Hendrix Lapierre – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – WASHINGTON CAPITALS – Team Preview/Player Profiles/Predictions

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 19:24:01 +0000

NEWARK, NJ - NOVEMBER 30: Washington Capitals defenseman Jakob Chychrun (6) scores a goal during a NHL game between the Washington Capitals and New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center on November 30, 2024 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Andrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire)

After barely sneaking into the postseason in 2023-2024, the Capitals orchestrated a magnificent improvement, finishing with 111 points (51-22-9), the best record in the Eastern Conference, all while engaged in Alex Ovechkin’s chase to surpass Wayne Gretzky for the all-time goals record. Washington cruised past the Montreal Canadiens in five games in the first round, only to be dismissed by the Carolina Hurricanes in five games in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Capitals were a little above average in terms of puck possession, ranking 12th in both score-and-venue adjusted Corsi percentage (51.0) and expected goals percentage (51.4). The Capitals power play was slightly above average, ranking 14th with 7.95 goals scored per 60 minutes of five-on-four play. On the penalty kill, the Capitals ranked seventh with 6.05 goals against per 60 minutes of four-on-five play.

What’s Changed?

The Capitals have done an excellent job of keeping their core together following such a strong season. They lost wingers Andrew Mangiapane and Taylor Raddysh to the Edmonton Oilers and New York Rangers, respectively, in free agency and centre Lars Eller signed with the Ottawa Senators. Defenceman Alexander Alexeyev signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins. None of these players had huge roles in last year’s Capitals team, and Washington will have top prospect Ryan Leonard available from the start of the season after he joined the team following his college season ended last spring. The Capitals also traded to acquire depth forward Justin Sourdif from the Florida Panthers and brought in defenceman Declan Chisholm from the Minnesota Wild, but this offseason required far less of a roster makeover than the Capitals experienced in 2024.

What would success look like?

The main goal for the Capitals should be to prove that last season wasn’t a fluke. It doesn’t mean that they have to win the Metropolitan Division or record 111 points again, but 100-plus should be the expectation and then aim for a deeper run into the playoffs. The Capitals don’t look to be quite on the level of a Stanley Cup contender, but if Leonard is an impact player right away, that could help make a difference and if they are close, they could always add more talent to make a stronger playoff push.

What could go wrong?

The Capitals are still dependent on a couple of older players, Alex Ovechkin and John Carlson, and that brings greater risk of injury. Even if the Capitals have better depth, a significant injury to either of those players could pose a problem. The Capitals were not so dominant last season that they can just be assumed to be strong again in 2025-2026. If they lose a percent or two of possession and goaltender Logan Thompson slumps relative to his strong performance in 2024-2025, then the Capitals could find themselves scrambling for a playoff spot.

Top Breakout Candidate

The eighth pick in the 2023 Draft, Ryan Leonard produced 109 points (61 G, 48 A) in 78 games across two seasons at Boston College and jumped straight to the Capitals at the end of his sophomore season. In 17 games between regular season and playoffs, Leonard mustered just two points (1 G, 1 A), so he did not live up to the hype in that small sample, but he also had an on-ice expected goals percentage of 57.7 percent during the nine regular season games, and 56.4 percent during eight playoff games, so it’s not like he was overwhelmed. With a full training camp and an established role on the roster, Leonard has a chance to contend for the Calder Trophy.

FORWARDS

Alex Ovechkin

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
73	37	28	65	0.89

The league’s all-time leading goal scorer after surpassing Wayne Gretzky last season, Ovechkin’s pursuit of the record brought out his most efficient finishing of his NHL career. He scored 44 goals, his most since 2019-2020, scoring on 18.6 percent of his shots on goal, the highest shooting percentage of his illustrious career. There is a temptation to believe that Ovechkin is ageless, and it appeared that way in 2024-2025, but he will be 40 years old by the time the puck drops on this season, and he observably does not move with the same vitality that he did earlier in his career. That’s not passing judgment, it’s merely a reflection of what happens when trying to drag 235 pounds up and down the wing while playing 1,491 regular season games plus another 161 playoff games. His ice time dropped to 17:43 per game last season, the lowest average of his career, and his hit count was down to 110 – the only season in which he finished with fewer hits was the shortened 2020-2021 season, when he had 98 hits in 45 games. This is all an indication that as great as Ovechkin has been, his all-around game is naturally not where it once was. He is obviously still a threat from the faceoff circle on the power play, scoring at least 13 power play goals in 18 of his 20 NHL seasons. Last season, Ovechkin’s most frequent linemate was center Dylan Strome, followed by Aliaksei Protas and Tom Wilson. He is likely going to have a similar role in 2025-2026, so even a diminished Ovechkin should still be expected to score 35 goals and 65 points, with at least 100 hits.

Dylan Strome

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
8228	55	83	1.01

A veteran center who took a while to find his footing in the National Hockey League, Strome found the right situation in Washington and after the most productive seasons of his career in his first two seasons with the Capitals, he leapt forward to a point-per-game season with 82 points (29 G, 53 A) in 82 games in 2024-2025. Strome is 6-foot-3 and has soft hands; he uses that size to protect the puck and create opportunities. He’s a cerebral player and when he gets extra time and space on the power play, he can make a massive difference, and he was tied for seventh in the league with 34 power play points last season. He could shoot the puck more as it is difficult to record a point per game while not generating at least two shots on goal per game. There were 35 players to average better than one point per game last season, with a minimum of 40 games played, and Strome’s 1.82 shots on goal per game ranked 35th out of that group. He did benefit from an on-ice shooting percentage of 11.1 percent during five-on-five play, the second highest of his career, so there are realistic concerns about the sustainability of Strome’s production. Strome has been durable since arriving in D.C., missing one game in three seasons with the Capitals. Going into the 2025-2026 season, Strome should be expected to contribute 25 goals and 65-70 points.

Aliaksei Protas

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
79	24	31	55	0.70

It is so interesting to try to forecast the production of a player who has been brimming with potential, a 6-foot-6 winger who has hands and can shoot the puck but had not put it all together until last season. In the case of Protas, he erupted for 30 goals and 66 points, but he scored on 21.1 percent of his shots on goal, and his five-on-five on-ice shooting percentage of 14.2 percent was the second highest in the league, among skaters to play at least 500 five-on-five minutes. Protas has 2.84 points per 60 minutes during five-on-five play, ranking fourth among skaters that played at least 500 five-on-five minutes, behind only David Pastrnak, Sean Monahan, and Nikita Kucherov. Even with the understanding that Protas is highly unlikely to duplicate those percentages, there are lots of positives to take from his breakthrough season, the first of which is that there are very few players of his enormous size who possess the skill to put up 30 goals in a season. When Protas uses that size to win battles and protect the puck as he goes hard to the net, he is more than a handful for opposing defenders. He also did nearly all of his damage at even strength last season, with one power play assist and two shorthanded assists to his credit. It doesn’t appear that Protas is set for a significant power play role in 2025-2026, so there is likely going to be some regression in his numbers, but he should still be able to contribute 20 goals and 50 points.

Tom Wilson

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
70	24	24	48	0.69

One of the rarest players in the National Hockey League, Wilson has the intimidating size and physical presence to tangle with whatever heavyweights remain in the league, but he is also an excellent skater and an accomplished offensive threat and he happens to be coming off a season in which he set career highs in goals (33), assists (32), and points (65). He also averaged a career-high 18:44 of ice time per game, but that’s not a shocking development, either. He has played more than 18 minutes per game in five of his past seven seasons. Wilson recorded 233 hits last season, the ninth time in his career that he recorded at least 200 hits, and he added 100 penalty minutes, the eighth time in his career that he hit the century mark. Those last two categories make Wilson a banger league star. Last season also happened to be one of extremely favorable percentages for Wilson, who scored on a career-high 19.5 percent of his shots on goal and had an on-ice shooting percentage of 11.9 percent. He has actually exceeded that number once before but in 2023-2024 his on-ice shooting percentage was 5.5 percent, so it appears that Wilson got all of the regression going back in his favour in 2024-2025. Wilson remains a prominent part of the Capitals’ attack and should be expected to contribute 25 goals and 45 points, along with 200-plus hits and something in the neighbourhood of 100 penalty minutes this season.

