New Jersey Devils Q&A: Jan. 12, 2022

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I haven’t done a Q&A post in quite some time. With the New Jersey Devils in a bit of a pause due to a COVID-19 outbreak, I figured now was the perfect time to do one.

Let’s dive right in.

Q: You recently said that you would absolutely not trade Alexander Holtz for Cole Caulfield, can you elaborate on why you believe Holtz has more value?

Cole Caufield is a 21-year-old with 36 regular season games under his belt. He has five goals in those games and has been wildly inefficient offensively, producing just 1.13 points per 60 minutes of 5v5 play. His closest comparables are, uh, not great.

Caufield’s on-ice metrics also leave a lot to be desired. It’s not like they suggest a breakout is coming or he’s providing value beyond what you see in boxscores.

Put simply, a lot of the things we nitpick with Holtz – play driving, off-puck play, etc. – are issues with Caufield as well. The difference is Holtz is more than a year younger and has more runway to develop.

I’m not saying Caufield is a finished product by any means. I’m sure he’ll get much better and turn into a very useful player. But I think the same of Holtz; and he has more time to get things right.

I also believe Holtz has even more zip on his shot than Caufield and I want that shot to remain in the organization.