There are times when life stops.
For Cole Caufield, that moment came in August 2024, when his idol, Johnny Gaudreau, tragically passed away.
It was not just the loss of a role model, but a shock that profoundly transformed him.
Today, something is different about Caufield.
He’s not just a player who scores goals; he is a young man who has matured and who seems to have found a new perspective, a new gravity.
Interviewed by Renaud Lavoie on TVA Sports, Caufield confided to what extent this event changed his life.
“The first days afterward, I felt like I couldn’t do anything”he admitted.
But that empty feeling quickly transformed into a desire to pay homage.
He decided to wear the number 13, the one he already wore in homage to Gaudreau in his youth.
This choice is much more than a symbol; it’s a statement of what Johnny meant to him and the impact he had.
But beyond this gesture, what is striking is the change in Caufield’s personality.
Those around him feel it: Cole is more grounded, more connected to what is important.
It is as if the fragility of life had given it new clarity.
The young prodigy’s carefree attitude has given way to a maturity that can be seen not only in his words, but also in his playing.
And it’s no coincidence that he’s having the best start to the season of his career. With already 12 goals in 17 games, he has established himself as one of the best scorers in the NHL.
He’s no longer just a promising young talent; he’s a determined player, who plays with an urgency and intensity that perhaps wasn’t as visible before.
He plays like someone who knows that every moment counts.
When Caufield talks about Gaudreau, it’s not just about hockey. He talks about a man, a role model who taught him what it means to live fully.
“What Johnny represented on the ice, but also off it, is what I want to embody in my turn”he confided.
This desire to represent his idol is not limited to his performances.
You can feel it in the way he speaks, in the way he presents himself. Cole Caufield hasn’t just become a more complete player; he became a more complete person.
The number 13 he wears on his back is a constant reminder, a promise he made to himself.
That of representing Gaudreau, but also of living and playing every day as if it were the last.
And so far, that promise is paying off. Caufield has never been better on the ice, but more importantly, he has never seemed more connected to his role, his team and himself.
Life is fragile, and Cole Caufield learned that the hard way.
But he was able to transform this ordeal into strength.
Today he embodies what Gaudreau represented for him: an inspiring player, but above all, a person who knows what really matters.
Amen
