What's up with Cole Caufield?

[FrozenKing18]

Careful now, Mr. Caufield might be reading these boards. No bullying his son.

 

[Rude Dog]

He really wasn’t that great last year either for the majority of the games, but he had a knack of scoring in big moments. Especially when there was more ice available in 3v3 OT. He will be fine. Should be in the AHL trying to regain his confidence

 

[OneSniffTwoSniff]

Cole the Calder

 

[Whoot Whoot]

Man i hope Cole, Laf and Hischer don't read these boards

 

[Hostile Offer]

The Habs have absolutely botched Caufield's development by bringing him in way too early. Kid had some early success so he drove through playoffs with high confidence level despite being a net negative player due to being physically weak and atrocious defensively, which is understandable because he's a young player who's used to being one of the best offensive players on ice.

This year he didn't get the same early success so his confidence fell apart and he's even further forcing things that make him such an atrocious defensive player, such as trying to dangle through the entire opposing defense which obviously almost always leads to a turnover. The raw tools are there, Caufield is a really fluid skater with a great set of hands but whatever got his shot working in juniors isn't working in the NHL and that's clearly frustrating the hell out of him. He BADLY needs to be in the AHL to develop his game but he's a flashy young player on a team that has been lacking on flashy players for quite some time so here we are.

 

[I3LI3]

Jordan Schroeder v 2.

a CBJ legend

 

[Arthur Morgan]

his size imo. he needs to learn how to play around it. people seen what he can do in the playoffs and possibly figured him out
kids amazing but his size will make things alot harder on him. he needs better linemates to get him the puck so he can get some shots off and get his confidence up or something I dunno

 

[Holymakinaw]

Calder shoe in remember?

And sure-fire 50 goal scorer for this season!

Only 49 more to go!

 

[Peasy]

Or stop projecting 40 goal seasons after a small rookie sample size.

The funny thing is he only had 4 goals in 20 playoff games...

Am I taking crazy pills when I say that he wasn't crazy good in the playoffs lol? Like yeah he performed decent for a rookie, but man the way people talked about him during that playoff run its like he was the first rookie ever to produce decently in the playoffs. It's like it was never done before.

 

[sr edler]

I don't understand how a player who was a key cog on a finalist right off the bat wasn't 'NHL ready'.

Not sure if he was actually a "key cog" on that team more than just a tongue of the wave type of player, he actually had less goals that run than both Kotkaniemi and Armia. A key cog on that team was Philip Danault. Did he (Caufield) drive much play or did he just finish some plays on a line clicking?

 

[Auston Marlander]

A literal example of why people NEED to stop hyping prospects.

I have a few habs fan friends and more than once I was told he would have been closer to first over all if he was a center and that he will be one of, if not the best goal scorer right away.

I understand wanting your prospect to do great, but that line of thinking only sets you up for disappointment

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

Or stop projecting 40 goal seasons after a small rookie sample size.

I never even did that. I'm sceptical on most rookies this day and age. For example, I was very very high on Cody Hodgson but he just never panned out the way some would expect. But for years people hype prospects on here, mostly Leaf fans and it's all because they want them to succeed. Rob Schremp is another example of one people thought would succeed, but his biggest problem was as talented as he was he never could play comfortably at the NHL level.

As a Jets fan, I am not super high on Perfetti. He needs to prove me he can play at the NHL level. Comparing them isn't wrong, but hyping them for me is. But it's mostly what Leaf and Habs fans are known for.

Now, I'm not ruling out Caufield, but I give prospects 5-8 years before I make a final judgment with a small chance to prove me wrong.

 

[Sasha Orlov]

Getting played on the 4th line with Pezzetta and Pacquette is undoubtedly a great way to develop a 5’2 goal scoring rookie

 

[CDJ]

If you’re that small you can’t play your size and have success

have to be tenacious/intense and you don’t see a lot of that out of Caufield

That’s in addition to the Habs doing a nice job botching the development

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

I have a few habs fan friends and more than once I was told he would have been closer to first over all if he was a center and that he will be one of, if not the best goal scorer right away.

I understand wanting your prospect to do great, but that line of thinking only sets you up for disappointment

Caufield was also hyped up by other fanbases and the NHL it was not just habs fans for once lol. I remember NHL.com posted a Calder trophy mockup before the season with Caufield putting up 60-70 points also any habs fan saying stuff like 40 goals should give their head a shake like for god sake we haven't developed a decent winger since Max Pacioretty or had a ppg player in 20 years and people expected Caufield to become a first liner stud I mean expectations were ridiculous

 

[Habs10025]

Cole Caufield might never be an elite winger then again he might reach expectations that many had for him and become elite if he doesn't it doesn't mean he won't be a good winger that produces at a high level .
He also might just be a player that's considered average in he's career.
It's to early to know what he'll be as a player in the NHL.

