Detroit Red Wings: What Fans Need To Know For the 2019 NHL Draft

Alex Turcotte has proved himself to be a solid choice from the USNTDP squad, but Cole Caufield has proved himself to be just as lethal, a smaller frame but still plenty of appealing qualities. Look to Yzerman for the actual evaluation of this kid, whether he should be considered at sixth overall rests in his hands.

Cole Caufield is a small five-foot-seven forward who is a capable center or winger. The right-handed shot excels offensively even for his small size. Through sixty-four games with the US National Team Development Program (USNTDP), he scored seventy-two goals and had twenty-eight assists for one hundred points.

Caufield solidified himself as a top prospect during the IIHF World Championships where he appeared in seven games. During his seven games with Team USA,  Caufield managed fourteen goals and four assists for eighteen total points at Worlds.

The standout quality of Caufield is his ability to jump into the offensive zone, find lanes, use his skating ability to create open ice, and score goals. Riding off of his ability to create scoring chances, his shooting ability is pinpoint accurate and allows him to pick corners and score goals. Being small will enable him to keep reasonable puck control, maintaining excellent puckhandling skills, which again adds to his ability to score goals.

Caufield could be a top prospect and even considered as a sixth overall pick if Yzerman sees fit. He could jump into this organization and possibly become a scoring threat after some development with the Griffins. The key to success with Caufield is going to be developing strength so that he can be effective, even with a small build.