Prospect Info: Cole Caufield II (Montreal 15th overall in 2019 draft) mod warning # 560

[InTheWrist]

This kid should not be rushed under any circumstance. He should be afforded at least 2 years to develop.

You don't want this kid to come in and score 14 goals and 11 assists in his rookie season; you want him to come in and put up 25+ goals in his first season. why?

Because this kid sense of self is intrinsically tied to his ability to score. That is the fire burning inside him. You want to harness that, not undermine it.

Rush him; you will waste him.

 

[BeliveauFan4ever]

You are right, Caufield was bpa. Problem is Timmins started drafting by needs after the first round

The larger problem, I think, was Bergevin not knowing what kind of team he wanted to build when he arrived. The lack of clarity then is still felt now.

I think he has a clearer idea now, but don't ask me what it is.

Boston's Beecher selection was a template pick. They have a clear(er) idea, a template, of what they want/need) and Beecher fits it.

Said it before but Habs '70s powerhouses were a great template. Team had size, scoring, checking, toughness and everyone could skate. Defined roles, and a performance bar that had to be met or exceeded.

 

[sandviper]

The 126 goal stat does not lie...

CC shoots with speed and high accuracy... and he must know how to find the open spots on the ice.

Oilers should've picked him for McDavid's wing.

For a team with arguably the best player on the planet and a #2C who’d be a #1C on 2/3 of the teams in the league, they sure have a lot holes on that roster.

 

[BeliveauFan4ever]

For a team with arguably the best player on the planet and a #2C who’d be a #1C on 2/3 of the teams in the league, they sure have a lot holes on that roster.

Chiarelli was a bad GM. Real bad.

 

[HockeyAddict]

The 126 goal stat does not lie...

CC shoots with speed and high accuracy... and he must know how to find the open spots on the ice.

Oilers should've picked him for McDavid's wing.

Don't get me wrong... I'm rooting for him to have mucho success in the NHL. My concern is that I'm not convinced having many smallish forwards will translate to playoff success even if they are talented. Still time to change the mix of players before he is ready but as of now, we lack physical forwards with skills who can punish other teams.

 

[Le Barron de HF]

This piece by The Athletic (The ascension of Cole Caufield from teary-eyed toddler to...) left me quite optimistic, unlike a Christian Thomas, Caufield seems to be very smart position wise. This part was the most interesting out of this article:

"One measure, which Wroblewski calls “LRF-lanes” (the acronym stands for Line Rushes For), assesses players’ ability to read the play and support the puck carrier by leaping into the adjacent corridor, or lane. (...) One player stands comfortably above the rest when it comes to being in the correct spot. Cole Caufield."

 

[LaP]

Don't get me wrong... I'm rooting for him to have mucho success in the NHL. My concern is that I'm not convinced having many smallish forwards will translate to playoff success even if they are talented. Still time to change the mix of players before he is ready but as of now, we lack physical forwards with skills who can punish other teams.

If Caufield is as talented as Theo Fleury or Martin St Louis in their prime it will. When you are that talented size doesn't matter much. If he's a Ray Whitney type of players (still very good) then the size of our offense could very well be problematic.

 

[Habs Halifax]

If Caufield is as talented as Theo Fleury or Martin St Louis in their prime it will. When you are that talented size doesn't matter much. If he's a Ray Whitney type of players (still very good) then the size of our offense could very well be problematic.

Caufield is another Gallagher. Go evaluate the goals to assist ratio. The kid is a shooting machine

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

I'm tempering expectations, he is a #15 pick some Habs fans are acting like we got a top 5 prospect in the draft and he's a sure 30 goal scorer lol.
He's solid but his 5 primary assists during the whole year are kind of disappointing playing on that stacked team, hard to get them when you're the one potting them in I get that but people need to relax just a bit

 

[BeliveauFan4ever]

I think if MB had passed on Caufield, and he proceeded to light it up in the NHL, I'd be very bitter.

Nothing is guaranteed, but I'm happy MB had the stones to make the CC call. Things don't pan, I won't retro-roast him.

He made that call without the luxury of a healthy buffer against failure.

