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Cole Caufield left off team USA Olympic projection despite breakout season
Photo credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images
The Montreal Canadiens forward, Cole Caufield, who is enjoying an exceptional first half of the season, could be on the verge of learning some disappointing news.
Caufield's name may not be called when Team USA announces its roster. On Sunday, a Bleacher Report projection reignited the debate on X.
In that version, Caufield is not part of the selected group, even though his name appears among the "close calls."
For now, nothing is official, but the timeline is tightening. Team USA already revealed six players on June 16, 2025, and the rest of the roster is expected to be announced in early January. The men's tournament begins on February 11, 2026, in Italy, with the final scheduled for February 22.
Don't expect to see Cole Caufield at the Olympics, which is extremely unfortunate and a bit ridiculous
In Montreal, the 24-year-old forward has been anything but a depth player this season. After 36 games, he has 35 points, including 17 goals and 18 assists. He also carries a +6 rating.
What makes the news hard to swallow is the American depth.
Auston Matthews, Jack Eichel, Jack Hughes, Brady Tkachuk, and Matthew Tkachuk are among the names that constantly come up, along with Quinn Hughes and Charlie McAvoy.
In the same projection, Alex DeBrincat also finds himself among the players left on the outside. I'll go a step further.
Will Auston Matthews, who is off to a very difficult start to the season, be more useful than Cole Caufield for Team USA?
Caufield keeps piling up points and impressing with his 200-foot game, yet he could still end up watching the Olympics from afar.
We know how important this is to him and how valuable he could be at the Olympics, yet he doesn't appear to be on Team USA's roster.
Previously on Montreal Hockey Fanatics