Prospect Info: 2019 Draft Thread: Oilers Picking 8th, Would You Take Caufield at #8?

[ConnorMcMullet]

I also don't really understand the people in here saying Broberg has no IQ. His hockey sense is fine. It's not elite or anything and likely never will be but he makes good decisions in all three zones and he can log some big minutes. I haven't seen him a ton outside of this tournament and the Hlinka but I've never really seen any examples of him lacking hockey IQ, and as you guys should know that's something I tend to pick up really quickly on with prospects. I think based on what I've seen of him so far that he's going to be a very solid NHL defender. Maybe a #2/3D if he hits his ceiling. I wouldn't take him at #8 but if we were picking in the teens I'd probably think long and hard about it. He's a legit prospect.

IQ and vision tend to get mixed up a lot. I think people are questioning his vision and passing, not his overall IQ.

What I don't get is when he's called a boom-bust prospect. He seems like a solid bet to become a 2nd pairing defenseman, although I don't see that much offensive upside.

 

[Panda Bear]

Here's a shitty analogy: in Football Manager and Eastside Hockey Manager, there are two attributes called Decisions and Vision. Vision concerns the number of possible passes that a player can detect at a given moment in time, and Decisions governs the player making the most appropriate choice among those possible passes, shooting and continuing to carry the puck.

 

[ConnorMcMullet]

My top-50 draft rankings:

1. Hughes
2. Kakko
3. Byram
4. Turcotte
5. Dach
6. Krebs
7. Zegras
8. Newhook
9. Caufield
10. Boldy
11. Cozens
12. Podkolzin
13. York
14. Lavoie
15. Harley
16. Tomasino
17. Soderstrom
18. Brink
19. Heinola
20. Kaliyev
21. Broberg
22. Dorofeyev
23. Pelletier
24. Suzuki
25. McMichael
26. Knight
27. Sieder
28. Nikolayev
29. M. Robertson
30. Poulin
31. Rees
32. Hoglander
33. Tracey
34. Thomson
35. Foote
36. Korczak
37. Legare
38. Holmstrom
39. Bjornfoot
40. Leason
41. Cajkovic
42. Kolyachonok
43. N. Robertson
44. Kokkonen
45. Beecher
46. Honka
47. Fagemo
48. Afanasyev
49. Henriksson
50. Johnson

Any thoughts?

 

[Llamamoto]

Would you guys pick up Dustin Wolf in the 3rd round? Insane stats, similar case to Carter Hart. Same team as well. He's so calm and good at distributing the puck.

He's falling because of his size. 6 feet as of now.

 

[ConnorMcMullet]

Would you guys pick up Dustin Wolf in the 3rd round? Insane stats, similar case to Carter Hart. Same team as well. He's so calm and good at distributing the puck.

He's falling because of his size. 6 feet as of now.

No thanks to taking a goalie in the 1st three rounds.

Unless he's there in the 6th/7th, I don't want to take another goalie.

 

[CupofOil]

Watched the games on replay and I'm usually not one to let a few games sway my opinion but I'm starting to sour on Krebs a bit.

Early in the tournament, he was driving the play, making smart decisions with the puck and getting to scoring areas. In the last several games, he was soft, forcing way too many low percentage passes and played a lot on the perimeter.

I still like him and would still be happy with him at 8 but I'm wondering if he has much upside which is something his detractors have been preaching. I'm not seeing much high end skill from him whereas the U'S. guys (Zegras, Boldy, Caufield) have flashed a ton of skill but also are a bit riskier as far as their NHL floor is concerned especially Caufield who is non-existent when he's not shooting the puck. Podkolzin kind of reminds of Krebs in a way where he has a solid 2 way game but not much high end skill.

 

[Draiskull]

I just hope that the US kids have wowed enough GMs that one of Dach or Byram fall to us.
For me the best US player after Hughes was York and we arent getting either of them unless we move up or down from 8OA.

 

[dustrock]

Wonder sometimes with U-18 if it's misleading compared to say the U-20 WJHC, some of these players are very young, whereas in the full U-20 tournament you're getting players with possibly some NHL or AHL experience post draft as well.

Trying to figure out as the US team basically plays as a team full-time, compared to Canada, Russia, Sweden, etc, and the fact that they destroyed the minnows in a U-18 tournament if maybe we're overstating how dominant they are.

It's a funny draft, as many others have said, my picks outside of Byram and Turcotte keep swirling around.

