Caufield on outside looking in of Team USA 4 Nations roster
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With just weeks remaining before the 4 Nations Face-Off rosters are due, Montreal Canadiens forward Cole Caufield appears to be on the outside looking in for Team USA.
Caufield is in the thick of the Rocket Richard race early this season, currently sitting second with 12 goals behind Florida Panthers winger Sam Reinhart's 13. TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun reports that while the roster has not been set, Caufield's hot start may not be enough to get him on the team.
"No final decisions have been made, but my understanding is that despite a really great start to the season offensively for Caufield, he is on the outside looking in for that 23-man roster," LeBrun said Thursday on Insider Trading. "It speaks to the ridiculous depth that Team USA has, maybe the best depth in best-on-best hockey we've ever seen.
"He could still make it; I was told today that it really depends on what happens in the final two weeks here. Team USA is down to four or five final decisions here as they narrow down to a 23-man roster."
Rosters for the tournament are due to be submitted on Dec. 2nd and will be revealed to the public two days later. Each team will name 23 players to their roster, with TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston noting that the NHL turned down a request from Canada and the United States to expand the rosters to 25.
Caufield was held off the scoresheet Thursday as the Canadiens were shutout in a 3-0 loss to the Minnesota Wild. The 23-year-old winger has one assist to go along with his 12 goals in 17 games this season.
Selected 15th overall in the 2019 draft, the Stevens Point, WI native has 93 goals and 162 points in 222 career games.