Prospect Info: Cole Caufield (Part 6)

[schnapshot]

Oh 100%, I don't even think he's scored on a one timer yet , which has been his bread and butter in the past. Playing him point on the PP is forcing him to do most of the work there as well . He's been getting very little help.

It’s good that he’s been forced out of his comfort zone. He’s picked up some sweet assists so far.

 

[417]

At the start of the season, even when the points hadn't started to pile up, there were videos of him dangling all over the place and having 6 shots per game. I think it's good for him to be able to experiment on the ice and try different things. I liked seeing this. It reminded me a bit of Suzuki when he went back for 1 more year in the OHL. I like seeing a prospect dominate a level before going on to the next level. Plus, hopefully he's using the light college schedule to continue getting stronger in the weight room.

He was a PPG freshman so IMO, he's already proven to be a dominant player at that level

I'm really just looking forward to him staying healthy and turning pro.

I've seen enough at that level.

 

[Sagikev]

He was a PPG freshman so IMO, he's already proven to be a dominant player at that level

I'm really just looking forward to him staying healthy and turning pro.

I've seen enough at that level.

He's learning to be the go-to guy this year, while being the puck handler, so I think he still has things to learn offensively in the NCAA (alghouth I want him out of Wisconsin ASAP lol). I doubt he'll learn much defensively with Granato, even if the structure is better this year. Hopefully he signs after this season and Bouchard will show him the ropes next season (rather him than Julien lol).

 

[417]

He's learning to be the go-to guy this year, while being the puck handler, so I think he still has things to learn offensively in the NCAA (alghouth I want him out of Wisconsin ASAP lol). I doubt he'll learn much defensively with Granato, even if the structure is better this year. Hopefully he signs after this season and Bouchard will show him the ropes next season (rather him than Julien lol).

He led his team in goals/points quite comfortably last year, as a freshman.

He know how to be the go-to guy

 

[Sagikev]

He led his team in goals/points quite comfortably last year, as a freshman.

He know how to be the go-to guy

What I mean by that is that he wasn't the primary puck carrier last year, wether that was in the o zone or the neutral zone. He's now doing it consistently, although the results aren't consistent. I doubt a 3rd year would be useful, but I think he still has things to learn/perfect/round out before going pro.

I'm not against signing him if/when the AHL begins its season. I'd rather have him away from that team, and Bouchard will 100% help him round out those warts.

 

[Tyson]

If he shows he can be a difference maker at the upcoming WJC's then I may jump on the bandwagon.

 

[Habs]

If he shows he can be a difference maker at the upcoming WJC's then I may jump on the bandwagon.

those are my feelings as well.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Kristo was a difference maker at the WJC and Pacioretty did shit all.

 

[le_sean]

Lol well over a PPG in the NCAA and ranked universally as a Top 5 prospect in the NHL yet people still want to shit on him.

I get some of you want to be contrarian just for the sake of it, or maybe you’ve been demoralized by the Habs recent lack of success, but can you enjoy things once in a while? This board was already insufferable but the lack of hockey is making it worse.

 

[CauZuki]

I personally think it would have been ideal for him to play in the AHL this year and likely make the team in 2021-2022. Obviously with the situation playing for Wisconsin is better than not playing...

I still think he could end up making the team next year, he's a natural replacement for Tatar. Habs need to keep showing confidence in our youth.

Something like this could be a real nice top 9 :

Drouin - Suzuki - Anderson
Toffoli - KK - Caufield
Armia - Danault - Gallagher

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

I personally think it would have been ideal for him to play in the AHL this year and likely make the team in 2021-2022. Obviously with the situation playing for Wisconsin is better than not playing...

I still think he could end up making the team next year, he's a natural replacement for Tatar. Habs need to keep showing confidence in our youth.

Something like this could be a real nice top 9 :

Drouin - Suzuki - Anderson
Toffoli - KK - Caufield
Armia - Danault - Gallagher

He can go play in the ahl this year once his ncaa season is over

 

[Legend123]

Guys remember he cant be a top prospect no matter how much he dominates cuz hes very short.

 

[26Mats]

He can go play in the ahl this year once his ncaa season is over

yeah, and hopefully the AHL season will go later, since it will start late, if it starts at all.

 

[26Mats]

I personally think it would have been ideal for him to play in the AHL this year and likely make the team in 2021-2022. Obviously with the situation playing for Wisconsin is better than not playing...

I still think he could end up making the team next year, he's a natural replacement for Tatar. Habs need to keep showing confidence in our youth.

Something like this could be a real nice top 9 :

Drouin - Suzuki - Anderson
Toffoli - KK - Caufield
Armia - Danault - Gallagher

yes, though I'm hoping even if Tatar leaves, we get one more offensive player for the top 9. Maybe in two years it will be power forward winger Poehling. I'd like to start Armia on the 4th line and bring him into the top 9 as an injury replacement. Same with Lehkonen. Though it might be hard to sign both long term with the cap crunch and the expansion draft coming.

I want Caufield with Suzuki plus a big body. But if that line is too small, CC will be great with KK.

So maybe:
Caufield-Suzuki-Anderson
Drouin-KK-Toffoli
? - Danault-Gallagher
Lehkonen-Evans-Armia

Would be great to keep Tatar. He may not be able to get as much money as he had hoped to before covid.