 

[nuck]

I'd prefer to stay away from Caufield, agreed he has a scoring touch but I'd rather go for draft pick that can create turnovers on the forecheck as well as have an offensive touch if were talking about players to pair on a line with McDavid or Drai

2016-17	Toronto Marlboros Mn Mdgt AAA	GTMMHL	33	36	15	51	16		|
	Toronto Marlboros Mn Mdgt AAA	Midget	81	82	54	136	52		|
	Markham Royals	OJHL	1	0	0	0	0		|
2017-18	Ottawa 67's	OHL	63	14	11	25	26	-16	|	Playoffs	5	0	0	0	0	-2
	Canada White U17	WHC-17	6	2	4	6	4		|
2018-19	Ottawa 67's	OHL	55	23	11	34	34	7	|	Playoffs

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

These are the stats for Jack Hughes linemate in midget. The Hughes effect might be more a concern with Caufield than his size.

 

[Raab]

Watched the games on replay and I'm usually not one to let a few games sway my opinion but I'm starting to sour on Krebs a bit.

Early in the tournament, he was driving the play, making smart decisions with the puck and getting to scoring areas. In the last several games, he was soft, forcing way too many low percentage passes and played a lot on the perimeter.

I still like him and would still be happy with him at 8 but I'm wondering if he has much upside which is something his detractors have been preaching. I'm not seeing much high end skill from him whereas the U'S. guys (Zegras, Boldy, Caufield) have flashed a ton of skill but also are a bit riskier as far as their NHL floor is concerned especially Caufield who is non-existent when he's not shooting the puck. Podkolzin kind of reminds of Krebs in a way where he has a solid 2 way game but not much high end skill.

You don’t pick Krebs for high offensive potential. You pick him because he’s well rounded and competes every shift. Reminds me of Gallagher from my viewings. Seems like the perfect top 6 winger for a guy like Draisaitl.

 

[oobga]

I wouldn't be mad if we took Caufield. Maybe it doesn't work out, but the journey would be entertaining still, seeing if this little sniper could find a home next to McDavid or Drai.

 

[McFlyingV]

2016-17	Toronto Marlboros Mn Mdgt AAA	GTMMHL	33	36	15	51	16		|
	Toronto Marlboros Mn Mdgt AAA	Midget	81	82	54	136	52		|
	Markham Royals	OJHL	1	0	0	0	0		|
2017-18	Ottawa 67's	OHL	63	14	11	25	26	-16	|	Playoffs	5	0	0	0	0	-2
	Canada White U17	WHC-17	6	2	4	6	4		|
2018-19	Ottawa 67's	OHL	55	23	11	34	34	7	|	Playoffs

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

These are the stats for Jack Hughes linemate in midget. The Hughes effect might be more a concern with Caufield than his size.

I wouldn't worry about it. Caufield scored over a goal per game while Hughes was at the WJC. He gets to play with some great playmakers, but he's far from a passenger.

 

[Ninety7]

I wouldn't worry about it. Caufield scored over a goal per game while Hughes was at the WJC. He gets to play with some great playmakers, but he's far from a passenger.

Plus he’ll be playing with an even better talent in McDavid.

 

[North]

It’s a testament to how many options we’ll have available to us at 8 because I keep changing who I’m leaning towards.

Right now I’m starting to like Newhook more and more at 8.

 

[Joey Moss]

2016-17	Toronto Marlboros Mn Mdgt AAA	GTMMHL	33	36	15	51	16		|
	Toronto Marlboros Mn Mdgt AAA	Midget	81	82	54	136	52		|
	Markham Royals	OJHL	1	0	0	0	0		|
2017-18	Ottawa 67's	OHL	63	14	11	25	26	-16	|	Playoffs	5	0	0	0	0	-2
	Canada White U17	WHC-17	6	2	4	6	4		|
2018-19	Ottawa 67's	OHL	55	23	11	34	34	7	|	Playoffs

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

These are the stats for Jack Hughes linemate in midget. The Hughes effect might be more a concern with Caufield than his size.

This is also the best team in the OHL. Clarke is a young player on a deep team, stats aren't the whole story here.

 

[La Bamba]

I'd be disappointed if the Oilers took Caufield if Cozens, Turcotte, Dach, or Zegras were still on the board. The guy is smaller than Yamamoto and I can't see having two guys being 5'8 and 5'7 in the top 6 being effective in the long run. I know they could end up being like Gaudreau or DeBrincat but I don't think its worth the risk at #8. IMO they should take a center at 8 (assuming Bowen Byram is gone by then).

