In a recent press conference, Martin St-Louis, the head coach of the Montreal Canadiens, was questioned about the offensive lethargy of the young Cole Caufield, and his response was somewhat divisive.
Here it is:
«So. Caufield is not on fire.
I'm truly glad Caufield is improving his defensive game. But is this what's gonna make him an effective goalscorer? Suzuki can do the defensive work. Can we let our only pure goalscorer focus on scoring for the next few games?» - HFTV
It's true that Caufield's defensive statistics have improved, but again, he is not paid for his defensive work.
He signed a long-term deal to score goals. It's as simple as that.
«Again kinda like with Xhekaj, I think the focus on the weaknesses instead of improving their strengths first is making these players forget what made them good in the first place.» - HFTV
This is a perfectly valid point, and the comparison with Xhekaj is on point!
It's good that the Habs want Caufield to focus on his defense, but it shouldn't overly harm his offensive abilities either.