Pierre-Luc Dubois

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	21	41	62	0.76

When the Capitals made the trade to acquire Dubois from the Los Angeles Kings last summer, it generated some measure of surprise because Dubois was coming off of a disastrous season in Los Angeles and, with a hefty long-term contract, was one of the least valuable assets in the league. Dubois responded with a career-high 66 points (26 G, 40 A) and a dominant season at five-on-five, with the Capitals outscoring opponents 73-44 with Dubois on the ice. That success did not come as a total shock because the story of Dubois’ career has been that, when he is motivated, he can be an impact player in the league, but after that season in Los Angeles, it seemed to be anyone’s guess if he could be properly motivated. Dubois is a 6-foot-4, 220-pound center who can dominate along the boards, winning battles consistently, and combining that with a skill game that includes puck protection and high-end vision to spot open teammates makes Dubois an easy player to believe in. Will he be able to duplicate that success? His shooting percentage last season was 14.1 percent, which was a little higher than his previous career mark of 12.5 percent, but that’s not a massive difference. The bigger issue is that his on-ice shooting percentage was 13.2 percent, which was the fourth highest out of the 378 forwards that played at least 500 five-on-five minutes. Expecting some regression in his output, Dubois should still be able to contribute 20 goals and 55 points this season.

Connor McMichael

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	22	28	50	0.61

The 25th pick in the 2019 Draft, McMichael was a bit of a late bloomer, especially for a first-round pick, but there is no denying that he has hit his mark as a scoring forward in the NHL. McMichael achieved career highs with 26 goals, 33 assists, and 59 points last season, but, like many Capitals forwards, was also the beneficiary of a lofty on-ice shooting percentage. In McMichael’s case it was 12.1 percent, a number that is not likely to be duplicated next season. As he was coming up, McMichael was insistent that he was a center and in 2023-2024 that was his main position, but last season he took a total of 109 faceoffs, so he played some center, but it was hardly a significant part of his deployment. Unless there is a need based on injuries, there seems little reason to move McMichael from the wing, where he found his most success. He has strong offensive instincts and knows how to find openings that put him in scoring position. Now that McMichael has established his credentials as a quality scoring winger, he should have a solid contribution to make in 2025-2026, with 20-25 goals and 45-50 points a fair expectation once statistical regression gets taken into account.

Anthony Beauvillier

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	14	16	30	0.37

A veteran winger who started his career with the Islanders and has been bouncing around ever since, with stops in Vancouver, Chicago, Nashville, Pittsburgh, and now Washington, Beauvillier has talent, but has never been able to take it to the next level, thereby remaining in a middle six role at all of his stops. Although he managed just five points (2 G, 3 A) in 18 games with the Capitals after he was acquired from the Penguins at the trade deadline, Beauvillier did contribute six points (2 G, 4 A) in 10 playoff games and that made him a viable candidate to return to Washington when the Capitals could not land a bigger fish in free agency. Although he had modest offensive production in Washington, Beauvillier did have strong underlying numbers with positive possession stats despite starting just 38.3 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone. The Capitals outscored opponents 9-6 at five-on-five with Beauvillier on the ice, which indicates that he is an entirely useful depth winger. He has surpassed 20 goals just once in his career, scoring 21 with the Islanders in 2017-2018, his second season in the league, and it’s not likely that he will have a significant enough role to threaten that number again. He is more likely to contribute 12-15 goals and 25-30 points during the 2025-2026 season.

Hendrix Lapierre

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
58	5	11	16	0.28

The 22nd pick in the 2020 Draft, Lapierre had had some false starts to his NHL career, but the Capitals hope that he can follow a path like McMichael, where the patience ends up paying off. He managed zero goals and eight assists in 27 games for the Capitals last season, which is not at all encouraging, but he has 31 points (9 G, 22 A) in 84 career NHL games, so there is something there to hope that Lapierre can turn into a bona fide NHL player. He also scored 32 points (7 G, 25 A) in 32 AHL games last season, the kind of production that would typically give a 23-year-old a good opportunity to stick in the NHL. That does appear to be what is happening with Lapierre, who is penciled into a third-line role with the Capitals, and he might even start at center, which would be a significant vote of confidence for a player who has won 37.4 percent of the 404 faceoffs that he has taken in the NHL. If Lapierre is indeed going to fill a top nine role in Washington, he should be able to contribute 10 goals and 30-35 points, but the main focus should be on sticking in the NHL for the entire season, proving that he belongs.

Nic Dowd

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	13	13	26	0.32

A 35-year-old checking center, Dowd hit career highs with 14 goals and 27 points last season, and he added 82 blocked shots and 128 hits, so while the scoring numbers don’t jump off the page, those peripheral stats might give Dowd a little value in very deep leagues. His 82 blocked shots last season ranked sixth among forwards, and only two forwards – Brandon Tanev and Noel Acciari – had more blocked shots and more hits than Dowd. Even as he hits his mid-thirties, Dowd is having a bigger impact on the game than he did as a younger player. He has played over 15 minutes per game in the past two seasons, and he faces a ridiculous deployment, starting 15.0 percent of his five-on-five shifts in the offensive zone last season. Dowd is a throwback-style blue-collar player who leaves it all on the ice and plays for keeps night after night. Over the course of his career, his team has outscored the opposition by two goals during five-on-five play and that is a solid result from a checking center on the third or fourth line. Dowd should be able to contribute a dozen goals and 25 points to the Capitals this season.

DEFENCE

John Carlson

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	7	41	48	0.62

Perhaps age is starting to catch up to Carlson just a little bit, as the 35-year-old Capitals blueliner scored just five goals last season, the lowest total of his career since scoring one goal in 22 games as a rookie in 2009-2010. That does not mean that he’s dropped off dramatically, by any means, as Carlson also had 46 assists and his 51 points represented the seventh time in his career that he crossed the 50-point threshold. He also averaged more than 23 minutes of ice time per game for the 12th time in the past 13 seasons. Carlson had a stellar season in terms of puck possession stats, as his 53.7 Corsi percentage was the best of his career since a 53.9 mark during his 22-game stint in 2009-2010. Carlson has always been a big and physically strong defenceman, yet his game does not really take maximum advantage of that size and strength. His booming shot from the point is a factor, sure, but he’s only had more than 80 hits in a season once in his career and finished with 49 last season. For a defenceman who is 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, he is not a banger. Carlson has always been an ace on the power play – his 264 career power play points ranks sixth among active defncemen, behind Brent Burns, Erik Karlsson, Drew Doughty, Kris Letang, and Victor Hedman. Carlson still led Capitals defencemen in power play ice time last season, but Jakob Chychrun could be knocking on the door, unless the Capitals take the rare step of having two defencemen on the No. 1 power play unit, and they could do that. For the 2025-2026 season, expect Carlson to put up 45-50 points, which keeps him right in the middle of the action for fantasy managers.

Jakob Chychrun

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
75	15	29	44	0.59

The Capitals’ acquisition of Chychrun last summer could not have worked out better, as he stayed healthy enough to play a career-high 74 games and finished with career highs in goal (20) and points (47). His 27 assists tied a career high, set the year before with Ottawa. Chychrun is an aggressive offensive defenceman who will join the rush and come down from the blueline in the offensive zone if it means generating a scoring chance. His 0.60 goals per 60 minutes last season ranked second out of 208 defencemen that played at least 500 five-on-five minutes. He is already a significant part of the Capitals attack and is pushing Carlson for the No. 1 role on the Capitals power play. When that time comes, that should set Chychrun on a trajectory to produce even more offensively. Throughout his career, he has tended to be a strong puck possession player, at least in relative terms, and that continued in his first season with the Capitals. As a player who has been injured quite a bit in his career, Chychrun maybe more inclined to pick his spots about when to lay his body on the line and it’s notable that for a defenceman who routinely plays more than 21 minutes per game, he has recorded more than 100 blocked shots once in his career and only exceeded 100 hits in his rookie season, 2016-2017, and hasn’t done it since. Chychrun should still be expected to fill a big role for Washington this season, which includes scoring 15 goals and 40-plus points.

Rasmus Sandin

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	5	23	28	0.34

The arrival of Jakob Chychrun did not do Sandin any favors in terms of his role as an offensive-minded puck-moving defenceman, but he still ended up with a career-high 30 points (4 G, 26 A) last season. Sandin played all 82 games, but his ice time dropped nearly two minutes per game from the 2023-2024 season. While Sandin’s puck possession numbers weren’t great, sliding in under break-even with a 49.7 percent Corsi, the Capitals did outscore opponents 71-58 during five-on-five play with Sandin on the ice. He is a smooth skating defender who has strong puck skills and even though he’s on the smaller side, Sandin is not shy about engaging in physical play. Size and strength can be issues for him when it comes to battling against bigger opponents, but overall Sandin is a viable top four defenceman. He has recorded more than 100 blocked shots in back-to-back seasons and had 91 hits last season, down from his career high of 136 hits in 2022-2023. Being the No. 3 power play option on any team’s defence is a less-than-ideal situation and that is where Sandin appears to find himself, behind John Carlson and Chychrun, but if the top two both end up on the top unit, that could still provide Sandin with an opportunity with the second unit. Since that is the situation Sandin finds himself in with the Capitals, it’s reasonable to expect 25-30 points in 2025-2026.

