The only comparable between Benson and Caufield is that they're both smallish bois. And Benson is 5'10 to Caufield's 5'7. Otherwise they play entirely different style of games. Benson is a marner-esque all around two-way play driver.
I don’t know, I’m not entirely sure Caufield is even that much of an exception in today’s NHL outside of being short. He’s still a stocky kid. I’d expect Benson to play in the NHL at around 180 lbs and if you look at the top 20 scorers in the league, it’s littered with players ~170-180 lbs: Panarin, Hughes, Point, Kucherov, Marner, Keller. Hell, even beanpole Pettersson is listed at 176 lbs.
Benson is like the kind of player I wished Wright was. Insane IQ but with a motor and work ethic to match.
Fair enough. He’s my guy at 5.
Not the same kind of player at all. Caufield was more of a boom or bust prospect, because he was view primary as a pure sniper. Benson is a way more complete player. The only issue they share is their skating, which Caufield proved he can improve. I think the Habs need to try hit a homerun and go after the high cellings guys like Michkov and Benson.
You can answer me the anyway you want. If you follow international politics recently (and the difficulties that faced Kaprizov to get out of Russia Last Fall), you should know that it's gonna be a huge gamble to pick Mitchkov, or any other Russian playing over there, next draft. And if you believe this war (or even a bigger one) gonna be over soon, you are delusional.
Who needs Bedard or Michkov we're getting PLD! Yay!
I understand your point of not believing in Benson, but I don't understand why you keep saying "playing the odds"... there are no better odds for the other guys in the top 10. Its more talent or more size/tools. There is no less bust with size that there are without.
This is just baseless speculation, and the Kaprizov situation is not at all comparable
could be wrong but i think i read somewhere that Russia gaved a pass on Michkov to skip military services so he can focus on hes hockey career
I just think this is a generally flawed way to look at the draft. No draft year is the same making such comparison is pointless. If Benson becomes a middle six, it'll be an smart-energy type guy a la Zuccarelo before he became a top line producer. He really is not a guy who will need "sheltering", he's small but he is an all around player. A Zegras type needs much more defensive sheltering than a Benson type.The odds are Benson's ceiling is Jarvis type. Not like style but value... middle 6F who needs sheltering. Jarvis has a very good draft year like Benson in the WHL.
The odds are Benson as a undersized pick from 5-10 is not the next Caufield.
The other guys in that 5-10 mix who have size could end up being a middle 6F too but they don't need sheltering.
Understand the difference? Look at the choices before Caufield:
* Cozens
* Broberg
* Zegras
* Podkolzin
* Soderstrom
* Boldy
* Knight
So, we need to seriously consider if Benson is the next Caufield or not? Odds are he is not. So when you let him slip, are you drafting a Zegras or a Podkolzin. You're trying to tell me we could draft the Podkolzin but I'm saying there are many others in that mix we can hit on and Zegras was one of them.
Who do you like more? Cozens or Jarvis? There is more risks in drafting Benson vs Smith IMO.
