How much higher should have Suzuki and Caufield been drafted?

[Aurinko]

There were people who doubted the way Suzuki's talent would translate into NHL. Answer is awesome.

If you watched some of his recent interviews it is clear that the boy is ultra smart, and if he chooses so, he could still be far from his limits.

 

[Perfect_Drug]

Nick Suzuki is David's nephew.


You could say his draft position was... the Nature of Things.

 

[Montreal Shadow]

Premature thread. MacKinnon looked like a pretty middling player after two seasons. Look at him now. We’ll know this answer in about 4 seasons.

 

[JustAHabFan]

Premature thread. MacKinnon looked like a pretty middling player after two seasons. Look at him now. We’ll know this answer in about 4 seasons.

Now with Caufield on his wing, sky would be the limit. They may be a young Bergeron/Pasternak duo.

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

Suzuki was a top ten pick, so I don't think it's out of line where he was selected. Cole was widely regarded going into his draft as a top 5 talent, and he and Kaliyev had the best shots, but his lack of size meant he fell to 15. Hard to say where he goes if Montreal didn't take him.

Edit: oops. Thought Nick went top ten. Fair to say that Pettersson, Makar, Suzuki and Necas are the best out of the top 15 so far.

You are for sure missing someone

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

It’s just awfully funny how most people had Caufield dropping in Draft ranking at this point last year, and now he is certain top 5, just tells you how much can and will change...

If someone like Boldy starts out on fire next season and Caufield or Seider struggle even a bit at start of the next season Boldy will be talked about in the same way as Caufield and Seider are now, and Seider and Caufield will drop in hfboards rankings.

Seider is an absolute unit

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

I find a vast majority of these redraft threads are irrelevant. Still taken at that spot and they always will be. We don't know behind the scenes, but the only cool thing I will say were the other options if one player was taken at a certain pick.

I say wait till the careers are over and rank which players came out best of that draft.

 

[Oneiro]

I love recency bias.

I bet you all called Bergeron as a top 3 player in 2003 as well...

 

[Toews2Bickell]

Caufield will have the same impact as a Patrick Kane have with the hawks for the habs so I don't see why he couldn't be first now. Kid is playing playoff hockey right now and other kids are playing golf IMO

watching him during the playoffs and thats exactly who i thought of given ability to produce in big games right out of college...he has that confidence and 'it' factor to him

 

[Karl Prime]

I love recency bias.

I bet you all called Bergeron as a top 3 player in 2003 as well...

Bergeron has been a top 3 player in his draft.

 

[Toews2Bickell]

I'd take Heiskanen over anyone in that draft.

I'd take Caufield over any of the players you listed from that draft. I won't say for sure that he will be the best player from the draft because it's early, and someone could come out of nowhere. But, it's looking like he'll be better than Hughes and the others you listed, which sucks for the Devils lol.

How is Dach's floor a top-6 center when he is currently below that? He's honestly nowhere near being a top-6 center right now, and he really doesn't look that impressive outside of a handful of games in last year's playoffs.

love what Dach could be but the impact Caufield is having on the game right now with not even a month of playing time before playoffs started is better than what Kirby has done so far at nhl level imo...He gets a little bit of a pass because Hawks terribly mismanaged him last year by sending him to WJC then rushing him back 2 months early after wrist surgery...Caufield is the real deal though, understand why he didn't go top 5 because it was entirely centers/defense and Kakko who had that great WC but after that it's puzzling why he ever made it to 15

 

[Garbageyuk]

I love recency bias.

I bet you all called Bergeron as a top 3 player in 2003 as well...

To be fair, it was evident pretty early on after that draft that Bergeron should have went a lot higher. Anyone remember the reasoning as to why he went where he did? I know it happens that sometimes players just fly under the radar and then their development curve shoots upwards out of seemingly nowhere, but I'm just wondering what the case was with Bergeron...

 

[Djp]

Seems like a pretty hasty reaction, let's wait until they and their fellow picks have played more than a season or two

typical HF crap of inflating players value based on a subset of games

 

[evolutionbaby]

I thought Philly was a perfect spot for Caufield. I thought putting a young sniper with Giroux was a no brainer.

