Cole Caufield becomes the highest

Former University of Wisconsin men's hockey player Cole Caufield poses with the Hobey Baker Award and addresses the crowd at the annual winner's banquet on Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021, in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.

An eight-year contract extension with the Montreal Canadiens will make Cole Caufield the highest-paid former University of Wisconsin men's hockey player in the NHL.

Caufield's annual average value of $7.85 million in the deal announced Monday morning beat out two Badgers alums who are still in the league.

Ryan Suter had an average salary of more than $7.5 million on a 13-year, $98 million agreement with the Minnesota Wild signed in 2012. The team bought out the remainder of the contract in 2021 to make him a free agent.

New Wisconsin men's hockey assistant Nick Oliver's coaching passion started at home

Joe Pavelski had a maximum career salary of $7 million in his first contract with the Dallas Stars in 2019.

Caufield (Mosinee), Suter (Madison) and Pavelski (Plover) are all Wisconsin natives.

The only other former Badgers player who has made at least $7 million per season, according to CapFriendly, is Dany Heatley. He signed a six-year contract extension with the Ottawa Senators in 2007 that had an annual value of $7.5 million.

This newly crowned USHL champion has Wisconsin men's hockey in his plans

Caufield's new deal runs through the 2030-31 season, when he will be 30.

The forward won the Hobey Baker Award as top player in Division I men's hockey in 2020-21, when he led the country with 30 goals and 52 points. Montreal's first-round draft pick in 2019 helped the Canadiens to the Stanley Cup Final after finishing his second college season.

The final season of his entry-level contract with Montreal in 2022-23 was cut short by a shoulder injury but he scored 26 goals in 46 games.

Cole Caufield reacts after scoring against Penn State during their November 2020 game at La Bahn Arena. (Amber Arnold, State Journal)

Wisconsin's Cole Caufield tries to get past Penn State's Connor McMenamin during their November 2020 game at La Bahn Arena. (Amber Arnold, State Journal)

Wisconsin forward Cole Caufield breaks free from Ohio State forward Jaedon Leslie during their February 2021 game at LaBahn Arena. (Amber Arnold, State Journal)

Badgers forward Cole Caufield looks for an open teammate against Ohio State during their February 2021 game at LaBahn Arena. (Amber Arnold, State Journal)

Wisconsin's Cole Caufield skates against Boston College during their October 2019 game in Chestnut Hill, Mass. (Winslow Townson, Associated Press)

Wisconsin's Cole Caufield follows the puck against Boston College during their October 2019 game in Chestnut Hill, Mass. (Winslow Townson, Associated Press)

Wisconsin's Cole Caufield skates against Boston College during their October 2019 game in Chestnut Hill, Mass. (Winslow Townson, Associated Press)

Wisconsin's Cole Caufield outraces Arizona State's Jax Murray during their November 2020 game in Madison.

Cole Caufield skates during a September 2019 practice at the Kohl Center. (Amber Arnold, State Journal)

Cole Caufield poses for a photo at the Kohl Center before the 2019-20 season. (Amber Arnold, State Journal)

Cole Caufield talks with teammates Ty Pelton-Byce and Jesper Peltonen during a September 2019 practice at the Kohl Center. (Amber Arnold, State Journal)

The Caufield family — Paul, Cole, Kelly and Brock — pose with the Hobey Baker Award that Cole won with the Badgers. (Todd D. Milewski, State Journal)

Cole Caufield poses with the Hobey Baker Award after winning the award with the Badgers. (Todd D. Milewski, State Journal)

Cole Caufield, center right, smiles after being chosen by the Montreal Canadiens during the first round of the 2019 NHL draft. (Jonathan Hayward, Canadian Press)

Cole Caufield fires a shot during a November 2020 game against Michigan at LaBahn Arena. (Tom Lynn, UW Athletics)

Cole Caufield celebrates one of 30 goals he scored as a sophomore with the Badgers (Courtesy UW Athletics).

Teammates congratulate Cole Caufield on one of his two goals in the third period the Badgers' loss to Bemidji State in the 2021 NCAA Tournament. (Greg Vasil, For the State Journal)

Cole Caufield celebrates his overtime goal in the 2021 Big Ten semifinals against Penn State. (Mike Miller, Big Ten Conference)

Wisconsin's Cole Caufield looks to move the puck against Minnesota during their 2021 Big Ten tournament championship game. (John Mersits, South Bend Tribune)

Wisconsin's Cole Caufield celebrates his game-tying power-play goal in the third period of the Badgers' 2021 Big Ten tournament semifinal against Penn State. (Mike Miller, Big Ten Conference)

Wisconsin's Cole Caufield celebrates his overtime goal past Penn State's Oskar Autio during the 2021 Big Ten Conference semifinals. (Mike Miller, Big Ten Conference)

Cole Caufield shoots against Penn State during their 2021 Big Ten Conference semifinal. (Mike Miller, Big Ten Conference)

Badgers forward Cole Caufield drives into the offensive zone while Ohio State's Layton Ahac defends during their February 2021 game at LaBahn Arena. (Paul Capobianco, UW Athletics)

The Badgers celebrate Cole Caufield's first goal against Minnesota in the first period of their Feb. 5, 2021, game in Minneapolis. (Brace Hemmelgarn, Minnesota Athletics)

Wisconsin's Cole Caufield controls the puck against Penn State's Jimmy Dowd Jr. during their Nov. 24, 2020, game at LaBahn Arena. (Tom Lynn, UW Athletics)

Wisconsin's Cole Caufield pushes around Penn State's Paul DeNaples with the puck during their Oct. 31, 2019, game in State College, Pa. (Abby Drey, Centre Daily Times)

Badgers forward Cole Caufield shoots during a 2019 exhibition game against British Columbia in Vancouver. (Rich Lam, UBC Athletics)

Cole Caufield celebrates a goal in a 2019 exhibition game at British Columbia in Vancouver. (Rich Lam, UBC Athletics)

Badgers incoming freshman forward Cole Caufield speaks to the media before the 2019 NHL draft in Vancouver, British Columbia. (Jonathan Hayward, Canadian Press)

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman shakes hands with Montreal Canadiens selection Cole Caufield during the first round of the 2019 NHL draft. (Jonathan Hayward, Canadian Press)

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