Martin Fehervary

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	4	18	22	0.27

A solid two-way defenceman who scored a career-high 25 points (5 G, 20 A) last season, Fehervary suffered a knee injury that kept him out of the playoffs, but he had done enough to impress Capitals brass so that he was rewarded with a new seven-year, $42 million contract. That’s not a commitment for a player who will be struggling to find his way into the defensive rotation. Fehervary is an excellent skater and with his physical disposition, he can take time and space away from opposing forwards. He recorded a career-high 150 blocked shots last season, though his 139 hits were his lowest total in a full NHL season. Fehervary has had passable possession numbers despite starting more of his shifts in the defensive zone for three straight seasons. None of his statistics are eye popping, but there is always a market for a 6-foot-2 defender who is an excellent skater and will play the body and sacrifice his own body to block shots, so Fehervary should continue to play a prominent role in Washington. In 2025-2026, he should be expected to surpass 20 points, though his real fantasy appeal would come from 150-plus hits and 130-plus blocked shots.

GOAL

Charlie Lindgren

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
42	22	14	4	2	.904	2.78

Darcy Kuemper may have bounced back seamlessly from his disastrous stint in Washington last year, but Washington bounced back just as smoothly under the guidance of a nearly, perfectly deployed tandem of Charlie Lindgren and Logan Thompson. Washington served as the regular season poster child for why equal deployment tandems can be so effective, boasting positive performances from both Thompson and Lindgren in addition to the team's regular season President's Trophy win.

Neither Thompson nor Lindgren looked like the league's most exciting options last year, but that worked in Washington's benefit. The pair were able to quietly amass a collection of games that left the focus on Alex Ovechkin and his quest to claim the league's all-time scoring title, scooping up rebounds without doing much to drag the other team's attention away from their nearly full-time job of trying to stop the Russian Machine from firing the puck up the ice. That presents Washington with an interesting position to consider for the upcoming campaign, of course; without Ovechkin's dogged quest consuming the offence, things could start to become more balanced up and down the ice and test both Thompson and Lindgren a little bit more. Still, neither starter showed any major flaws in their game when challenged. It's hard to find much to fault them for, and they should make up a nice tandem next year once again.

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – WASHINGTON CAPITALS – Team Preview

Fri, 20 Sep 2024 20:00:27 +0000

_{WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 07: Washington Capitals center Dylan Strome (17) in action during the Ottawa Senators game versus the Washington Capitals on April 7, 2024 at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire)}

Winning their last three games of the regular season, the Capitals won a tiebreaker with the Detroit Red Wings for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, recording 91 points (40-31-11). It was nearly scandalous to have them make the playoffs with a goal differential of -37 and they were summarily swept out of the first round by the New York Rangers. The Capitals ranked 26th in Corsi percentage (46.2%) and 25th in expected goals percentage (46.9%). The Washington power play ranked 18th with 7.37 goals per 60 minutes and the penalty killing ranked 18th with 7.60 goals against per 60 minutes. The Capitals’ underlying numbers suggested that this was not a team worthy of the playoffs, yet they managed to sneak in.

WHAT’S CHANGED? The Capitals were busy this offseason attempting to restructure their roster. They traded goaltender Darcy Kuemper to Los Angeles for centre Pierre-Luc Dubois and sent a draft pick to Calgary to acquire winger Andrew Mangiapane. Nick Jensen was sent to Ottawa in a deal for blueliner Jakob Chychrun, while a couple of draft picks were sent to Vegas in exchange for goaltender Logan Thompson. On top of the trades, the Capitals signed free agent defenceman Matt Roy from Los Angeles. Washington did not re-sign left winger Max Pacioretty, who struggled in his return from a torn Achilles, and veteran winger T.J. Oshie’s status for the 2024-25 season is uncertain as he tries to resolve a back injury. The Capitals have definitely opted to make changes with eye towards icing a more competitive team this season.

WHAT WOULD SUCCESS LOOK LIKE? Since the Capitals are not going to rebuild, at least not while Alex Ovechkin is chasing Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record, success would probably be making the playoffs and having Ovechkin score at least 30 goals. For this team to do something above and beyond that seems so unlikely. There are other individual aspects that can be considered success, such as Washington finding a way to get Dubois back on track and seeing further development from young players like Connor McMichael and Hendrix Lapierre.

WHAT COULD GO WRONG? With so much of the Capitals’ motivation geared towards Ovechkin’s pursuit of Gretzky, it would be terrible if he suffers a significant injury or struggles like he did at the start of last season, when he had five goals through 29 games. Ovechkin starts this season 41 goals behind Gretzky’s record, so at the very least, they need him to score enough goals so that he can set the record in 2025-26. If it happens this season, that’s a bonus. If this team is trying to be competitive and ends up missing the playoffs by a few points, that’s not a great scenario because it means that the Capitals will get a lesser draft pick. There is going to come a time in the not-too-distant future that the Capitals will need prospects to emerge and take over the core of this team, which will make those picks especially important.

TOP BREAKOUT CANDIDATE: The Capitals have a few young forwards who should have an opportunity to play more significant roles next season. Hendrix Lapierre played 51 games for the Capitals last season but was a standout for the Hershey Bears on the run to the Calder Cup in the American Hockey League. While Lapierre might be a good candidate for a breakout, Connor McMichael might be an even better candidate because the latter is further along in his development. He scored 18 goals and 33 points last season and looks like he should have a legitimate shot to play in Washington’s top six this season.

FORWARD

Alex Ovechkin

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
76	34	28	62	0.82

Chasing down Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894 goals, Ovechkin looked like he might be cooked early last season, scoring just five goals in his first 29 games. In a career of unprecedented goal-scoring rates, Ovechkin’s demise seemed to be arriving in a hurry. At that rate, it would take him forever to catch Gretzky, but he figured it out. In his last 50 games, he tallied 26 goals and basically got back on track to reel in the record. In his late thirties, Ovechkin has clearly lost a step, maybe two. In four playoff games against the Rangers, not only did Ovechkin not record a point, but he had just five shots on goal. At his best, Ovechkin was a high-volume shooter who would just overwhelm goalies but as it gets harder for him to get those shots off, he is suddenly prone to slumps that were never part of his game before. Ovechkin had scored 92 goals across his previous two seasons, so last season’s early-season decline was a dramatic dip, and he averaged a career-low 3.44 shots on goal per game last season, which doesn’t figure to get better. He will get the record, but if Ovechkin is 41 goals away from tying Gretzky, that seems out of reach for the 2024-2025 season and if Ovechkin stumbles like he did early last season, it could get uncomfortable. That might sound bleak for a player who has scored at least 30 goals in 18 of his 19 seasons – with the only exception being when he scored 24 goals in 45 games during the COVID-shortened 2020-2021 season – but age catches up with everyone and the greatest players, including Gretzky, were not the same at the very end. Forecasting Ovechkin at this point should come with some caution. He may still launch bombs from his familiar spot in the faceoff circle on the power play, but in 2024-2025, it’s fair to expect 25-30 goals and 60 points from Ovechkin.

Dylan Strome

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	25	41	66	0.80

Following an up-and-down start to his career in Arizona and Chicago, Strome has found a home in Washington, contributing 132 points for the Capitals in the past two seasons. Strome was the best version of himself last season, setting career highs in goals (27) and points (67), while averaging a career-high 17:57 per game and winning a career-best 52.8 percent of his faceoffs. Strome played mostly with Ovechkin and Tom Wilson and that does make him the No. 1 centre in Washington, albeit not necessarily a No.1 centre on a lot of other teams. Strome’s size and soft hands are at the core of his success, and he did shoot the puck more and had relatively strong possession numbers last season. He is, however, a decidedly not physical player, who has recorded a total of 43 hits in the past three seasons. Among the 223 forwards who played at least 200 games in that time, only four had fewer hits than Strome. That might have some impact on his appeal for fantasy managers, but when it comes to scoring, Strome is going to get quality ice time and should continue to produce in 2024-2025. It is reasonable to count on 25 goals and 60 points.

