Flyers fans clamored for a diminutive scoring machine named Cole Caufield when the 2019 NHL draft was held in Vancouver.
Instead, general manager Chuck Fletcher made a pair of deals and got two players early in that draft, including a smallish right winger who is regarded as Cole Caufield Lite.
One year later, how do those draft moves look?
Fairly good.
Oh, Caufield, a 5-foot-7, 165-pound right winger, was sensational, as expected, as a University of Wisconsin freshman this season. He was the Big Ten's most prolific scorer (19 goals in 36 overall games ) and was a first-team all-league selection.
Caufield will return to college for his sophomore year, as will the two players the Flyers chose in the first two rounds in 2019 _ defenseman Cam York and right winger Bobby Orr Brink.
Like Caufield, they had terrific freshman collegiate seasons.
"Both had very positive years," assistant Flyers general manager Brent Flahr, who heads the team's draft, said the other day. "Both were impactful players as freshmen. They were both young guys coming into college hockey, and, with the exception of a couple minor injuries to both guys, they played very well."
Playing another year in college will be a benefit for both of them, Flahr said. "They're both in good programs, and hopefully they can benefit and be part of the World Juniors again next year. Hopefully, there is (a tournament). I think they'll have big years and they're both getting physically stronger; it just takes time."
