While I respect everyone's right to have an opinion, those who seem to be of the opinion that Caufield is having a bad season or that he was a better player when he was a one dimentional 40+ goal scorer are wrong.

The fact is that Caufield has improved in:

His defensive metrics
His ability to setup his teammates
His ability to read and react to the time and space given to him and his linemates

As a result his line is:

Producing more offense
Producing more multi scoring chance shifts with sustained offensive pressure
Converting better on the PP

To those of you who want to trade him because he's not playing like a selfish one dimensional predictable goal scorer, I think you should have your heads examined. This is a team game. The fact that Caufield is no longer cheating and is playing a team game is the absolute best thing that could have happened to this team. His shooting percentage is abysmally low and it's going to turn the other way eventually, probably next year. But even if he's a 25-30 goal scorer who puts up 70+ points per year and is responsible defensively... We are going to be better for it.

Caufield is BETTER this year than last year, not worse.

we're here to test the market value of players.

«To those of you who want to trade him because he's not playing like a selfish one dimensional predictable goal scorer, I think you should have your heads examined.»

I think that many here should at least try an examination once in a while which is a proper way to cure this mad world we're in! As for Caufield on the ice situation he has in fact evolved from last year. I do somehow question the off-ice and work ethic somehow.

Keep in mind that players often have a down year after returning from major surgery. I expect a down year from Dach next year as well.

I know that and was calling it at the beginning of the season. For Dach I wonder if the off-season gym will pay for him

Yes, he has been a better player that last year. The hockey IQ has clearly improved. His confidence couldn’t be lower though (imo) and that isn’t sustainable. IMO he needs a shooting coach this offseason, but not to focus on the shot itself, to how go get to a good shooting spot, then shoot. He could maybe work on varying his shots as well, to make him less predictable.

Overall, he is better, but that S% needs to go up in a big way next year

Isn't it fair to assume that if Slaf is working with Dr. Shot, Caufield is as well in the background, but they aren't talking about it?

Very very possible

Caufield is for sure a better player this season even though his goal scoring has taken a bit of a hit. I think he will find his shot again, and when he does he will take his game to another level.

Once Caufield finds his shot again it's over for the league. 40 goals 50 assists good defensive play top 10 LW in the league

His g/60 is down 1.0 but his primary a/60 is up 0.7.
His shooting percentage is down by at least 4 points as well (about 10 more goals if he was shooting 11.7%).

Part of that is being recognized as a threat and having space taken away. Part of that is his ability to hit the top corner from "his spot" and that being scouted by goaltenders.
Slafkovsky becoming more of a shooting threat should help with space. More player movement on the PP to go with the puck movement is needed.
The rest will depend on him continuing to identify good times to shoot or move, and mixing up his shot selection to threaten with rebounds and different angles of attack.

Not concerned with his individual numbers beyond that. Excited because he's becoming a more diverse player.

Or, maybe Juraj Slafkovsky's been doing very well and Caufield's points have been propped up due to the 23.5% Ozone starts?

I mean Brendan Gallagher does have more expected goals per 60...

Players generally take a year following shoulder surgery. Reserve judgement until next season is my recommendation.

I know... But I think it's fair to say that he's worse this season than last...

Not really, Caufield has diversified his game, he's no longer only a shooting threat, he's really improved his passing game, he heads to the net, his defensive game has gotten better, he's a different player this year, I wouldn't necessarily say he's having a better or worse year, he's just been different hence peoples expectations being off

His shooting is worse, his passing is much better. His overall points totals are better.

From the games I've seen of him, I don't see it the passing. When the Leafs play the Habs, I don't think of Caufield as a playmaking threat but it could be me not seeing it

Not sure what to say to that. Maybe because you have Marner & Nylander, Caufield's playmaking seems ordinary?

Maybe... But I've also watched some Habs games against other teams...

So maybe Expectation vs reality?