 

[Joey Moss]

I'd be disappointed if the Oilers took Caufield if Cozens, Turcotte, Dach, or Zegras were still on the board. The guy is smaller than Yamamoto and I can't see having two guys being 5'8 and 5'7 in the top 6 being effective in the long run. I know they could end up being like Gaudreau or DeBrincat but I don't think its worth the risk at #8. IMO they should take a center at 8 (assuming Bowen Byram is gone by then).

Chicago is fine with Kane and DeBrincat in the top 6.

Size is so overblown. You'll never see someone mention size being a reason a 6'3 prospect busted. At the end of the day, the player is either;
a) good or he's not
b) had the mentality to improve his game or didn't

If Caufield busts it's not because he's 5'6. Reinhart is a bust because he was lazy in the off-season and didn't improve his skating. Mark Scheifele wouldn't be the player he is today if he didn't have the incredible work ethic that he does to improve. Nail Yakupov is a bust because he always had horrible hockey sense. Today's game allows smaller players every opportunity to succeed.

Not to mention, looking at two small players in your future top 6 is not a good reason to pass on a player. Those are things that can be dealt with in the future if it becomes a problem. We aren't making a 15 year commitment here. Nashville's need for a center was addressed by taking the BPA in Seth Jones when they didn't need him.

 

[lakai17]

Kaliyev just potted 51 goals in the ohl with lesser to work than some other prospects.

 

[Beerfish]

Kaliyev just potted 51 goals in the ohl with lesser to work than some other prospects.

This is the guy I think could surprise and be chosen before #8 pushing other prospects down to us.

 

[belair]

Kaliyev just potted 51 goals in the ohl with lesser to work than some other prospects.

The guy is invisible when he isn't on offense though. 51 goals is nice, but how many of those translate to pro? The rest of his game needs a lot of work. I see him going in the 20s.

 

[Beerfish]

Well you could ask the translate to pro q

The guy is invisible when he isn't on offense though. 51 goals is nice, but how many of those translate to pro? The rest of his game needs a lot of work.

Well you could question the 'translates to pro' to every single player in the draft. Hopefully for us some team likes that production enough to take him before 8. Almost every year there is some off the wall pick in the top 10 that shakes things up.

 

[PKSpecialist]

The guy is invisible when he isn't on offense though. 51 goals is nice, but how many of those translate to pro? The rest of his game needs a lot of work. I see him going in the 20s.

And Caufield? 6’2 scoring 50 on a team with little offensive talent, or 5’6 scoring 80 with the most loaded junior team we have possibly ever seen. And both are pretty much invisible outside of their offensive game. I take Kaliyev before Caufield, but neither in the top 10.

 

[ImmuneEH]

I wonder if people are low on Cozens & Krebs lately because they've been over-examined. Newhook and Caufield are kind of the shiny new toys after the WJC.

 

[Stud Muffin]

Chicago is fine with Kane and DeBrincat in the top 6.

Size is so overblown. You'll never see someone mention size being a reason a 6'3 prospect busted. At the end of the day, the player is either;
a) good or he's not
b) had the mentality to improve his game or didn't

If Caufield busts it's not because he's 5'6. Reinhart is a bust because he was lazy in the off-season and didn't improve his skating. Mark Scheifele wouldn't be the player he is today if he didn't have the incredible work ethic that he does to improve. Nail Yakupov is a bust because he always had horrible hockey sense. Today's game allows smaller players every opportunity to succeed.

Not to mention, looking at two small players in your future top 6 is not a good reason to pass on a player. Those are things that can be dealt with in the future if it becomes a problem. We aren't making a 15 year commitment here. Nashville's need for a center was addressed by taking the BPA in Seth Jones when they didn't need him.

You mention Patrick Kane but he’s still 4 inches bigger than Caufield, there’s a difference between small and being a Smurf like Caufield. Outside of goalscoring Caufields skills aren’t worthy of a top 10 pick.

 

[belair]

And Caufield? 6’2 scoring 50 on a team with little offensive talent, or 5’6 scoring 80 with the most loaded junior team we have possibly ever seen. And both are pretty much invisible outside of their offensive game. I take Kaliyev before Caufield, but neither in the top 10.

I haven't seen much of Caufield. And I have the same questions regarding his game. How much is he feeding off of the production of the first overall pick? I don't like the idea of taking him at 8 either.

I prefer a player who has the ability to hold his own. Someone who isn't going to rely on the McDavid bump to sustain that draft pedigree.

FYI, I haven't had Kaliyev in that group all season. His game just isn't at that level of skill. I'd take Tomasino ahead of Kaliyev fairly easily.