Tom Wilson

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	20	24	44	0.57

Wilson is such a rare type of player, big and strong enough to play a traditional enforcer role, though that doesn’t hold as much appeal without as many dance partners. He also skates really well for a big man and has enough finishing skill to surpass 20 goals three times in his career. Last season, he scored 18 goals and 35 points, which does not look great, but his percentages played into that. Wilson scored on 10.1 percent of his shots, his lowest rate since 2016-2017, when he was still a fourth liner, and his on-ice shooting percentage of 5.5 percent was the lowest of his career. He had a two-month stretch from December 20 through February 20 during which he managed just three points in 25 games. For a player getting first-line minutes, that’s devastating. Wilson is not necessarily the one who will drive play for the Capitals, but if he plays on a scoring line, it would be extraordinarily unusual to maintain such a low on-ice shooting percentage. In addition to his scoring, Wilson is a consistent source of hits, recording 200 or more hits eight times in his career. When it comes to valuing Wilson, getting 35 points and 200-plus hits is adequate, but 50 points and 200-plus hits is a lot better, and that is still within his grasp. In 2024-2025, a reasonable expectation for Wilson is 20 goals and 45 points, plus 20 hits and 120 penalty minutes, making him a more valuable commodity in banger leagues.

Pierre-Luc Dubois

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	25	33	58	0.71

It is very rare to be an NHL player who stands out for lack of effort. Usually there is such a baseline of hustle required to play that even players who are not noted grinders are still clearly trying. Dubois has, on multiple occasions, been flagged via video as a disinterested participant, and that really stands out because when he is engaged, Dubois can be a force in the game. He is strong and skilled, a powerful centre who can win battles and create scoring chances, but that only works if Dubois is putting in the effort. There was not nearly enough of that in his one season with the Los Angeles Kings, prompting his trade to Washington. It was a good buy-low situation for the Capitals, but not without risk because Dubois still has seven years remaining on what was an eight-year, $68 million contract extension. The one thing that the Capitals can lean on is that Dubois has the talent to be a difference maker. If they can find the button to unlock that talent, and keep it unlocked, he could easily bounce back and be a quality second line centre, maybe even pushing Strome for the No. 1 spot in Washington. Considering how last season went for Dubois, it is hard to be optimistic. At the same time, he can’t be much worse, can he? Look for 20 goals and 50 points from Dubois, better than last season, but not up to the level of the best production of his career.

Andrew Mangiapane

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	21	24	45	0.55

Coming off a season in which he scored just 14 goals, Mangiapane was acquired from Calgary for a second-round pick in 2025. Mangiapane scored 35 goals in 2021-2022, burying 18.9 percent of his shots on goal, but that might have set unreasonable expectations, and he scored 31 goals across the next two seasons. An undersized winger, Mangiapane works hard, plays with some jam and is not afraid to get his nose dirty, either battling on the boards or attacking the net in the offensive zone, but his shot rate dropped significantly last season, to 1.63 per game from 2.22 the year before. It’s so difficult to be a consistent offensive threat with so few shots. His most common linemates in Calgary last season were Mikael Backlund and Blake Coleman, and that line controlled 54.1 percent of expected goals, so there should have been more opportunities for Mangiapane to join the attack. In Washington, Mangiapane figures to play a complementary role, which is the only reasonable expectation given his recent production, but 20 goals and 45 points should be in range for Mangiapane. If he ends up skating on a line with Dubois, that brings a great deal of uncertainty, so Mangiapane could be a sleeper candidate due to lower expectations.

Connor McMichael

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
81	21	23	44	0.54

A first-round pick in 2019, it has taken some time for McMichael to find his footing in the National Hockey League, but he started to make his mark in 2023-2024, scoring 18 goals and 33 points. He still has room to improve as he was on the wrong end of the possession game and the Capitals were outscored 47-31 during five-on-five play when McMichael was on the ice. He played centre last season, winning 42.4 percent of his draws, but could get moved to wing if he is going to take a role in Washington’s top six. He has shown good instincts, with an ability to put himself in a good position to score, and he has the quick hands to finish those opportunities. The 23-year-old forward is still trying to establish that he belongs in a top six role but took steps in that direction last season. He does need to shoot the puck more and will have to keep working hard at the physical game. He McMichael is not overpowering but can still use his energy to force mistakes and create more chances. If he sticks with a scoring line, McMichael should have chance to contribute 15 goals and 35 points in 2024-2025.

Aliaksei Protas

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
80	10	21	31	0.39

A huge 6-foot-6 winger, Protas is from Belarus by way of the Prince Albert Raiders in the WHL. He has the puck skills to make plays, which can be unexpected given his frame. Protas could stand to use his size much more as he had 34 hits and eight penalty minutes in 78 games last season. He was one of three forwards in the NHL to play 78 games and had so few hits and penalty minutes (Matias Maccelli and Yegor Sharangovich were the others; Gustav Nyquist had two more hits). In the NHL, Protas has not yet been able to convert at a significant rate, scoring just 13 goals in 169 games, but when he uses his size to get to the net, he can control the space and be a threat to score on rebounds. He has scored on just 5.3 percent of his shots on goal which is clearly not going to cut it in an offensive role, but he is a 23-year-old and would hardly be the first monster forward who took some time to reach his full potential. Protas might be able to hold a spot in Washington’s top nine but given his peripheral stats, he probably won’t score enough to have standard fantasy value. He could put up 10 goals and 30 points, though, with potential for more if he pops a little offensively.

Sonny Milano

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
65	14	16	30	0.46

While he has not been a durable player who can be counted on as a fixture in the lineup, Milano continues to show the skills to be a useful offensive contributor even if it is in a limited role. In two seasons with Washington, Milano has scored 26 goals in 113 games. Among 373 forwards to play at least 1000 five-on-five minutes across those two seasons, Milano was tied for 49th with 1.00 goals per 60 minutes. Even though he only played 49 games last season, Milano scored a career-high 15 goals, thanks to a shooting percentage of 30.0. That is obviously not sustainable, but Milano’s shooting percentage across the previous six seasons was 14.2 percent, so he should be able to finish at an above average rate. Part of that is because Milano has exceptional hand-eye coordination, some of which results in on-ice tricks that are more entertaining than geared to competition, but he is also extremely comfortable with the puck on his stick. Milano has never played more than 66 games in a season, so he should be expected to miss games, but 10-15 goals and 30 points would be reasonable expectations for him. If he could manage to play a full season, Milano would have more value but, as is, he is more likely to be a short-term pickup when he’s running hot.

Hendrix Lapierre

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
79	14	19	33	0.42

Drafted in the first round of the 2020 Draft, Lapierre got his first extended NHL action last season and flashed potential, though it’s clear that he is still in the ascent stage of his career. He showed some flashes in the NHL, and a willingness to go to the front of the net to score, but also finished the season playing for Hershey in the American Hockey League playoffs, leading the Bears to a Calder Cup championship. Lapierre put up 22 points in 20 AHL playoff games, excellent preparation for him to play a more significant role in Washington next season. Lapierre has shown that he can handle the puck and make plays at a high level and as he matures in his pro career, more of that will be expected. On a Capitals team that is in flux, there will be ample opportunity for Lapierre in the coming seasons to establish his place as a productive scorer. As with many young centres, Lapierre has much room to improve when it comes to faceoffs. He won just 37.5 percent of his draws last season so that will need to get better. In his upcoming second NHL season, Lapierre should be able to contribute 30-35 points for the Capitals as he continues to climb in his career.

DEFENCE

John Carlson

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
79	12	42	54	0.68

The veteran blueliner delivered a very strong season for the Capitals in 2023-2024, but there are some questions to be asked about why Carlson, now 34, played a career-high 25:54 per game last season. Carlson is an excellent player, has been for a long time, and at a stage when players are starting to lose a little ice time as acknowledgement that their play may be slipping, Carlson’s ice time jumped more than 2:30 from the previous season and two minutes per game above the two seasons before that! He also had his lowest rate of offensive zone starts since 2011-2012. New coach, new rules, apparently, but it is interesting to see a change in Carlson’s deployment at this stage of his career. He has 250 career power play points, which ranks seventh among active blueliners, and Carlson roared into the finish of the season. In the last month, he put up 14 points and 50 shots on goal in 17 games, while averaging 26:39 of ice time per game. Anyway, maybe the Capitals didn’t trust the rest of their defence corps, or at least they did not trust them enough to take ice time away from Carlson, who was still in stellar form by the end of the season. He is big and physically strong, though he does not play the kind of physical game that his strength might suggest. He does block shots, though. Carlson’s 194 blocked shots last season was his highest since 2014-2015. As players hit their mid-thirties, the production usually starts to wane and while Carlson may be making that a more gradual decline, he is not going to match his peak production when he surpassed a point per game in 2019-2020. For 2024-2025, it would be fair to project Carlson to produce 50-55 points.

