According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, college UFA Drake Caggiula could make a decision on his NHL future as early as Friday.
“We’re expecting, likely, a decision from Drake Caggiula tomorrow, the North Dakota free agent, about his NHL future,” Friedman said. “He visited I think about eight or nine teams.”
Caggiula was never drafted into the NHL, but starred this year with NCAA champion North Dakota. In 39 games, he scored 51 points, which was second on the team to Vancouver Canucks 2015 first round pick, Brock Boeser.
The 21-year-old Caggiula — who stands 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds — has reportedly met with a bunch of NHL teams, but it’s not clear in which direction he’s leaning.
It is worth noting a connection with two teams, though. As mentioned, Caggiula’s teammate at North Dakota, Boeser, was a first round pick of the Canucks one year ago. And Philadelphia Flyers head coach Dave Hakstol coached Caggiula in his first three seasons at North Dakota.
As Friedman noted in a 30 Thoughts column from March, some teams were hoping North Dakota would be eliminated early so they could entice Caggiula by signing him and then getting him into one or two NHL games, thus burning a year off his contract. Since North Dakota kept playing past the end of the NHL’s regular season, Friedman noted teams such as the Chicago Blackhawks could get back into the race.
