Prospect Update: Judd Caulfield

By Thomas Harrington

The Anaheim Ducks acquired forward Judd Caulfield from the Pittsburgh Penguins for defenseman Thimo Nickl. Pittsburgh originally drafted him in the fifth round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, 145th overall.

After getting five AHL games at the end of the 2022-2023 season, this past season was Caulfield’s first professional season. He spent the entire year with the Gulls and scored 10 goals and 26 points in 61 games. He was primarily used on San Diego’s third line, but saw a decent amount of time on the second line and even some top line time. He scored his first career AHL goal in his second game of the season, and recorded a career high two points in five different games. Among San Diego rookies, he finished fourth in scoring and tied for fourth in goals.

I only had one expectation for Caulfield last summer, for his game to improve as the year went on. There’s not a lot expected out of fifth round picks, and it’s not uncommon for college players to struggle in their first professional season. With that in mind, I didn’t expect a ton from Caulfield, I just wanted him to work hard and improve his play on the ice, which I believe he did. At the end of the 2022-2023 season, he didn’t do much in his five games, but in his 60+ games this past season, he was noticeable throughout.

Caulfield should be back with the Gulls this coming season. Given his size at 6’3”, there’s an outside chance the Ducks could give him a shot, but I think it’s unlikely. There are still a number of things he needs to work on going forward. If he can have a breakout campaign this year, maybe he’ll have a shot to make his NHL debut in the 2025-2026 season. He’s never going to be an elite producer at the AHL or NHL levels, but he’s a smart player who could someday work in a third or fourth line role.

Similar to last summer, I have only one expectation for Caulfield this season. He had a solid rookie year and was better than I expected him to be. This year, I want him to build off of that rookie season and have an even better year. I don’t need him to suddenly become a 30 goal scorer or produce 70 points. But something in the neighborhood of 15 to 20 goals, as well as 30+ points, would be fantastic for him.

Caulfield has one year left on his entry-level deal. If he can have a solid second season with the Gulls, he’ll likely be extended a year from now. If he can force his way into Anaheim and make his NHL debut, he’ll definitely be extended. However, if his game takes a step back and he struggles this year, the Ducks will probably choose to not qualify him and let him go as a free agent.

The next prospect update will be on Jaxsen Wiebe.

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July 28th, 2024