The Canadiens were not supposed to draft Cole Caufield in 2019
The draft is a very imprecise science. Often the Montreal Canadiens have been played for tricks with high selections over the years, now the pendulum has swung back hard in 2019.
Before the draft began, no one could have predicted what would happen with one player in particular from this draft: the American program's little maverick, Cole Caufield.
Listed by NHL Central Scouting at No. 8 in their final rankings and seen as a top-five prospect by some expert lists, the Canadiens was fortunate to have him fall to them at No. 15.
Former Habs general manager Marc Bergevin even revealed after his selection that Caufield's agent, Pat Brisson, advised him against taking his client to dinner before the draft, as he didn't think he would be available at that rank.
That's how impossible it seemed for the young man to slip out of the top 10, let alone into the 15th spot held by the CH.
In fact, in the eyes of his former head coach in the U.S. program, his small stature was the only reason he slipped down to the Habs' spot, as he had broken records wherever he played.
Currently, the CH star is fourth in scoring in his 2019 draft and second in goals scored. Plus, he did all that with dozens fewer games played than most players drafted at the same time as him.
You have to admit this: a natural goal scorer like him who ogles the big opportunities to lift the crowd of 21,105, the 5-foot-7 right winger is arguably the best draft pick of the Bergevin-Timmins era.
| POLL | ||
Do you think Cole Caufield is the next 50 goal scorer in Habs history? | ||
| Yes | 358 | 92 % |
| No | 31 | 8 % |
| List of polls | ||