Jakob Chychrun

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	15	33	48	0.59

The addition of Chychrun, via trade with Ottawa, gives the Senators a chance to have someone else handle big responsibilities on the blueline, potentially alleviating the pressure on Carlson. Chychrun played more than 22 minutes per game for the Senators last season, his fifth straight season crossing that threshold, and he put up 14 goals and 41 points, tying for the highest point total of his career. For the first time in his career, Chychrun blocked more than 100 shots, finishing with 154. He figures to partner with Carlson, giving Washington an upgrade when it comes to moving the puck, and attacking, from the blueline. The flip side of that coin is that Chychrun’s defensive play was not great in two seasons with the Senators, as he recorded a higher expected goals against per 60 minutes in his two seasons with Ottawa than he did in any of his previous seven seasons with the Coyotes. The Senators were also outscored 85-61 during five-on-five play with Chychrun on the ice so he is not joining the Capitals at a high point in his defensive value. Nevertheless, Chychrun is a 26-year-old defenceman who is used to handling responsibility and he will be an upgrade on the Washington defence. It’s entirely reasonable for the Capitals to expect another 40-point season for Chychrun, who is in his prime and ready to handle a big role on this team.

Rasmus Sandin

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
75	4	23	27	0.36

After Sandin had a sizzling start with the Capitals late in the 2022-2023 season, finishing with 15 points in 19 games after he was acquired from Toronto, expectations were higher for him coming into the 2023-2024 campaign. A smooth puck-moving defenceman, Sandin had been buried on the Maple Leafs depth chart and it looked like there would be more opportunity with the Capitals. While he did play more, averaging a career-high 21:07 per game, Sandin only mustered 23 points, with just five on the power play. Some of that may be a function of working on the second power play unit, but the offensive production fizzled and with Chychrun arriving, Sandin could even lose his power play role altogether. Also, while playing third pair minutes in Toronto, Sandin was winning the possession battle, ranging between 50-55 percent depending on the metric, even up a few more percentage points by expected goals, but in his first two season-plus with the Capitals, Sandin Corsi and expected goals percentage have languished in the 45-46 percent range. No matter how he is deployed, Sandin is a smooth-skating and skilled defenceman who will engage physically but is also on the smaller side, so sometimes that can present matchup problems. With some uncertainty around his role, it’s probably fair to expect about 25 points from Sandin, with the possibility for more if he secures regular power play time.

Martin Fehervary

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
74	3	15	18	0.24

A defenceman who has yet to produce 20 points in a season is hardly the dream candidate for a spot on a fantasy roster, but Fehervary’s value is tied more to peripheral categories. He can produce 15-20 points and log about 20 minutes per game, but Fehervary has recorded more than 100 blocked shots and more than 180 hits in all three of his NHL seasons. He has good size, is not shy about using it, and skates quite well, which makes him an effective defender because he excels at closing gaps and taking away space from opposing players. Fehervary was more aggressive offensively prior to last season, when his shot and expected goal rates declined, but at this early stage of his career, Fehervary is much more about potential anyway. If he found a consistent role in the top four, which is not out of the question, he could contribute 20-25 points, to go along with 200 hits and 125 blocked shots. That is the kind of contribution that would have value for banger leagues or even deep standard leagues.

GOAL

Charlie Lindgren

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
40	20	15	5	2	0.908	2.79

Logan Thompson

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
38	19	14	5	1	0.906	2.72

The Darcy Kuemper experiment is over in Washington, and it’s becoming increasingly hard to deny that the Metropolitan Division club is nearing the end of their prime window. With their role in the league somewhat up in the air next year, it appears the Capitals decided to spend a season keeping their goaltending tandem in a bit of a holding pattern; they’ll start the season with former Vegas prospect Logan Thompson joining the fray, and Charlie Lindgren will presumably get to step up and try his hand at being the veteran presence following his first full year as the team’s number one.

Lindgren was thrust into the starting role last year after Darcy Kuemper’s numbers took a tumble, but he did an admirable job dragging the team into the playoff conversation despite a middling roster around him. It’s hard to tell just how replicable his results will be - his technical game still has a few exploitable flaws and he’ll be coming off his first heavy-workload season at the NHL level to boot - but the addition of Thompson in lieu of an oft-injured Kuemper should be a welcome reprieve for Lindgren. It’s unlikely Washington is looking to challenge for the cup next year, but this tandem certainly doesn’t look like a glaring liability, either.

FANTASY: The Week Ahead – November 27 to December 3rd – Teams with favourable schedules and who to target

Ryan Dadoun — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 17:41:13 +0000

With a 4-1 loss to Detroit on Sunday, Minnesota has now lost its last seven straight contests to drop to 5-10-4. That puts them 30th in the NHL in terms of points, ahead of just Chicago and San Jose.

At the heart of Minnesota’s issues is its goaltending. Marc-Andre Fleury has a 3-4-2 record, 3.46 GAA and .875 save percentage through nine outings while Filip Gustavsson is 2-6-2 with a 3.94 GAA and an .881 save percentage in 11 starts. Going into Sunday’s action, the Wild ranked eighth in expected goals against with 57.31, which suggests the defense has been solid, but the goalies have wasted the effort.

To be fair to Fleury and Gustavsson though, the Wild have also struggled to score and currently sit in a three-way tie for 20th offensively with 2.95 goals per game. Mats Zuccarello, Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek are a solid enough trio, supplying 21, 18 and 17 points respectively through 19 games, but after them, the Wild’s next best players are Ryan Hartman and Marco Rossi, who each have 11 points. In other words, they could use more secondary scoring.

These are issues that have been tough for Minnesota to address. Buying out Zach Parise and Ryan Suter in July of 2021 might have helped the Wild out in the short term, but they’re paying for it now. The team has $14.7 million in dead space this year and they’ll have the same penalty next season as well. After that, the bulk of the cap burden will go away, but in the meantime, GM Bill Guerin is assembling this team with a hand behind his back. It’s unfortunate because it’s squandering the prime years of Kaprizov, who is also only under contract through 2026, but that’s the reality.

Maybe it’s too early to write Minnesota off, though. Fleury has defied expectations before, so maybe the 38-year-old has one more comeback in him. Maybe Gustavsson will bounce back too, given how much better he was than this in 2022-23. It’s a long shot given how deep the Wild’s hole is at this point, but it’s also their best hope.

MONTREAL, QC - NOVEMBER 11: Look on Boston Bruins center Charlie Coyle (13) during the Boston Bruins versus the Montreal Canadiens game on November 11, 2023, at Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire)

Boston Bruins

Boston is experiencing its first downswing of the season, though it’s only been a mild one. The Bruins have lost two straight contests and three of their last four games, bringing their record to 14-3-3.

Boston will attempt to end the slump during a busy week, featuring games in Columbus on Monday, against the Sharks on Thursday, in Toronto on Saturday and versus the Blue Jackets on Sunday. Two contests against the lowly Blue Jackets, not to mention the league-worst Sharks, make the upcoming stretch a great opportunity for the Bruins to enter a new winning streak.

Keep an eye on Charlie Coyle, particularly during this stretch. He’s riding a five-game scoring streak in which he’s collected four goals and seven points. With nine markers and 19 points in 20 outings this campaign, Coyle’s well on his way to shattering his career highs of 21 goals and 56 points. Take some caution with him though: His 23.1 shooting percentage is a big red flag. Given the nature of the upcoming competition, I don’t expect him to slow down yet, but if you have Coyle on your fantasy squad, you might want to think about attempting to sell high in a week or two.

If your team happens to include either Bruins goaltender -- Linus Ullmark or Jeremy Swayman -- don't worry yet. Sure, Swayman has allowed nine goals on 75 shots (.880 save percentage) over his last two starts while Ullmark was on the wrong end of a 7-4 loss to the Rangers on Saturday, but those struggles are an anomaly is what has been a generally strong campaign for both of them. The Bruins were also facing some of the league’s top offenses recently, which won’t be the case in three of their four contests this week.

Florida Panthers

The Panthers are another team that needs to rebound after a bit of a skid. They have a two-game losing streak heading into a road trip against Ottawa on Monday, Toronto on Tuesday and Montreal on Thursday. They’ll then return to Florida to host the Islanders on Saturday. Of those adversaries, Toronto is the only one in the upper half of the league in terms of points.

