Cole Caufield becomes Canadiens’ first 50-goal scorer since 1989-90
Cole Caufield has etched his name among the legends who represented le bleu, blanc et rouge.
The Montreal Canadiens forward scored his 50th goal of the season Thursday night against the Tampa Bay Lightning, becoming the first Canadien to reach the 50-goal mark in a single season since Stephane Richer did in 1989-90.
COLE CAUFIELD A 50 BUTS COLE CAUFIELD HAS 50 GOALS #GoHabsGo
Other Montreal skaters to score 50 goals in a single season include Guy Lafleur, Pierre Larouche, Steve Shutt, Bernie Geoffrion and Maurice “Rocket” Richard. Lafleur hit the 50-goal mark six times as a member of the Canadiens.
The 25-year-old Caufield has smashed all his offensive career highs in 2025-26, scoring 50 goals and adding 37 assists for 87 points. Going into Thursday night, he was second in the league for goals, behind only Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon.
50-GOAL COLE!!! 🔵⚪️🔴 Cole Caufield is the first @CanadiensMTL player to score 50 goals in a single season since Stephane Richer in 1989-90.
Through parts of six NHL seasons, the Stevens Point, Wisc., native has 168 goals and 138 assists for 306 points in 364 career regular-season games.
He’s also played in 25 playoff games, posting seven goals and nine assists for 16 points. He was part of Montreal’s 2021 Stanley Cup Final run, where in 20 games he recorded four goals and eight assists for 12 points.
Caufield, taken No. 15 overall in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, spent two seasons playing college hockey with the University of Wisconsin. In 2020-21, he led the NCAA with 30 goals and 52 points in just 31 games, going on to win the Hobey Baker Award as the top player in the country.
After his historic sophomore campaign, he signed a three-year, entry-level contract and joined the Canadiens in time for their deep playoff run.
Internationally, Caufield represented the U.S. twice at the World Junior Championships, helping them win gold in 2021. He was also part of the U.S. World Championship squad in 2024.