I got a chance to speak with Caufield at the NHL Scouting Combine and this kid has a lot of confidence. When I asked him if he was the best goal scorer in this year’s draft, he said yes. When he was asked who the most competitive player on the Under-18 team, he said, “I’d say me, I hate losing and anybody that skates with me knows that and I get pretty fired up in practices.”
At the Combine, Caufield was interviewed by the Sabres and he said it was memorable, “It was pretty special, I think going into that room is pretty cool and getting to meet the top guys and see what it’s like to be a Sabre is kind of cool and we just talked about what kind of player I am and that got to know me and I thought it went pretty well.”
If it was 2009, most teams would probably not even bother with Caufield. Back then, NHL general managers thought you needed size to win, but things have changed a lot. Caufield is banking on it, “I think size isn’t a factor with the way I play and I think I’m going to be able to have an impact on any team I play for, so I don’t think size is a factor and I don’t think it’s a risk anymore.”
Alex DeBrincat was taken 39th overall by Chicago in the 2016 draft. He didn't go higher because of his size. He was coming off a season with the Erie Otters of 65 goals and 127 points in just 63 games. In two NHL seasons, he has 69 goals and hasn’t missed a game. Caufield said, “Looking at what DeBrincat did for the league and guys like Atkinson and even Gallagher and Marchessault, so I think all those guys having success at the top level, it’s given smaller guys like me hope and the way the game’s changed it’s more speed and skill, so I don’t think size is a big risk anymore and smaller guys like me can have a big impact on whatever team I play for.”
It’s amazing how the best goal scorers seem to be wide open. It’s because they know how to find the holes in the coverage at just the right time. Caufield said he’s no different, “It’s my ability to find spots and get lost. I think if I was taller, I wouldn’t be the player that I am today, so I think it’s an advantage and helps me in a way.”
Just because the winger seems to score goals at will doesn’t mean he’s just sitting around. He knows if he’s to continue on the same path in the NHL, he must keep working at it, “I’m going to working on scoring from anywhere because I believe that I can because to play in the NHL and to score goals you have to be able to score from anywhere.
“I did a lot of wrist curls, I think to get my forearm strength and then I never stop shooting pucks, I think scoring goals is the most fun part about hockey and it never gets old for me.”
One of the biggest negatives for Casey Mittelstadt and Jack Eichel when they were 18 was their game in their own end. Caufield is fully aware that needs to improve in his game and he thinks it’s what has improved the most this season, “My full 200-foot game. I think that’s improved a lot and becoming mature.”
College hockey is the next step for Caufield as he’s committed to play next season at Wisconsin.