 

[PlayersLtd]

Suzuki firmly #4 in a redraft

1. Makar/Pettersson
3. Heiskanen
4. Suzuki

2019 is harder to say, give it two more years and it's as clear as 2017

Right now you have

Hughes
Dach
Caufield
Zegras
Knight
Seider

I probably go with Dach just because his floor is already a top 6 center. Then you have Zegras Hughes center potential and Knight as the best G prospect since Vasilevskiy.

There is no winger I take above Caufield and only Pettersson as a fwd I take above Suzuki

Your list looks like it has nothing to do with potential but simply the players that have thus far performed better, or simply have more experience, in the NHL. Is it? It is literally in descending order based on games played.

Obviously potential has to play in when you're talking about a still very young draft class. As much as I've come around on Caufield, he's at the bottom of that list for me, by quite a bit.

Dach
Hughes
Seider
Zegras
Caufield

Knight left out, complicates it too much putting a goalie in the mix.


edit- I think I missed your point so never mind.

 

[JustAHabFan]

I thought Philly was a perfect spot for Caufield. I thought putting a young sniper with Giroux was a no brainer.

No man, I saw some article claiming Cam York would be better than Caufield. I was so happy the Flyers chose Cam York and left Caufield to us.

 

[TheNumber4]

Cauffield is a complete stud and a star in the making. Fast, skilled, elite shot.

Suzuki… I’m not sold on yet. He’s a smart and nifty player… and that should make him a good player but I don’t see star potential there. Just doesn’t have the boots or skills to be up there.

 

[Ainec]

Suzuki young Bergeron
Caufield old MSL

 

[Junohockeyfan]

Cauffield is a complete stud and a star in the making. Fast, skilled, elite shot.

Suzuki… I’m not sold on yet. He’s a smart and nifty player… and that should make him a good player but I don’t see star potential there. Just doesn’t have the boots or skills to be up there.

You don't think Suzuki has the skills to be up there? His game is built on skill and hockey IQ.

 

[TheNumber4]

You don't think Suzuki has the skills to be up there? His game is built on skill and hockey IQ.

Skill I don’t see it. Hockey IQ is high though. But he’s still very new to the League, I think the lack of some areas of the game is going to catch up with him as the League learns and starts targeting to shut him down. IQ does have a way of beating that tho, so who knows. I just don’t see it now, and I’ve watched his impressive performance isn’t he playoffs this year.

 

[A Plus]

Caufield is interesting. There was a lot of talk that he might be a product of Jack Hughes.

Maybe it was the other way around. It's going to be interesting watching that play out.

I dont think either is a product of another; though Caufield breaking goal scoring titles was likely due to Jacks playmaking, as Jack was breaking records solo prior

But as for the thread, Jack Hughes is currently a better player and is younger as well. Jack affects the entire ice far more than Caufield will, but Cole will score goals in bunches while Jack is racking assists

I dont have Caufield as a 100+pt player but Jack I do; Cole will score 40+ though me thinks

 

[TT1]

Caufield is a goal scoring version of Kane..

 

[Sanchise90]

No one thinks this is a bit early at all? I mean we were all crowning Jordan Binnington after one season and yet after a larger sample size, we realize he is an average goalie. I'm not saying Nick Suzuki won't be good, but he hasn't even eclipsed 0.75 PPG yet for an entire season. I mean look no further than the Habs opponents. William Karlsson his first year with Vegas had a 40 goal year and 15 pts in 20 playoff games. Everyone was saying Vegas found their #1 centre and franchise guy. Since then, he hasn't eclipsed 0.75 PPG in any subsequent season...

Yes, Nick Suzuki's had a really good playoff run so far, but guys have had insane 15-20 game runs before. Can we hold off on the anointing oil just a bit with these guys?...

 

[The Merchant]

I was pushing hard for the Avs to take Caufield with the #4 pick before the draft. It may have been a bit of a hot take back then and I love Byram, but it's not unreasonable to say he would've been worth taking in that spot at this point. Maybe even higher

 

[Hansem1979]

I've seen them play. Necas is still raw but Robertson plays like a vet.

I just think there's a slim to zero chance that both players are capable of putting up the consistent playoff contributions on both ends of the ice as Suzuki. Also what makes it easier is Suzuki is a center. Much more valuable. Necas still plays wing

Robertson that much ahead of Suzuki ? I mean most Leafs fans are telling us that he would be the best players in à Canadiens jersey but after only 6 games with them I just don’t see it …