Cole Caufield Ranked 9th Among NHL Wingers by NHL Network

In a recent release, NHL Network unveiled its list of the Top 20 Wingers Right Now, and Montreal Canadiens’ Cole Caufield made a notable appearance, securing the ninth position. The 15th overall pick in the 2019 draft, Caufield’s ranking comes despite him finishing sixth in points among wingers last season and leading the league in goals.

Taking the top spot on the list is Nikita Kucherov, followed closely by David Pastrnak. Both wingers surpassed the 100-point mark last season, making their positions hard to dispute. Kirill Kaprizov ranks third, with Mitch Marner, Mikko Rantanen, and Matt Boldy following in the ranks. Jason Robertson and Matthew Tkachuk round out the list at seventh and eighth, respectively.

This ranking positions Caufield as the third-best American winger in the NHL. With Kaprizov and Robertson also having had more points during the regular season, it’s understandable to see them ahead of Caufield. Marner’s impressive playoff performance, where he accumulated 29 points in just 22 games, also helped elevate his standing, especially given the strong possibility he would have claimed the Conn Smythe Trophy had the Vegas Golden Knights clinched the Stanley Cup.

Rantanen’s fifth-place ranking seems primarily grounded in his established reputation; at 29, he has consistently been a top performer. Last season, he finished with 77 points and added seven points in the playoffs, where the Dallas Stars exited in the first round against the Minnesota Wild.

Boldy’s sixth-place finish is also not surprising, as he recorded 85 points in just 76 games—projecting a 92-point pace over a full season. He also performed well in the playoffs, matching Caufield’s total of 13 points but doing so in just 11 games compared to Caufield’s 19.

While Tkachuk’s eighth-place spot may raise eyebrows, especially after he managed only 34 points in 31 games last season due to injury, his past achievements, including two seasons over 100 points, bolster his ranking. His aggressive style adds a dimension that Caufield may not possess, yet Caufield’s knack for scoring crucial goals might be undervalued in these rankings.

At just 25 years old, Caufield still has plenty of time to enhance his resume. With a couple more seasons of significant production, he could very well ascend the rankings, particularly if he continues to deliver in high-pressure moments.

The list is rounded out by a host of talented players, including William Nylander, Kyle Connor, Artemi Panarin, Brandon Hagel, Sam Reinhart, Martin Necas, Jake Guentzel, Clayton Keller, Brady Tkachuk, Cutter Gauthier, and Lucas Raymond. Notably, both the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning each feature three players in the top 20, while the Dallas Stars have two. The Canadiens could potentially join this elite group, especially with Ivan Demidov showcasing remarkable skills in his rookie season. Moreover, Juraj Slafkovsky’s continued development could see him join the ranks of the top wingers in the future.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.