The modern NHL is a big man’s league, more than ever in the past. Finding a defenseman under 6 feet tall is like trying to find free parking near the rink on game night, and many pro scouts will not even look at a goalie who is shorter than 6-foot-2. But during his time as a star at University of Wisconsin and now in his fifth NHL season with the Montreal Canadiens, pint-sized powerhouse Cole Caufield has made the game adjust to him, and not the other way around. Caufield, still just 23, has a dozen goals in 16 games for the Canadiens heading into their Thursday night meeting with the Wild in St. Paul, and has found ways to survive and thrive at the game’s top level, despite packing a 5-foot-8, 175-pound frame into the classic “blau, blanc et rouge” Montreal uniform. “He’s a smart guy, he’s got good speed, he’s explosive and elusive at his size,” said Wild coach John Hynes, who coached Caufield at the World Championships in Europe last spring. “He’s competitive on the puck and he’ll play and be competitive against bigger guys. And obviously I think his offensive instincts go along with his shot. He’s one of these guys that can find open areas or scoring areas where he can use his release.” Wild defenseman Brock Faber got an up-close look at Caufield’s game as a college rookie, when Faber was manning the Gophers’ blue line and Caufield was on his way to winning the Hobey Baker Award for the Badgers. In the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season, the Badgers just barely edged Minnesota for the Big Ten’s regular-season championship, as Caufield ran away with the scoring title and MVP honors. They met head to head one last time in the Big Ten tournament’s title game, played in a nearly empty arena at Notre Dame due to pandemic restrictions. The Gophers built a 5-1 lead after two periods, only to see the Badgers chip away, and Caufield’s goal — one of 30 he scored that season — with just over two minutes to play cut the lead to 5-4, before Minnesota sealed the title with an empty-net goal. “When we would play him, it was literally do anything you can to keep him off the score sheet, and you’ll have a good chance of winning,” Faber recalled. And little has changed, after Caufield put up NHL career highs in games, goals, assists and points last season. “He’s one of the best goal-scorers in the league, no doubt,” Faber said. “He’s got every tool you need to be successful. It’s cool to see, but hopefully we can shut him down on Thursday.” Minnesota Wild center Marcus Johansson (90) skates with the puck with pressure from Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov (86) while Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon, left, defends during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt) Manpower update Three Wild regulars — defensemen Zach Bogosian and Jonas Brodin, and forward Marcus Johansson — missed the team’s practice on Wednesday. While Bogosian was absent for personal reasons and Johansson is battling an illness, Brodin required a maintenance day following the team’s recent three-game road trip. Hynes said he expects Bogosian and Johansson back in the lineup versus Montreal, but was less confident that Brodin would be good to go. The Wild recalled defenseman Daemon Hunt and forward Michael Milne from Iowa this week, and has a few bodies in reserve if needed. Milne came along on the road trip last week but has yet to make his NHL debut. After practice Wednesday, Milne said his family which lives near Vancouver, is ready to hop on an eastbound plane as soon as he gets word that he will be in the Wild lineup. “They’re always on standby, and as soon as I know, I’ll give them a ring, for sure,” said Milne, who is wearing sweater number 60. “Just trying to work hard and see what happens from there.”