Everyone knew Caufield was top 1-5 talent, but scouts and GM's like to keep their jobs. Drafting a 5'7 kid that doesnt work out has much harsher consequences than drafting safe but mediocre guys. I mean if you were drafting on pure upside without regard to floors, Caufield and Zegras would have been the first two players off the board, and that's without even doing a look-back knowing what we know now.
Moons did align for Montreal though. Perennial poor drafters Edmonton, Arizona, Buffalo doing what they normally do. Yzerman smartly going off the board, Krebs injury, Caufield size, Podz Russian contract factor, Knight pushing the top 15 (deservedly), the enigma of Kaliyev, etc. Some really terrible picks in late 1st imo as well, with many gems falling way too far. Whole thing was a circus.
Yet I think 2019 draft ends up as one of the best ever.