MONTREAL — The Montreal Canadiens sent Cole Caufield to their American Hockey League affiliate in Laval, Que., on Monday in hopes the promising forward can rediscover his scoring touch.
The 20-year-old Caufield has just one assist through 10 games for the Canadiens, who are off to a dismal 2-8-0 start to the season just months after appearing in the 2021 Stanley Cup final.
Caufield's struggles this season stand in marked contrast to his bursting on the NHL scene in 2020-21.
Caufield won the Hobey Baker Award as the top player in NCAA hockey last season after posting 52 points (30 goals, 22 assists) for the University of Wisconsin.
He then made good on the hype surrounding the start to his professional career, posting three goals and an assist in two games with the AHL's Rocket before adding four goals and an assist in 10 games with the Canadiens.
Caufield impressed further with four goals and eight assists in 20 playoff games as Montreal advanced to the Stanley Cup final for the first time since 1993 before losing to defending champion Tampa Bay.
The Canadiens recalled forward Michael Pezzetta from Laval in a corresponding move. Pezzetta has six points (three goals, three assists) in eight games with the Rocket.
Montreal also placed forward Mathieu Perreault on injured reserve. The 33-year-old centre is expected to miss two-to-three weeks with an eye injury.
Perreault has four points (three goals, one assist) in eight games this year.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 1, 2021.
The Canadian Press
