GDT: Quarter Final | USA Vs Slovakia | 1/2 @ 10:30 PM | TSN/NHLN

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I don't really care that he's a Habs player. I have no meaningful feelings about the Habs or their fans one way or the other. And I don't really care that he's a small forward either as the game has been changing to make them more viable. I know that only touches on my own feelings, but from an individual perspective I find it noticeable that this guy well hailed for his goal scoring talent hasn't looked like much of a threat for the Americans. And beyond that I find all the excuse making to be annoying. It's never that Caufield needs to get into a better position to score or pick his shots better. It always seems to circle back to the fact that he's an elite goal scorer and he needs to be with Zegras to utilize that. I mean maybe that's true in a bubble, but if he's such a premier goal scorer, why does he need the team's best playmaker to feed him pucks in order to score? If that's the case, is he really that elite? It's just the breaks that he's been put into a secondary scoring role and until he had the time and space of a 5 on 3 off a Zegras feed, he hasn't been able to provide it yet.

Hearing about how the coach is wrong for not giving Caufield what he's supposedly entitled to has gotten old. He's had ample opportunity to earn that top line spot and until last night he's done little to do so.

I'm talking about the majority of the criticism and the criticism that is ridiculous. If someone wants to say he's not firing like he should in this tournament, I don't think anyone disagrees. That type of discussion happens for nearly all prospects that are struggling in this tournament. However, there's been excessive piling on and all sorts of crazy overreaction type statements. That is mostly because he's a Hab.

As to your question about needing to play with a playmaker, who said Caufield projects as an elite goal-scorer? Is anyone expecting him to contend for the Rocket within five years or ever? He was drafted 16th. He projects as a goal-scoring top six winger. His value will come almost entirely based on how many goals he scores. And how many top six goal-scorers don't need to play with a very good playmaker to get their goals? The ones that don't like Ovechkin, Matthews, Laine, Pastrnak are the elite goal-scorers within the league. I don't think anyone's expecting that of Caufield. I don't know who ever suggested thats the expectation.

 

[HyPnOtiK]

I'm hearing a lot of back and forth regarding Caufield and honestly, I never really understood the complaining for Leafs and Habs fans on this forum about "anti" this or that until now... I truly feel if Caufield was a prospect for the Islanders or wild or just about any other lower market team he wouldn't be getting the hate he's getting. He's been one of the best skaters on the team all tournament I've you've watched the games. He's dangerous every single shift.

 

[Hinterland]

The best goalie in the tournament wasn’t drafted when there are two top 15 picks playing? Highly unlikely. He played really well, but that’s a huge stretch to call him the best in arguably the best crop of goaltenders we’ve seen at this tournament in a long time.

Draft position is completely irrelevant at this stage. Spencer Knight is a 13th overall but is inconsistent as f***. Putting him in goal is playing with fire. Also, goalies are wild cards anyway.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Draft position is completely irrelevant at this stage. Spencer Knight is a 13th overall but is inconsistent as f***. Putting him in goal is playing with fire. Also, goalies are wild cards anyway.

I'm not sure what you are watching. Knight is very inconsistent with a record shutout streak and incredible consistency in his club form but Latkoczy who sucked last year in the USHL is consistent? I guess anyone can have an opinion, but I think this one by you is way off.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Draft position is completely irrelevant at this stage. Spencer Knight is a 13th overall but is inconsistent as f***. Putting him in goal is playing with fire. Also, goalies are wild cards anyway.

Huh?

 

[Dread Clawz]

Mishandling two pucks in one game = being an inconsistent goalie. Never change HF.