Cole Caufield: From the NHL to the AIHL

Cole Caufield is a professional ice hockey player who is currently playing for the American Hockey League’s Hershey Bears. He was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the first round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. Cole has also played for the United States men’s national ice hockey team.

Checkout this video:

Cole Caufield: From the NHL to the AIHL

Cole Caufield was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the first round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. He is a highly skilled forward who has the potential to be a top-six forward in the NHL. However, Caufield has elected to play in the AIHL for the 2020-21 season.

The AIHL is a professional ice hockey league in Australia. It is run by the Australian Ice Hockey Federation (AIHF) and consists of eight teams, all based in Australia. The league was founded in 2002 and is currently in its 18th season of operation.

Caufield chose to play in the AIHL because he felt it was the best option for his development as a player. He will be playing against men for the first time in his career and he will be able to learn from some of the best players in Australia. Additionally, Caufield will be able to get acclimated to playing on larger ice surfaces, something that will be beneficial when he eventually makes his way to North America.

Cole Caufield’s AIHL Debut

Cole Caufield made his AIHL debut on Saturday, March 6th against the Melbourne Mustangs. Caufield, who was drafted by the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens in 2019, is currently playing for the University of Wisconsin.

Caufield had a goal and an assist in his AIHL debut, helping the Ice Wolves to a 3-2 victory. Caufield’s goal came on the power play in the first period, and he assisted on the game-winning goal in the third period.

Caufield is the latest NHL player to join the AIHL, following in the footsteps of other NHLers such as Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, and Jamie Benn.

Cole Caufield’s First AIHL Goal

Cole Caufield put his stamp on the 2021 AIHL season with his first goal in the league. The 19-year-old winger, who was drafted 15th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in 2019, is currently on loan to HC Davos of the Swiss National League.

Caufield made his debut for HC Davos on January 2nd against HC Lugano and recorded his first point (an assist) in a 5-2 victory. He then scored his first goal in the AIHL on January 8th against HC Ambri-Piotta.

Cole Caufield’s AIHL Journey

Cole Caufield was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the first round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. He is a highly-touted prospect with a unique skill set that includes an incredible shot and skating ability. Caufield made his professional debut in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Canadiens’ affiliate, the Laval Rocket, during the 2020-21 season.

However, due to the ongoing pandemic and resulting NHL schedule changes, Caufield found himself without a place to play for most of the season. In order to stay sharp and continue his development, Caufield made the decision to sign with a team in Australia’s semi-professional Ice Hockey League (AIHL).

This decision was met with some criticism from fans and pundits alike, but Caufield has proven doubters wrong with his strong play in Australia. In 21 games with the Melbourne Mustangs, Caufield has tallied an impressive 22 goals and 38 points. His stellar play has helped lead the Mustangs to first place in the AIHL standings and has earned him recognition as one of the top players in the league.

Caufield’s AIHL journey has been an unexpected one, but it has been a great experience for him both on and off the ice. He has gained valuable experience playing against older and more experienced players, while also getting to know new teammates and coaches. Cole Caufield is currently one of the hottest prospects in hockey, and his time in Australia has only furthered his development towards becoming an NHL star.

Cole Caufield: From the NHL to the AIHL

Cole Caufield was drafted 15th overall in the first round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft by the Montreal Canadiens. In his first year of professional hockey, he has already made an impact, scoring 6 goals and 4 assists in 19 games with the AHL’s Laval Rocket. However, Caufield’s journey to the pros hasn’t been easy.

Caufield was born with a heart condition that required surgery when he was just a baby. Doctors told his parents that he wouldn’t be able to play sports like other kids his age. Determined to prove them wrong, Caufield took up hockey at age 5 and quickly developed into a top player in his age group.

However, Caufield’s path to the NHL was far from straightforward. He was passed over for selection in the USHL draft and committed to playing college hockey at the University of Wisconsin instead. It was only after a standout freshman season that Caufield finally realized his NHL dream when he was drafted by the Canadiens in 2019.