 

[beowulf]

What's up with him is that he couldn't even win puck battles against players younger than him at the WJC and is now playing in a league he doesn't belong in.

Not only is he one dimensional, but his shooting prowess were exaggerated. This guy should be in the AHL right now. With luck and a lot of work, he will become a bubble NHL top 6 winger that can help on the power play.

Ya while I agree that more time in the AHL would be nice, I don't agree with the rest. He still very much can be a very solid top 6 winger. Funny how he looked generally ok last season including the playoffs, stuff happens he has missed a ton of time with COVID stuff etc. Getting him games on the top line in the AHL would be great.

 

[Stephen23]

I'll be honest, I didn't see the hype when he came into the league. It was clear to me he was essentially a non-threat 5-on-5 as he largely stayed to the (far) outside and relied on shots from too far. He is/was clearly most dangerous on the powerplay and in OT when the ice opens up. With saying that, People need to allow the kid some time to figure it out. He WILL figure it out and learn how to play in the NHL against not only men, but against the best players and defenders in the world. He will always have his elite shot, and will figure out how to get around some of the players and position himself in better spots for success. This is the learning process of any younger player, but a player at his size would probably take longer to figure it out. I have no doubt he will be an impactful player for the Canadiens, maybe not as elite as he was hyped last year, but he could. People just need to simmer their immediate expectations on the kid and allow him time to figure it out.

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

The funny thing is he only had 4 goals in 20 playoff games...

Am I taking crazy pills when I say that he wasn't crazy good in the playoffs lol? Like yeah he performed decent for a rookie, but man the way people talked about him during that playoff run its like he was the first rookie ever to produce decently in the playoffs. It's like it was never done before.

Not trying to beat a dead horse but read lots of comparisons to Matthews and remember thinking "OK what you guys think is great scoring is what the other guy did in his very first game in the NHL".

 

[Auston Marlander]

Caufield was also hyped up by other fanbases and the NHL it was not just habs fans for once lol. I remember NHL.com posted a Calder trophy mockup before the season with Caufield putting up 60-70 points also any habs fan saying stuff like 40 goals should give their head a shake like for god sake we haven't developed a decent winger since Max Pacioretty or had a ppg player in 20 years and people expected Caufield to become a first liner stud I mean expectations were ridiculous

Oh absolutely, some of the media hype was stomach churning. He might turn into a solid top 6 player with some time, but I'd imagine everything would need to go right for that to happen. A more goal focused Tyler Ennis is my guess.

 

[ursavolta]

Florida had taken a similar player in Rocco Grimaldi a few drafts back. I was very hyped for the guy but he really didn't amount to much. He looked decent in a Predator's jersey for a bit but now he's playing the AHL (good stats as well).

With diminutive players like Caufield and Grimaldi they have to work even harder to match up with bigger players and use their skillset that helps balance out their input for their line/team. So teams should help them in everyway learn how to play in today's nhl. I'm not a Canadiens fan, quite the opposite, but from what team makeup the Canadiens are icing.. that is an AHL quality team facing against NHLers.

That doesn't help Caufield one bit.

 

[Fatass]

Cole Caufield might never be an elite winger then again he might reach expectations that many had for him and become elite if he doesn't it doesn't mean he won't be a good winger that produces at a high level .
He also might just be a player that's considered average in he's career.
It's to early to know what he'll be as a player in the NHL.

Can CC be just “average” and be n the NHL? What can he contribute as an “average” player?

 

[Perfect_Drug]

There's really only 2 paths for a 5'7" player to become NHL elite.

Insane offensive skills like Kane / Gaudreau
Or you can be built like a tank and hit like a truck. Martin St.Louis /Brian Gionta.

Brad Marchand is sort of a mix of both (more dirty than physical, but it's enough to allot him enough space).


I sort of see Caufield in the same stratosphere as Desharnais or Gerbe. Just a decent player.
If he was ever given the right situation with the right linemates, he can put up alright numbers, but will always be just "ok". Hard to win around guys like that.

 

[Confucius]

This only happen when you Play on the worst Line Up a non expension team had in the past 30 years

I wouldn't leave out the expansion teams... LOL

 

[heisenbergsitti]

That's why wilf didn't rush boldy, aren't rushing Calen addison, Marco Rossi, Adam Beckman, etc...