tampa,
I asked myself: Is Brendan Gallagher playing? Is he useful? What's his purpose? Then I saw Gallagher lose a one-on-one battle along the boards.

We love Gally, but it's obvious right away: he's no longer at the level to consistently help the team. Even if Renaud Lavoie would tell you otherwise.

Yesterday, he was on the ice for 8:18, while the second-least-used forward got 10:37 (Zachary Bolduc), and he had a solid game overall.

Two days ago, I asked you: who will be dropped from the lineup the day Kirby Dach—who's skating his heart out in Brossard—is ready to return to action? The answer seems increasingly obvious to me: Brendan Gallagher.

That is, of course, if they decide to put Kirby Dach in the lineup…

This article first appeared on Dose.ca and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

Yardbarker +

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!