VANCOUVER-- Big-bodied forward Judd Caulfield became the 13th Grand Forks native to be drafted to the NHL when the Pittsburgh Penguins selected him in the fifth round of the draft.
 
"I'm super excited, I can't really describe it. It's a dream come true," Caulfield mentioned. "I didn't have any indication Pittsburgh wanted me, but I'm glad to be going to that organization."
 
Standing at 6-foot-3, and weighing 207 pounds, Caulfield had a solid season with the U.S. National Development Team, putting up 25 goals in 28 games with the USHL squad, while contributing 38 points in the rest of the development team schedule. A raw talent player, Caulfield knows he has a lot of build on outside of his big frame.
 
"I'm a big guy, so I like to use my body to my advantage. I work on pucks down low and work in the d-zone well," said Caulfield. "I think I need to work on my stick skills more-- stick-handling, shooting, things like that, but I feel my defense is pretty strong."
 
There is no rush for Caulfield to get to the Penguins organization, as he is focused on getting better in the areas he needs, as well as seeing what the Penguins will need out of him going forward. However, for a local player like Caulfield, he's in no hurry to leave his hometown just yet.
 
"It's every kids dream in Grand Forks to play for North Dakota," mentioned Caulfield. We used to have season tickets to watch them play. Hopefully there's not too much pressure. We have a great team, so I hope we can get a lot of wins there."