With that busy schedule against mostly middling teams ahead of Florida, you might be well served to grab defenseman Niko Mikkola in fantasy leagues for the short term if you have the opportunity. He’s not typically a significant offensive threat -- his career high in points is 13 -- but the Panthers have used him in a top-four role this season, which has led to his production ticking up to three goals and eight points in 20 contests. He’s been particularly effective recently with two goals and three points over his last three outings.

This week should also see the end of Matthew Tkachuk’s scoreless drought, which currently stands at five games. In particular, I’m looking for him to find the back of the net soon. He has just three tallies through 20 contests, leaving him with a 3.5 shooting percentage, which is far below his career average of 12.7. Tkachuk is not going to continue to be that unlucky with the puck, especially with him currently ranking in the 99th percentile in terms of high-danger shots on goal.

Nashville Predators

Nashville has clawed its way back to .500 by winning its last five contests, and the Predators have three home games ahead of them as they look to extend that run. They’ll host the Penguins on Tuesday, the Wild on Thursday and the Rangers on Saturday before concluding the week with a road contest versus Buffalo on Sunday.

Filip Forsberg has been the chief architect of the Predators’ current winning streak, providing four goals and seven points over that five-game span. Through 20 outings this year, he’s up to 11 goals and 25 points. Forsberg was held back by injury troubles last year, but now that he’s healthy again, it’s entirely plausible for him to challenge his career highs of 42 goals and 84 points, which were set in 2021-22.

If you’re looking for a lower profile forward who might be had in standard fantasy leagues as a short-term pickup, then Yakov Trenin should fit the bill. After being held off the scoresheet over his first 14 contests this season, Trenin has contributed four goals and five points over his last five contests. He typically serves in a middle-six role but has logged over 17 minutes in each of Nashville’s last three contests, including a season-high 19:18 on Sunday.

New York Rangers

The Rangers have won three consecutive contests, bringing them up to 15-3-1, so they’re in a dominant position going into what will be a busy week. They’ll host the Sabres and Red Wings on Monday and Wednesday, respectively, before traveling to Nashville for a contest Saturday and returning home to play the Sharks. Of those teams, the 11-6-3 Red Wings are the fiercest competition, but the Rangers already earned a 5-3 victory over Detroit earlier this month.

Jimmy Vesey might be a decent short-term pickup this week. He’s primarily a fourth line forward, but recently he’s seen an uptick in ice time to an average of 13:34 over his last three outings and even has gotten a little use on the second power-play unit. Vesey also supplied a goal and an assist Saturday, bringing him up to four tallies and seven points in 17 outings this campaign. It’s all still not enough to make him fantasy-relevant in most leagues under normal circumstances, but New York’s busy schedule combined with his increased usage makes things interesting for now.

On the blue line, Erik Gustafsson is on fire with a goal and 10 points over his last nine appearances. It’s no coincidence that Gustafsson’s offensive climb coincides perfectly with Adam Fox’s (lower body) absence. Gustafsson is on the first power-play unit during Fox’s absence and three of Gustafsson’s last four helpers have been recorded with the man advantage.

Fox is eligible to be activated off LTIR on Nov. 29, so there’s a non-zero chance he’ll return this week. If that happens, Gustafsson’s production is likely to cool somewhat.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Speaking of returning stars, goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy made his season debut Friday, saving 22 of 24 shots in an 8-2 victory over Carolina. Now that their elite netminder has recovered from his back injury, Tampa Bay will look to go on a run this week with games in Colorado on Monday, Arizona on Tuesday and Dallas on Saturday. The Lightning also have a home contest Thursday versus the Penguins.

Vasilevskiy is extremely unlikely to play in both halves of the back-to-back, especially so soon after returning, so Jonas Johansson is likely to make at least one start this week. Beyond that though, Johansson should be used sparingly for the remainder of the campaign. He didn’t do enough to earn a bigger role in the long run with his 8-4-5 record, 3.41 GAA and .894 save percentage in 17 outings during Vasilevskiy’s absence.

Up front, this should be another big week for Nikita Kucherov, who is on fire with four goals and 11 points over his last four contests. It’s crazy to think that Kucherov comes with a sub-$10 million cap hit through 2026-27 ($9.5 million to be exact), especially with the cap expected to jump dramatically over the next couple of seasons.

He’s not the biggest bargain on the Lightning though: That’d be Brandon Hagel. He’s in the final campaign of a three-year, $4.5 million deal. Hagel set career highs in 2022-23 with 30 goals and 64 points in 81 contests and might do even better this season after providing 10 goals and 22 points through 21 outings. Even the eight-year, $52 million deal he signed in August might prove to be a steal when you consider that he’s just 25.

He also highlights the downside of the Blackhawks’ aggressive fire sale in the pre-Connor Bedard era. While it’s too early to truly judge the trade that sent Hagel to Tampa Bay in March 2022, and it’s possible Hagel’s breakout would have interfered with Chicago’s ability to tank for Bedard, it’s hard not to argue that Hagel wouldn’t be an ideal player for a rebuilding squad like the Blackhawks to have, if only they had held onto him.

Vegas Golden Knights

After getting off to an 11-0-1 start, Vegas has won just three of its last nine games. The Golden Knights will start the week against two struggling teams though, with contests in Calgary on Monday and Edmonton on Tuesday. Vegas will then wrap up the road trip with a contest in Vancouver on Thursday before hosting Washington on Saturday.

Vegas is missing key blueliner Shea Theodore (lower body) after he was put on the injured reserve list Sunday and defenseman Alec Martinez (lower body) has missed the Golden Knights’ last two contests and is regarded as day-to-day.

That’s created an opportunity for Ben Hutton, who logged a season-high 20:34 of ice time Saturday, including 2:49 with the man advantage. By contrast, he’s averaged 15:02 this season and 0:35 on the power play. Hutton has just two assists in 15 games this season, so don’t get too excited, but if he maintains the role he had Saturday for as long as Theodore and Martinez are out, then Hutton might still make some short-term offensive contributions.

Vegas has just scored two goals over its last three games, so naturally, the Golden Knights don’t have much in the way of hot forwards, but Jonathan Marchessault is the closest to an exception with three goals and five points over his last five outings. The 32-year-old is up to nine goals and 14 points through 21 contests overall and should surpass the 50-point milestone for the third straight campaign.

Washington Capitals

The Capitals suffered a 5-0 loss to Edmonton on Friday but won its previous five games. They’ll be on the road this week with contests in San Jose on Monday, LA on Wednesday, Anaheim on Thursday and Vegas on Saturday.

T.J. Oshie (upper body) suffered an injury Friday, so the Capitals might be without him this week in addition to forwards Nicklas Backstrom (hip) and Max Pacioretty (Achilles). With so many key scorers out, the Capitals’ top six is looking fairly thin.

Matthew Phillips has been a healthy scratch for the Capitals’ last three games, but he might draw back into the lineup Monday and even see time on one of the top two lines. The 25-year-old had 36 goals and 76 points in 66 AHL contests this year, so he’s always been worth keeping an eye on to see how the Capitals utilize him. So far in 2023-24, he has a goal and four points in 14 outings but has averaged just 10:40 of ice time.

Connor McMichael also has the potential to see his role increase somewhat. Through 17 outings this year, he has four goals and eight points while averaging 14:38 of ice time. It’s worth noting he’s been hot lately with two goals and five points over his last seven outings, making this an ideal time for the Capitals to utilize him more anyway.

One additional forward to monitor is Hendrix Lapierre. The 21-year-old has struggled to get a regular role this campaign, but the injuries might change that. Taken with the 22nd overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, he gave a taste of what he might be capable of last Saturday when he scored a goal and registered two assists in a 4-3 win over Columbus. Outside of that, though, Lapierre’s been quiet with Washington.

Winnipeg Jets

Despite a 3-2 loss to Nashville on Sunday, Winnipeg is one of the hottest teams in the league after claiming eight of its last 10 games. The Jets only have three games this week, but they’re all home contests, against Dallas on Tuesday, Edmonton on Thursday and Chicago on Saturday. Those final two games look particularly winnable given the state of the Oilers (7-12-1) and Blackhawks (6-13-0).