 

[admiralcadillac]

Once he does well at the WJC, it’ll be « lets see what he can do in the AHL before I’m sold » then « let’s see what he can do in the nhl before I’m sold » then « let’s see what he can do in the playoffs before I’m sold »

 

[MD thaivuN]

Kristo was a difference maker at the WJC and Pacioretty did shit all.

A more recent example, Quinn Hughes was a mix bag of good and bad at the wjc and we all know how great he was one year later.

 

[PavelBrendl]

Fact: every goal Cole Caufield scores would be worth 2 if he were 5 inches taller.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

What leads you to the point on puck control? There are areas that leave you wanting, but every time I watch him I am more impressed with his hands and spatial awareness.

His hockey IQ on offense is off the charts. The kid knows where to go and where to pass. That one-touch pass yesterday is a prime example.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Fact: every goal Cole Caufield scores would be worth 2 if he were 5 inches taller.

My favorite posts are the flabbergasts about him looking small when we know hes 5'7

 

[David Suzuki]

Once he does well at the WJC, it’ll be « lets see what he can do in the AHL before I’m sold » then « let’s see what he can do in the nhl before I’m sold » then « let’s see what he can do in the playoffs before I’m sold »

Let me see what he can do in 1997 before I'm sold

 

[Scriptor]

Once he does well at the WJC, it’ll be « lets see what he can do in the AHL before I’m sold » then « let’s see what he can do in the nhl before I’m sold » then « let’s see what he can do in the playoffs before I’m sold »

And then, let's see if he makes the hall-of-fame before you're sold?

 

[Scriptor]

Fact: every goal Cole Caufield scores would be worth 2 if he were 5 inches taller.

lol

 

[Scriptor]

yes, though I'm hoping even if Tatar leaves, we get one more offensive player for the top 9. Maybe in two years it will be power forward winger Poehling. I'd like to start Armia on the 4th line and bring him into the top 9 as an injury replacement. Same with Lehkonen. Though it might be hard to sign both long term with the cap crunch and the expansion draft coming.

I want Caufield with Suzuki plus a big body. But if that line is too small, CC will be great with KK.

So maybe:
Caufield-Suzuki-Anderson
Drouin-KK-Toffoli
? - Danault-Gallagher
Lehkonen-Evans-Armia

Would be great to keep Tatar. He may not be able to get as much money as he had hoped to before covid.

If we go by Tatar's allusions during the time spent in the bubble at the COVID playoffs, he suggested that players would need to realign their salary expectations because of the pandemic. It also coincided with him professing he wanted to stay in Montreal. If that's not being open to a team friendly contract like Toffoli signed, I don't know what is?

How about 5M for 4 years instead of the 4.25M Toffoli signed for at the same term?

Re-signing Tatar and holding up a possibility of continuing to play with him and Gallagher might also influence Danault to re-sign for similar money.

Tatar at 5M is only 200K more than this year's Cap hit for the Habs. Danault at 5M means 2M more. That, alone, gets covered by the Alzner buyout savings after this season (2M) and replacing Weal with a quality youngster like Ylonen instead (1.4M VS 880K or a further 520K savings). That's an extra 320K net savings to apply towards an IR amount.

Passing Byron off with some draft picks would save us an extra 3.4M that could help bridge Kotkaniemi. Trading Kulak and saving close to an extra Million with Mete, Juulsen or Fleury as a 7th D could help cover Petry's raise and a bit more. Losing one of Chiarot or Edmundson to the expansion draft would cover Gallagher's raise. The ace in the sleeve would be moving on from Allen and going with Primeau to save an extra 2M towards the Cap, maybe by the cap deadline in 2021-22 to add a rental for a longer playoff push?

The key is how much Tatar ad Danault are willing to settle for, although, even if both got 5.5M, it wouldn't be impossible to keep them. We'd just have to exercise the Primeau instead of Allen option at the start of the season (which would leave more for the IR at the same time) or go with a 22-man roster tom save the extra Million needed.

I think we'd still need to go with Primeau over Allen early after this upcoming season because of bonuses both Suzuki and Caufield will likely earn.

Armia likely also doesn't get the raise he expects as a bottom line player so, he's also likely gone with ylonen in to replace him. What will need to be decided is whether Evans or Poehling, at that point, enters the 4th line?

Any way you look at it, there is no firm impossibility of keeping both Tatar and Danault. Plus, keeping Tatar also increases the odds of your pitch with Danault succeeding. It heightens the possibility of leaving him with his current wingers as a 2nd line, shutdown, two-way pivot.

Drouin - Suzuki - Toffoli
Tatar - Danault-Gallagher
Caufield - KK - Anderson
Lehkonen - Poehling/Evans - Ylonen

Chiarot - Weber
Romanov - Petry
Norlinder - Juulsen

Price
Primeau

 

[admiralcadillac]

And then, let's see if he makes the hall-of-fame before you're sold?

Exactly

« i’ll only be sold if he beats Ovechkin’s goal production »

 

[Habs]

Once he does well at the WJC, it’ll be « lets see what he can do in the AHL before I’m sold » then « let’s see what he can do in the nhl before I’m sold » then « let’s see what he can do in the playoffs before I’m sold »

Poehling was great at the WJC, NCAA and scored a hatty his first game in Montreal. But Cole gets the hype because?