F Cole Caufield - USNTDP Juniors, USHL (2019, 15th, MTL)

[Artorius Horus T]

My prediction was 8th overall, maybe Cole goes higher?.

 

[DownGoesMcDavid]

Hughes had 6 points.

Where are you finding info and boxscore on this. Thanks

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Hughes had 6 points.

But did they play together?
By how many goals did USA win?

 

[DownGoesMcDavid]

Pure mint

Can you elaborate.


Top speed, agility, edges, acceleration. Etc.

 

[The Madrigal]

Curious if anyone thinks that the recent success of Arvidsson and Debrincat has impacted Caufield's draft stock in a positive way. Obviously he had a great season but it's pretty rare for a player 5'7 150 pounds to be in serious consideration for a top 15 pick.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Can you elaborate.


Top speed, agility, edges, acceleration. Etc.

I think he has league average tools across the board, except for a 65-70 shot and a 70 hockey IQ.

 

[kyle44]

Where are you finding info and boxscore on this. Thanks

But did they play together?
By how many goals did USA win?

USA won 8-0. Got the info from Corey Pronman’s Twitter:

 

[FinPanda]

USA won 8-0. Got the info from Corey Pronman’s Twitter:

Full game report:
Otteluseuranta

 

[Larry Lightning]

But did they play together?
By how many goals did USA win?

Yes they played together. Hughes had 2 goals 4 assists, Caufield had 4 goals 1 assist. They won 8-0.

 

[ijuka]

Curious if anyone thinks that the recent success of Arvidsson and Debrincat has impacted Caufield's draft stock in a positive way. Obviously he had a great season but it's pretty rare for a player 5'7 150 pounds to be in serious consideration for a top 15 pick.

Yep.

In my opinion, the people who think Caufield = Debrincat should probably take a moment to consider them as their own, individual entities. Just because Debrincat was successful doesn't mean Caufield will be.

 

[cgf]

Really love this kid. My dream draft sees Pod fall to 4 and Caufield to 16, but I put the odds of that happening in the low single digits.

Yep.

In my opinion, the people who think Caufield = Debrincat should probably take a moment to consider them as their own, individual entities. Just because Debrincat was successful doesn't mean Caufield will be.

It doesn't but the number of smurfs thriving in the NHL certainly helps negate a lot of the size concerns when you have a special talent like this. In today's NHL tiny guys can thrive if they have the skating & skill...which Caufield most certainly does.

 

[Russian_fanatic]

I like the kid, but other than being short he plays nothing like Debrincat.

He reminds me of smaller Phil Kessel back in his Toronto/Boston days

 

[CanuckCity]

My question is also related to his skating and elusiveness.

Is he shifty and sneaky enough to find open ice in the big leagues where he's one of the main focuses of opposition D? How does he produce when there isnt an elite threat for opposition D to worry about like hughes?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

How does he produce when there isnt an elite threat for opposition D to worry about like hughes?

I don't know if he's once played a game at the NTDP where he wasn't on a line with Hughes, Turcotte or Zegras, so we don't know the answer to that. It also seems likely that he'll play next season on a line with Turcotte, so we might not know the answer to that question next season either.

 

[cgf]

My question is also related to his skating and elusiveness.

Is he shifty and sneaky enough to find open ice in the big leagues where he's one of the main focuses of opposition D? How does he produce when there isnt an elite threat for opposition D to worry about like hughes?

I'm not completely sure this matters because his appeal is as a complementary weapon, not a primary driver. If you're going to make use of him, you're going to want to pair him with some talent. So how much does it really matter how he well he adapts to not having talent to play off of? If you're high on him it's probably because you want to play him alongside some talent, not anchor a line on his own, ya know?

 

[AmericanDream]

I like the kid, but other than being short he plays nothing like Debrincat.

He reminds me of smaller Phil Kessel back in his Toronto/Boston days. Another name I wanna throw out there is Miroslav Satan.

really, how so??

 

[Russian_fanatic]

really, how so??

Debrincat IMO has much better puck skills, and is a better playmaker.

The only similiarities I see are they both short speedy wingers with a knack for the net. Caufield plays a more kamikaze style, while Debrincat is more cerebral.

Debrincat is more cerebral in a sense that he has much better puck skills, he can make something out of nothing. You’ll see him passing the puck around, and he will pick his shots with deadly accuracy.

Caufield has a deadly array of shots in his arsenal. I’m talking wristers, slappers, one timers, etc... and they’re powerful and he gets them off quick. His play style is more kamikaze in a sense he plays very north-south. It’s not a knock on Caufield at all, as potentially he could become a top 5 player in his draft IF he reaches his potential... but as was said, he’s VERY boom or bust.

The one area he’s similiar to Debrincat is that in 5 years people might go wtf, why didn’t he go higher. He’s got one of the highest ceilings in this draft, but also one of the lowest floors. If I was top 5, I’d be hesitant to select him... but from #5 and downward, the reward is potentially huge.

 

[AmericanDream]

Debrincat IMO has much better puck skills, and is a better playmaker.

