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Montreal Canadiens add serious goal-scoring in Cole Caufield

By Omar L

ST. PAUL, MN - SEPTEMBER 19: Team Leopold forward Cole Caufield (14) skates to the bench during the USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game between Team Leopold and Team Langenbrunner on September 19, 2018 at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, MN. Team Leopold defeated Team Langenbrunner 6-4.(Photo by Nick Wosika/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
ST. PAUL, MN - SEPTEMBER 19: Team Leopold forward Cole Caufield (14) skates to the bench during the USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game between Team Leopold and Team Langenbrunner on September 19, 2018 at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, MN. Team Leopold defeated Team Langenbrunner 6-4.(Photo by Nick Wosika/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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The Montreal Canadiens were the fifteenth team up at the 2019 NHL Draft choosing to select from the Cole Caufield from the US National Development Program.

It’s finally the day we’ve been waiting for. The Montreal Canadiens were close but not close enough falling just outside of a playoff spot and weren’t able to find an extreme amount of luck at the Draft Lottery. But given the supposed depth of this year’s event, the Habs were guaranteed to find a good player, and it appears they did in selecting Cole Caufield fifteenth overall.

The entire first round so far was crazy as teams took players higher than they were expected to go. Caufield was all over the place on several scouts’ draft boards and the reality of him being taken with the Habs pick grew stronger and stronger as more teams continued to pass on him.

It continued on until pick number 14 when the Philadelphia Flyers selected Cam York and when it was Montreal’s time, Marc Bergevin made no mistake. Captain Shea Weber was the person to make the pick and the Montreal Canadiens added Cole Caufield to the organization.

Caufield checks off so many boxes in what the Habs need. He scores goals, and he’s a player on the ice who can do nothing else but that. He set records with the USNDP this year putting up 72 goals and 28 assists for 100 points in 64 games. With a player of his skill set, it was crazy to see him fall so much.

Many would say it was because of his size standing at 5’7″, but his defensive game was another thing scouts mentioned in their reports. But defence can be learned and developed, especially with an organization that has Claude Julien as it’s coach. The raw goal-scoring flare is something you’re born with, and Caufield has it.

Caufield links his game to Alex Debrincat who the Habs had an opportunity to select before making the Andrew Shaw trade. Debrincat has been incredible for the Chicago Blackhawks despite his size and the hope is Caufield can have the same impact.

Next. Bergevin Stirring the Pot at the NHL Draft. dark

The Montreal Canadiens did a great thing taking Caufield and it was incredible to see him fall so far. If the first round went so well, it’ll be interesting to see how the rest of the draft goes.

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