Connor Hellebuyck has been a huge part of the Jets’ recent success, posting a 6-1-0 record, 2.15 GAA and .926 save percentage over his last seven starts. That’s night and day compared to his first eight starts of the campaign -- a 4-3-1 record, 3.09 GAA and .891 save percentage. Hellebuyck has been an elite goaltender for years, so it’s not surprising to see the 30-year-old rebound from his shaky start. With this week’s contests spread out, there’s a good chance the Jets will deploy him in all their games.

Josh Morrissey is also on a strong run, providing three goals and five points over his last four outings. That brings him up to four goals and 19 points in 20 contests this year. Vladislav Namestnikov has been an underrated factor too, supplying a goal and six assists over the span of a six-game scoring streak from Nov. 11-24. That run ended Sunday, but it’s a little early to declare the hot streak completely dead. That said, he traditionally hasn’t been a significant offensive force -- he's exceeded the 40-point mark just once in his career -- so if you picked him up during his recent success, then you should be prepared to drop him if he has a couple more quiet contests in a row.

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – WASHINGTON CAPITALS – Top 20 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #19

Brock Otten, Derek Neumeier, Chapin Landvogt and Josh Bell — Tue, 10 Oct 2023 14:49:23 +0000

Top 20 Washington Capitals Prospects

1. Ryan Leonard

There is no area in Leonard’s game that requires significant growth in order for him to be an NHLer. His ability to play with pace, his physicality, goal scoring ability, and two-way efficiency made him one of the most complete forwards available for the 2023 draft. Unquestionably, one of his best qualities is his shot. Armed with an array of high-end shots, Leonard can beat goalies in a variety of ways. His offensive zone anticipation and understanding of spacing helps him to consistently find soft spots in coverage and his quick release helps him to take advantage of those opportunities more often than not. The million-dollar question is ultimately what is his upside if he’s really good at absolutely everything, but not elite in any one thing? Can he be a first line winger the way guys like Gabriel Landeskog or Matthew Tkachuk? Or does he fit more into the middle of the lineup as a Brandon Saad or Nick Foligno type? Headed to Boston College (along with USNTDP linemates Smith and Perreault), Leonard will focus on improving his vision and playmaking ability. He should be an immediate impact player at the collegiate level similar to how Cutter Gauthier was last season. He should also be in the NHL sooner than many players drafted in the 2023 first round.

2. Hendrix Lapierre

It was a tough road for Lapierre, suffering multiple concussions and struggling at times to find his game after that. He had a very strong rookie season in the QMJHL, winning Offensive Rookie of the Year. But after that, injuries set in and he missed almost all of his draft year. Still, the Capitals took a chance, drafting him 22nd overall. He spent two more years in the Q, playing well but never taking off. He joined the AHL’s Hershey Bears last season where he was one of their more productive forwards, bringing a two-way presence to the ice. Lapierre is a highly talented playmaker, thanks to his borderline elite vision. He can shoot as well, although often looks for the pass first. He skates well, drives a line, and is reliable in his own end. There’s second-line potential here if everything falls into place.

3. Ivan Miroshnichenko

Miroshnichenko was once considered a top-three calibre selection for the 2022 Draft but after a slow start to his draft year and then a Hodgkin’s lymphoma diagnosis, he slid to 20th where the Capitals were waiting. He ended up missing a large portion of 2021-22 but was back on the ice last season, a great sign after his diagnosis. He spent a large portion of his season in the KHL with Avangard Omsk but also saw time in both the VHL and MHL. He also has a strong international resume with Team Russia, including captaining Russia to a gold medal at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He has a pro frame and moves very well on the ice, thanks to powerful skating strides. Miroshnichenko is a dynamic offensive asset, able to fire a hard wrister or show off an impressive pass. He has very soft, controlled hands. He still has top six potential but may take some time to actualize. He signed a three-year entry level contract with the Capitals to continue his journey in North America this season.

4. Andrew Cristall

Cristall is an absolute magician with the puck, with a seemingly bottomless bag full of tricks. He can stickhandle in a phone booth, and his ability to draw opponents out of better defensive positioning and in towards him is exceptional. He can reliably find existing passing lanes or make that one extra dangle or delay that one extra second to help open up better ones. He's no slouch as a shooter, either. Countless opponents have made the mistake of trying to cut off his passes only to leave their goalies in helpless positions after Cristall fooled them. For as entertaining as he has been in the WHL, there are questions about how he will look in the NHL. For a guy of his small stature he isn't a high-end skater, which is a concerning one-two punch. While he can use elusive footwork to sometimes help get him out of trouble in tight spaces, his acceleration and top speed are both sorely lacking. He has a hard time keeping up defensively. It's worth mentioning that he is whip-smart and incredibly driven, so he'll be aware of what parts of his game he needs to fix and will keep putting in the work to continue improving.

5. Vincent Iorio

Iorio has been overlooked by many due to his stat line never really jumping off the page. And yet he’s a mobile, puck-moving defender with a real chance to have a legit NHL career. He moves very well, utilizing his edges to navigate the neutral zone or to dance along the blue line. He moves the puck so well, making crisp, clean passes from anywhere on the ice. Drafted 55th overall in 2021, the right-handed defender already had three WHL seasons under his belt. He spent just one more with the Brandon Wheat Kings before joining the AHL Hershey Bears last season. He also earned a call-up for a few games with the Capitals and should see more this season. The defender is well on his way to becoming a skilled bottom-four defender.

6. Ryan Chesley

Chesley heard his name called 37th overall in 2022 after an impressive season with the USNTDP. He made the move to the NCAA last season with the University of Minnesota and found some challenges with his offensive output, especially playing in a more depth role. He’ll likely see additional ice time next season, so it remains to be seen if his offensive game can take a step forward. Chesley can bring offensive production, but he leans more toward the defensive side of the game. He keeps a very active stick and defends the rush very well. His defensive awareness is high. He also skates well and is no stranger to moving the puck around, but his offensive output is likely to be limited at the next level. He has the potential to develop into a reliable, two-way, depth defender.

7. Alexander Suzdalev

Suzdalev has an interesting backstory of having played for both Team Sweden and Team Russia on the international stage, as he maintains dual citizenship. Drafted 70th overall in 2022, the Capitals selected him from HV71’s junior program, where he produced over a point per game. He headed overseas last season to the WHL’s Regina Pats and had the opportunity to play with Connor Bedard. That resulted in him leading all rookies in goals (38), assists (48), and points (86). He’s a skilled, playmaking winger who shows the ability to control the pace of play. His handling of the puck stands out, as though he has the puck on a string quite often. He’s not always consistent in his effort, as is sometimes seen with young offensive talents. He has the skill to be a middle-six forward, but if he can’t find that missing consistency, could cap himself as a depth option.

8. Alexander Alexeyev

It’s been a long road for Alexeyev, but the journey is starting to pay off. Selected 31st overall in 2018, the Russian defender was finishing up his second WHL season, taking a notable step forward in his development. He played one more season there with the Red Deer Rebels, again showing promising potential. He made the jump to the AHL in 2019-20, adjusting well to the faster, harder game. He went home to Russia to start the 2020-21 season, on loan with KHL Salavat Yulaev Ufa. Alexeyev returned to the AHL to finish the year and has been there ever since, seeing significant NHL time last season. He’s been plagued by injuries throughout his development but still seems to be on the right track. A big, physical defender who can chip in offensively, he should stick in the NHL as a bottom-pairing blueliner.

9. Clay Stevenson

One of the oldest prospects in the Capitals system, Stevenson has had to be patient in his road to the pros. An undrafted netminder, Stevenson came up through the BCHL where he spent three seasons, including a dominant final year, earning recognition as the top goaltender in the league. He moved on to NCAA Dartmouth College but lost his freshman year due to the pandemic. After one collegiate season, posting a .922 save percentage, the Capitals came calling, signing him to an entry-level deal. He mainly played in the ECHL last season but also received a handful of AHL games where he looked very strong. Goaltenders tend to bloom late, and the Capitals have landed an intriguing one. He’ll need time in the minors to determine his ceiling, but at this point, he looks like a solid AHLer who could earn the occasional call-up.

10. Ludwig Persson

Drafted 85th overall in 2022, Persson has spent the last three seasons (including the current campaign) seeming always on the verge of making the jump to the SHL. Instead, he spent two strong seasons in the J20 Nationell and last season on loan in the HockeyAllsvenskan. It might very well have been his last season in Sweden, as he signed his entry-level deal in November 2022. The winger is an intelligent, offensive talent who can drive a line. The issue is that he doesn’t always take advantage of that, sitting on the sidelines and letting his teammates take over. He has a hard, quick release and a soft touch on his passes. The potential is there but he comes with a low floor as much as a high ceiling. The best-case scenario would be a middle-six role, but he may settle in as an AHL/depth option.