 

[1909]

I'm tempering expectations, he is a #15 pick some Habs fans are acting like we got a top 5 prospect in the draft and he's a sure 30 goal scorer lol.
He's solid but his 5 primary assists during the whole year are kind of disappointing playing on that stacked team, hard to get them when you're the one potting them in I get that but people need to relax just a bit

That stacked team had many, many players drafted this year, and Caufield was one of the two best players on that team. Must mean something. 31 GM and head scouts could not be wrong about the value of these young men.

 

[lillypad33]

The larger problem, I think, was Bergevin not knowing what kind of team he wanted to build when he arrived. The lack of clarity then is still felt now.

I think he has a clearer idea now, but don't ask me what it is.

Boston's Beecher selection was a template pick. They have a clear(er) idea, a template, of what they want/need) and Beecher fits it.

Said it before but Habs '70s powerhouses were a great template. Team had size, scoring, checking, toughness and everyone could skate. Defined roles, and a performance bar that had to be met or exceeded.

Damn... if only the Canadiens could have drafted Larry Robinson and Guy Lafleur in the last two drafts...
f***ing template they're using is not proper...

 

[BeliveauFan4ever]

Damn... if only the Canadiens could have drafted Larry Robinson and Guy Lafleur in the last two drafts...
****ing template they're using is not proper...

Ummm, that's grossly and I suppose intentionally missing the point.

Two scoring lines, at least, clear checking line, size on D. Clearly-defined roles.

Yep, that's what we've had alright.

Wait, nooooo, the checker is the No. 1 centre! Whooooops! Detonate!

 

[Bieber fever]

The next Rocco Grimaldi imo

 

[Walrus26]

Liking Button's "Goal Caulfield".

 

[Habaneros]

Team USA U18 coach John Wroblewski called him "mini Ovechkin." ...

 

[Gustave]

The next Rocco Grimaldi imo

Interesting. Both played on the USNDP.... let’s just say that one was an absolute force while the other was pretty good.

I don’t get the hate. As big as others are, they didn’t do what he did under the same parameters. Good on us for drafting him, period.

 

[Redux91]

The next Rocco Grimaldi imo

Compare the production, not the size.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

Compare the production, not the size.

Well, compare both to be fair.

There are definitely some similarities but Caufield is a much better shooter, and that makes a huge difference. His ability to shoot also provides him more space as he is able to fool defenders with quick feigns allowing him to get into better scoring areas than Grimaldi. The threat of his shot will have defenders biting on every move. Kind of like Steph Curry and the threat of his shot for any basketball fans out there.

 

[MC94]

Caufield is another Gallagher. Go evaluate the goals to assist ratio. The kid is a shooting machine

He is Gallagher but way more skill, how did he fall to us at 15th again?

 

[Redux91]

Caufield is another Gallagher. Go evaluate the goals to assist ratio. The kid is a shooting machine

I love Gallagher and everything but he's a "dirty area" scorer mostly, he has a bit of tunnel vision and not the best of passers, he can shoot it, sure, but its not the deadliest of shots either

Caufield has the shot and hockey IQ through the roof, probably even quicker

Hopefully gallagher gives him his training regimen

If Gallaghers mediocre shot can get through goalies, I just cannot imagine Caufields world CLASS shot cant do slightly better.

 

[Milhouse40]

Caufield already had a NHL shot and that's a skill that will translate easily in the NHL.

He'll never be a 200ft player that can play 20:00 a game and in all phase of the game that's for sure, but at worst he'll be a 25 goal scorer making a living on the PP mostly but he could become much more than that.

But i do expect a lot from that kid, such talented hands….

 

[VirginiaMtlExpat]

Liking Button's "Goal Caulfield".

Baseball had a nickname for a player in the 60s and 70s, Jimmy Wynn: The Toy Cannon. That nickname is perfect for Caufield.

 

[Redux91]

Baseball had a nickname for a player in the 60s and 70s, Jimmy Wynn: The Toy Cannon. That nickname is perfect for Caufield.

With all due respect, I dont think this one will stick lol.

 

[lamp9post]

Caufield is another Gallagher. Go evaluate the goals to assist ratio. The kid is a shooting machine

What about Gionta as a comparable? He was also a shooter with consistently good goal totals and a high of 48.