Yes, they are young, only 22 (Suzuki) and 20 (Caufield) years old, certainly, they are capable of taking it on their shoulders. It's not embarrassing to say that these two will become superstars in the NHL. They will likely play alongside Tyler Toffoli in the fall, which may be the line that gets labeled as the frontrunner.
What can we expect from Caufield and Suzuki? Great things, that's for sure. They have proven in the playoffs that they are capable of leading the team's offense, despite their young age. Suzuki scored a total of 16 points in 22 games in the most recent spring ball and in the regular season he had 41 points in 56 games. Suzuki is only going to get better, I tell you that. Danault's departure could propel Suzuki to the next level, as his responsibilities are likely to double. How many points could he get this season? 70? 80? It's very possible!
As for Cole Caufield, this will be his first full season in the NHL. Is that a reason to have low expectations for him? No! Caufield is a talented player with a lot of character, as we saw in the playoffs. He had 5 points in 10 regular season games and added 12 points in 20 playoff games. Like Suzuki, he is still improving. What can we expect from him this year? 20 to 25 goals? Between 50 and 60 points? If he plays consistently with Nick Suzuki and Tyler Toffoli, he can probably get there and even make it to the Calder Trophy final.