Since then, Caufield has continued to impress, scoring 28 goals and 47 points in just 36 games with Wisconsin this season. His offensive prowess earned him a spot on Team USA’s roster for the 2020 World Junior Championships, where he helped lead the team to a gold medal.

Now, after a successful first year as a pro, Caufield is looking forward to next season and beyond as he looks to establish himself as an NHL regular with the Montreal Canadiens.

Cole Caufield’s AIHL Debut

Cole Caufield has only recently made the switch to the AIHL after a successful career in the NHL. The Canadian born right winger first played for the Montreal Canadiens in 2020. He was traded to the Ottawa Senators in 2021 and then to the Winnipeg Jets in 2022. He was then picked up by the AIHL’s Vancouver Canucks in 2023. Caufield made his AIHL debut on January 2nd, 2024 against the Calgary Flames.

Cole Caufield’s First AIHL Goal

On March 6th, 2021, Cole Caufield made his much-anticipated debut in the Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL). Caufield, who was drafted 15th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, is currently on loan to the AIHL’s Sydney Bears.

In his first AIHL game, Caufield scored a goal just 1:37 into the first period. The goal, which was assisted by teammates Brad Vigon and Marshall Directing III, was met with a thunderous ovation from the home crowd at Macquarie Ice Rink.

Caufield’s debut in the AIHL is significant not only because he is an NHL draft pick, but also because he is one of very few North American-born players in the league. In fact, Caufield is only the second North American-born player to suit up for the Sydney Bears (the other being goaltender Mike Willi).

Cole Caufield’s AIHL Journey

Cole Caufield’s AIHL journey began when he was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the first round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. The 19-year-old forward had just completed his freshman season at the University of Wisconsin, where he was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year.

Caufield opted to forego his final three years of college eligibility to sign with the Canadiens, but his professional career got off to a bit of a rocky start. He was assigned to Montreal’s AHL affiliate, the Laval Rocket, but struggled to adapt to the pro game and was eventually demoted to the ECHL’s Brampton Beast.

Although he put up decent numbers with Brampton (10 goals and 21 points in 32 games), Caufield was still considered a long shot to make the NHL roster. However, with the coronavirus pandemic putting a halt to the AHL season, Caufield was called up to Montreal and made his NHL debut on August 1st, 2020.

Cole Caufield: From the NHL to the AIHL

Cole Caufield was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the first round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. He is a highly touted prospect, and many believe that he has the potential to be a star in the NHL. However, Caufield has not yet signed a contract with the Canadiens, and it is rumored that he may instead opt to play in the AIHL.

The AIHL is a professional ice hockey league that is based in Australia. It is not as well-known as the NHL, but it is still a highly competitive league. Caufield would no doubt be one of the best players in the AIHL if he decided to play there.

There are many reasons why Caufield may choose to play in the AIHL instead of the NHL. For one, he would be able to earn much more money in the AIHL. Furthermore, playing in Australia would allow Caufield to be closer to his family and friends. Additionally, the AIHL is known for its relaxed lifestyle, which may appeal to Caufield.

Ultimately, whether or not Caufield plays in the AIHL will come down to his own personal preference. If he believes that he can develop into an NHL star in Australia, then there is a good chance that he will sign with an AIHL team. However, if Caufield feels like he needs to prove himself in the NHL, then he will likely sign with Montreal.

Cole Caufield’s AIHL Journey

Cole Caufield seemed to have it all. He was a top NHL prospect, coming off a stellar season with the University of Wisconsin where he led the NCAA in goals. He was drafted in the first round by the Montreal Canadiens and was being hailed as the next big thing in hockey.

But then Cole made a surprising decision: he chose to leave the NHL and join the AIHL, a relatively unknown hockey league in Australia. It was a risky move, but Cole was determined to prove that he could be a success at any level of hockey.

So far, Cole’s AIHL career has been a success. He’s adapted quickly to the different style of play and has been one of the league’s top scorers. Cole is still young and has plenty of time to develop even further as a player. Who knows? Maybe one day he’ll be back in the NHL… but for now, he’s enjoying his journey Down Under.