When we talk about being hard to play against, Cates is exactly that type of player. He's great along the boards, he thinks the game well, he is always well positioned and is skilled enough to put some points on the scoresheet.
Of course, Cates will never be a top-6 player, but he has already shown that on a 3rd or 4th line, he's going to give you a battle every night. It would be surprising to see him out of the lineup in the first game of the season next year - if he continues like this.