The only similiarities I see are they both short speed wingers with a knack for the net. Caufield plays a more kamikaze style, while Debrincat is more cerebral.

Debrincat is more cerebral in a sense that he has much better puck skills, he can make something out of nothing. You’ll see him passing the puck around, and he will pick his shots with deadly accuracy.

Caufield has a deadly array of shots in his arsenal. I’m talking wristers, slappers, one timers, etc... and they’re powerful and he gets them off quick. His play style is more kamikaze in a sense he plays very north-south. It’s not a knock on Caufield at all, as potentially he could become a top 5 player in his draft IF he reaches his potential... but as was said, he’s VERY boom or bust.

The one area he’s similiar to Debrincat is that in 5 years people might go wtf, why didn’t he go higher. He’s got one of the highest ceilings in this draft, but also one of the lowest floors.

I respect your opinion and the time you took to write the response. Everyone sees players differently, and I do agree with some of this.

I will say this - they aren't 100% identical, but they have a lot of similarities to me.

Both players are not elite skaters, they do their damage from the dots in. DeBrincat drives to the net, he plays a reckless style - you call him cerebral, he really isn't that either. In fact, I think it is the other way around where DeBrincat is more in your face/reckless than Caufield...but Caufield playing for the USNDP and against the competition he does is a bit more reserved than Cat was in the OHL to now. I think DeBrincat's playmaking is underrated but I also think Caufield is underrated as well as a playmaker. But both players have elite NHL shots in accuracy and strength. DeBrincat fires the puck from everywhere, the array of shots he unleashes per game is impressive. His one-timers are a thing of beauty - same as Caufield.

I think both players do play similar styles on the ice as when you are as small as they are, this is typically what is needed to succeed at higher levels. Neither are afraid to crash the net and neither are afraid to shoot the puck from anywhere. I think we will see more of this from Caufield throughout college and to the pro game as well. If there is one comp in the NHL right now for Caufield, it is DeBrincat. My 2 cents.

 

[Russian_fanatic]

I respect your opinion and the time you took to write the response. Everyone sees players differently, and I do agree with some of this.

I will say this - they aren't 100% identical, but they have a lot of similarities to me.

Both players are not elite skaters, they do their damage from the dots in. DeBrincat drives to the net, he plays a reckless style - you call him cerebral, he really isn't that either. In fact, I think it is the other way around where DeBrincat is more in your face/reckless than Caufield...but Caufield playing for the USNDP and against the competition he does is a bit more reserved than Cat was in the OHL to now. I think DeBrincat's playmaking is underrated but I also think Caufield is underrated as well as a playmaker. But both players have elite NHL shots in accuracy and strength. DeBrincat fires the puck from everywhere, the array of shots he unleashes per game is impressive. His one-timers are a thing of beauty - same as Caufield.

I think both players do play similar styles on the ice as when you are as small as they are, this is typically what is needed to succeed at higher levels. Neither are afraid to crash the net and neither are afraid to shoot the puck from anywhere. I think we will see more of this from Caufield throughout college and to the pro game as well. If there is one comp in the NHL right now for Caufield, it is DeBrincat. My 2 cents.

Don’t get me wrong. I love Caufield, I’d be escatic if my Canucks took Caufield. But he’s VERY boom or bust. For every Debrincat there’s 5 Jordan Schroeder’s... remember the guy who was the all time leading scorer for the American WJ team?

If Caufield hits his potential he’s a top 5 player in this draft. But there’s a very real possibility he’s also the next Jordan Schroeder rather than Debrincat. He’s the very definition of high risk/high reward

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Don’t get me wrong. I love Caufield, I’d be escatic if my Canucks took Caufield. But he’s VERY boom or bust. For every Debrincat there’s 5 Jordan Schroeder’s... remember the guy who was the all time leading scorer for the American WJ team?

If Caufield hits his potential he’s a top 5 player in this draft. But there’s a very real possibility he’s also the next Jordan Schroeder rather than Debrincat. He’s the very definition of high risk/high reward

No one's stopping you from not wanting your team to draft a shorter American forward because a different shorter American forward was a bust for your team, but that doesn't mean that Caufield is as boom or bust as you claim or that he isn't similar to Debrincat.

I think Caufield has a very good hockey IQ, at least as good as Debrincat, maybe better. He has a knack for sticking near the net, and finding the puck to get off quick and accurate shots. His shot isn't that hard. He doesn't score anywhere near the number of perimeter goals that Wahlstrom did. He's probably never going to have his assist numbers reach his goal numbers, but I do think he'll pick up a lot of assists from having passable playmaking and playing PP and top six where its a lot easier to accumulate assists without making great plays.

 

[AmericanDream]

No one's stopping you from not wanting your team to draft a shorter American forward because a different shorter American forward was a bust for your team, but that doesn't mean that Caufield is as boom or bust as you claim or that he isn't similar to Debrincat.

