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“On the finish of the day, I simply love being a hockey participant,” says 22-year-old who will earn a median of US$95,732 per recreation for eight years.
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Cole Caufield doesn’t thoughts making much less cash than Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki.
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“I believe that’s form of understood on each side, too,” Caufield mentioned throughout a video convention Monday after agreeing to an eight-year, US$62.8-million contract with the Canadiens. “That’s our man (Suzuki), that’s our chief. I believe everybody round is aware of that. It’s nonetheless a heck of some huge cash … I’m not complaining about something like that. I’m excited and I’m proud to be part of this and to do it with him will likely be fairly particular as effectively.”
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Suzuki simply accomplished the primary season of his eight-year, US$63-million contract that has an annual salary-cap hit of $7.875 million. Caufield’s salary-cap hit will likely be $7.85 million.
Canadiens GM Kent Hughes needed to maintain his salary-cap construction in place with Suzuki because the highest-paid participant and he additionally needed to signal Caufield long-term.
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Mission achieved.
Shifting ahead, Caufield mentioned he needs to take extra of a management function beside Suzuki.
“I believe wanting as much as a man like Nick, who handles himself the appropriate manner, all people form of appears to be like at him and with him doing all these issues — all people simply needs to be like that,” Caufield mentioned. “I believe the tradition that we’ve got, the positivity for the sport that we’ve got is form of contagious all through the room. Each a part of the group nowadays is headed in the appropriate route.”
Caufield scored 26 targets in 46 video games this season earlier than struggling a shoulder damage that required surgical procedure. Caufield mentioned Monday from his offseason house in Michigan that he was given clearance from medical doctors 10 days in the past to renew full exercise. He has been skating two or thrice per week for just a few months and has now began taking pictures pucks once more. He performed his final recreation on Jan. 19.
“I’m actually wanting ahead to having this full summer season to ensure I’m again to 100 per cent,” Caufield mentioned. “The best way issues are going proper now I’m not too nervous in any respect.”
Caufield, who might have change into a restricted free agent on July 1, additionally wasn’t nervous about getting a brand new contract carried out, placing his belief in brokers Pat Brisson and Matt Williams to barter with Hughes.
“On my facet, their facet, it’s all been dealt with very effectively, very skilled,” Caufield mentioned. “With the damage, I didn’t actually anticipate something to occur instantly. We simply knew each side needed to be there and long-term, too. So I couldn’t be extra excited and I believe all of it labored out ultimately.”
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Caufield’s contract is front-loaded. He’ll earn US$9.975 million in every of the primary two seasons, based on CapFriendly.com, and has a US$5-million signing bonus in every of the primary two years. Suzuki earns US$10 million within the first three seasons of his contract and had a signing bonus of $4,000,014 final yr with the final $14 matching his sweater quantity.
“I’m excited to be right here long-term,” Caufield mentioned. “I believe it places my household in a great place as effectively. All these issues that form of went into this closing quantity and years I’m very excited and really fortunate to be a part of the Montreal Canadiens for a very long time.
“I really like the best way this group goes, the mindset, the group of fellows that we obtained, the youthful gamers,” he added. “In all places’s simply stepping into the appropriate route. I put myself in an enormous a part of this crew constructing ahead and I believe there’s plenty of issues which can be rising inside. I believe we’re headed in the appropriate route, so I couldn’t be extra excited and proud. I believe, on the finish of the day, each side form of obtained what we needed and I couldn’t be extra proud. … I’m a crew participant and I need what’s greatest for us.”
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The 22-year-old Caufield admitted the figures in his contract could be mind-boggling. He’ll earn a median of US$95,732 per recreation (greater than $128,000 Canadian) over the following eight seasons.
“To be sincere with you, it actually doesn’t make sense to me,” Caufield mentioned concerning the US$62.8 million he’ll earn. “It’s one thing that I might have simply dreamed about as a child, however even this quantity most likely wouldn’t have even popped into my head.
“Truthfully, it’s not going to vary something about who I’m, something like that,” he added. “Simply coming to the rink day by day … I’d do it without cost. My ardour for the sport, it’s by no means going to vary. I’m actually excited. The cash, it’s actually particular for me and my household. However, on the finish of the day, I simply love being a hockey participant.”
What sort of celebration plans did Caufield have for Monday evening?
“I haven’t actually made too many plans,” he mentioned. “I had a exercise and a skate this morning, so I may take a nap later.”
scowan@postmedia.com
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Stu Cowan: Signing Cole Caufield long-term value danger for Canadiens
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