I think Caufield has a very good hockey IQ, at least as good as Debrincat, maybe better. He has a knack for sticking near the net, and finding the puck to get off quick and accurate shots. His shot isn't that hard. He doesn't score anywhere near the number of perimeter goals that Wahlstrom did. He's probably never going to have his assist numbers reach his goal numbers, but I do think he'll pick up a lot of assists from having passable playmaking and playing PP and top six where its a lot easier to accumulate assists without making great plays.

DeBrincat was playing really good without Strome for the Hawks, but once Strome came it really helped Cat take his game to another level because now he has a center that will feed him, and Strome goes to the net and opens up more ice for Cat. DeBrincat also looks for Strome a lot as well, their chemistry is evident since their OHL days so they like to feed back and forth. DeBrincat picked up a lot of assists playing pp1 unit as well...Caufield could use the same thing for him to truly take off, a center with skill that will feed him as much as he can as well as getting top power play time where kids like this (quick/powerful release) can really stand out.

 

[Russian_fanatic]

No one's stopping you from not wanting your team to draft a shorter American forward because a different shorter American forward was a bust for your team, but that doesn't mean that Caufield is as boom or bust as you claim or that he isn't similar to Debrincat.

I think Caufield has a very good hockey IQ, at least as good as Debrincat, maybe better. He has a knack for sticking near the net, and finding the puck to get off quick and accurate shots. His shot isn't that hard. He doesn't score anywhere near the number of perimeter goals that Wahlstrom did. He's probably never going to have his assist numbers reach his goal numbers, but I do think he'll pick up a lot of assists from having passable playmaking and playing PP and top six where its a lot easier to accumulate assists without making great plays.

Hmmm? I clearly said I’d be estatic if my Canucks drafted Caufield?

Estatic - The feeling of joy or happiness

Caufield is on my board along with other prospects.

That being said I know he’s a boom/bust player. In my opinion he has one of the highest ceilings in the draft, but also one of the lowest floors. Not sure where you got that I didn’t want my team to draft him from my post?

Just because he isn’t similiar to Debrincat doesn’t mean he isn’t going to be a great player if he lives up to his potential. If he hits his potential I see a future 40 goal scorer, hence why I feel he has a top 5 ceiling in this draft. Simple. High risk/High reward.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Hmmm? I clearly said I’d be estatic if my Canucks drafted Caufield?

Estatic - The feeling of joy or happiness

Caufield is on my board along with other prospects.

That being said I know he’s a boom/bust player. In my opinion he has one of the highest ceilings in the draft, but also one of the lowest floors. Not sure where you got that I didn’t want my team to draft him from my post?

Just because he isn’t similiar to Debrincat doesn’t mean he isn’t going to be a great player if he lives up to his potential. If he hits his potential I see a future 40 goal scorer, hence why I feel he has a top 5 ceiling in this draft. Simple.

I missed that part. The rest of your post didn't read as being a fan of Caufield.

If Caufield hits Debrincat level of production, is DeBrincat level of production top five in most drafts? The goal scoring is elite, but I'm not sure you can justify saying being a 40 goal scorer alone is enough to be one of the best players in a draft, unless its a bad draft. The way I see it, Caufield isn't going to add that much in other parts of the game other than goal scoring. I don't think he'll be bad defensively or be a bad playmaker, but I don't think he'll be much better than league average in those areas.

The first round forwards in this draft who I think are closer to boom/bust are Dach, Zegras, Boldy, Kaliyev, Suzuki, Lavoie. I think there's the chance for more variety to the way they play. I see Caufield as having a higher floor. He'll score a lot of goals in the NHL, but won't do much else. I know its customary to think shorter players must be boom/bust and I'm not saying thats the entirety of your argument, but it does seem like a lot of shorter forwards are considered boom/bust purely based on their height and weight without considering their skill-set.

 

[Dodospice]

I missed that part. The rest of your post didn't read as being a fan of Caufield.

If Caufield hits Debrincat level of production, is DeBrincat level of production top five in most drafts? The goal scoring is elite, but I'm not sure you can justify saying being a 40 goal scorer alone is enough to be one of the best players in a draft, unless its a bad draft. The way I see it, Caufield isn't going to add that much in other parts of the game other than goal scoring. I don't think he'll be bad defensively or be a bad playmaker, but I don't think he'll be much better than league average in those areas.

The first round forwards in this draft who I think are closer to boom/bust are Dach, Zegras, Boldy, Kaliyev, Suzuki, Lavoie. I think there's the chance for more variety to the way they play. I see Caufield as having a higher floor. He'll score a lot of goals in the NHL, but won't do much else. I know its customary to think shorter players must be boom/bust and I'm not saying thats the entirety of your argument, but it does seem like a lot of shorter forwards are considered boom/bust purely based on their height and weight without considering their skill-set.

If you’re a 40 goal scorer (not just a one time thing) in any draft, then you’re a top 5 player. Obviously he needs to follow it up but if he’s a consistent 30-40 goal scorer in the NHL, then yeah you’re most likely a top 5 player from that draft, no questions asked.

 

[Lebowski]

Any good comparable in terms of playstyle?