11. Joaquim Lemay

Lemay has been all over the place in recent years, traveling from minor hockey in Quebec, to prep school, the BCHL, USHL, and finally the University of Nebraska-Omaha last season. A competitive two-way defender, he had a solid freshman year and looks the part of a potential NHL defender.

12. Bogdan Trineyev

The big power winger will finally make the jump to North America full time this season. Consistency has been an issue in Russia, but the skill is real and the physicality is intriguing. Hockey sense is the question mark.

13. Ethen Frank

A member of the AHL’s All Rookie team last year, Frank potted 30 for the Bears playing on an AHL deal. Now signed by the Caps to an NHL contract, Frank has his sights set on making the Washington roster. Not only can he rifle the puck, but he’s lightning quick, too.

14. Ryan Hofer

A big, physical two-way center, Hofer had a solid OA year split between Everett and Kamloops in the WHL. Skating is always going to be a question mark, but he has enough tools to be an eventual bottom six contributor.

15. Cam Allen

Allen is coming off a highly disappointing draft year that saw him fall from being a potential lottery selection to waiting until the fifth round to hear his name called. The tools are all there, but the decision making needs to improve. How much better will he be this year for Guelph without the weight of the draft on his shoulders?

16. Matthew Phillips

Out of Calgary, it will be interesting to see how Phillips fares in a new organization. There’s absolutely no doubt that he can score in the AHL. He’s been one of the better offensive players there in recent years. He needs to be in a scoring line role to succeed.

17. Brent Johnson

Highly touted coming out of the USHL, Johnson struggled mightily through two years at North Dakota. After transferring to Ohio State, can he get his future back on track? He can quarterback a powerplay and could put up big numbers with the Buckeyes this year.

18. David Gucciardi

Strong skating blueliner who took on a larger role with Michigan State last year as a sophomore. The numbers don’t jump off the page, but Gucciardi has intriguing tools that could help him become a solid pro down the line.

19. Jake Karabela

Another Guelph Storm member who had a poor year, Karabela is a strong skating two-way forward whose offensive game really stagnated last season. This season is an opportunity to prove to Washington that he deserves a contract and can be a future pro.

20. Hardy Haman Aktell

An SHL champion with Vaxjo last season, Aktell emerged as one of the top defenders in the SHL. This turned into a contract with Washington this offseason. He may have to start the year in the AHL, but he could move up quickly if he performs well.

MCKEEN’S 2023 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #27 Washington Capitals

Josh Bell — Fri, 12 May 2023 17:39:02 +0000

Prospect System Ranking – 27^th

Stanley Cup winners in 2018, the Capitals lost in the first round the following four seasons, and finally missed this year. This led to a minor reset trading veterans Garnet Hathaway and Dmitri Orlov for three picks, including Boston’s first, plus Craig Smith (UFA 2023). They traded that 1^st along with Erik Gustafsson to the Leafs for promising defenseman Rasmus Sandin, who made an immediate impact upon arrival. Marcus Johansson and Lars Eller were moved for picks in 2024 (3^rd) and 2025 (2^nd). Alexander Ovechkin is signed for another four seasons as he pursues Wayne Gretzky’s goal scoring record, it is hard to imagine a scenario where the team does not look to add pieces for another playoff run. They have question marks, such as Nicklas Backstrom’s health after offseason hip surgery limited him to 21 games this season. Evgeniy Kuznetsov has requested a trade, after an uninspired season.

They do have two promising prospects, despite their overall ranking, in Henrix Lapierre and Ivan Miroschnichenko (ranked 70^th and 77^th respectively by McKeen’s). They both have had health concerns. Lapierre from injury, which slowed his development, but had a productive season in Hershey as a two-way forward with elite vision. Miroschnichenko missed much of last season with a Hodgkins Lymphona diagnosis prior to his draft year. Considered a potential top 10 or even top five pick, he fell to 20^th. He comes over to North America this season but will need some seasoning. They have graduated four players, but the results have been mixed. Only Martin Fehervary is making an impact in the NHL at the moment. They have hopes Connor McMichael can play a role, but results so far suggest a depth player, rather than an impact.

NEWARK, NJ - OCTOBER 04: Washington Capitals center Hendrix Lapierre (29) during the pre-season National Hockey League game between the New Jersey Devils and the Washington Capitals on October 4, 2021 at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire)

Hendrix Lapierre

It was a tough road for Hendrix Lapierre, suffering multiple concussions and struggling at times to find his game after that. He had a very strong rookie season in the QMJHL, winning Offensive Rookie of the Year. But after that injuries set in, and he missed almost all of his draft year. Still, the Washington Capitals took a chance, drafting him 22nd overall. He spent two more years in the Q, playing well but never taking off. He joined the AHL’s Hersey Bears this season where he’s been one of the more productive forwards, bringing a two-way presence to the ice. He is a highly talented playmaker, thanks to his borderline elite vision. He can shoot as well, although often looks for the pass first. He skates well, drives a line, and is reliable in his own end. There’s second-line potential here if everything falls into place.

2. Ivan Miroshnichenko

Ivan Mirosnichenko was once considered a top-three selection in the 2022 NHL Draft but after a slow start to his draft year and then a Hodgkin’s lymphoma diagnosis, he slid all the way to 20th where the Washington Capitals were waiting. He ended up missing a large portion of last season but is back on the ice this season, a great sign after his diagnosis. He spent a large portion of his season in the KHL with Avangard Omsk but also saw time in the VHL and MHL. He also has a strong international resume with Team Russia, including captaining Russia to a gold medal at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He has a pro frame and moves very well on the ice, thanks to some powerful strides. He’s a dynamic offensive asset, able to fire a hard wrister or show off an impressive pass. He has very soft, controlled hands. He still has top six potential but may take some time. He signed a three-year entry level contract with the Capitals continuing his journey in North America this coming season.

3. Vincent Iorio

Vincent Iorio is a player that many seem to overlook due to his stat line never really jumping off the page. And yet he’s a mobile, puck-moving defender. That has caused the casual fan to pause on Iorio, but there’s a player here. He moves very well, utilizing his edges to navigate the neutral zone or to dance along the blue line. He moves the puck so well, making crisp, clean passes from anywhere on the ice. Drafted 55th overall in the 2021 NHL Draft, the right-handed defender already had three WHL seasons under his belt. He spent just one more with the Brandon Wheat Kings before joining the Hershey Bears in the AHL this season. He also earned a call-up for a few games with the Capitals this season. The defender is well on his way to becoming a skilled bottom-four defender.

4. Ryan Chesley

Selected in the most recent draft, Ryan Chesley had his name called 37th overall in 2022 after an impressive season with the USNTDP. He’s made the move to the NCAA this season with the University of Minnesota and found some challenges with his offensive output, especially playing in a more depth role. He’ll likely see some additional ice time next season so it will remain to be seen if his offensive game can take a step forward. Chesley can bring some production, but he leans more toward the defensive side of the game. He keeps a very active stick and defends the rush very well. His defensive awareness is high. He moves well too though and is no stranger to moving the puck around, but his offensive output is likely to be limited at the next level. Still, he has the potential to become a reliable, two-way, depth defender.

5. Alexander Alexeyev

It’s been a long road for Alexander Alexeyev, but it seems like it’s starting to pay off. Selected 31st overall in the 2018 NHL Draft, the Russian defender was finishing up his second WHL season, taking a notable step forward in his development. He played one more season there with the Red Deer Rebels, again showing some promising potential. In 2019-20 he made the jump to the AHL, adjusting well to the faster, harder game. He went home to Russia to start the 2020-21 season, playing on loan in the KHL with Salavat Yulaev Ufa. He returned to the AHL to finish the year and has been there since, seeing significant NHL time this season. He’s been plagued with some injuries throughout his development but seems to be on the right track still. A big, physical defender that can chip in offensively, the defender should stick in the NHL as a bottom-pairing defender.

6. Alexander Suzdalev

Alexander Suzdalev has an interesting story of having played for both Team Sweden and Team Russia on the international stage, maintaining dual citizenship. Drafted 70th overall in the 2022 NHL Draft, the Capitals selected him from the J20 Nationell and HV71 J20, where he played at over a point per game. He came overseas this season to the WHL’s Regina Pats and had the opportunity to play with Connor Bedard. That resulted in him leading all rookies in goals (38), assists (48), and points (86). He’s a skilled, playmaking winger that shows the ability to control the pace of play. His handling of the puck stands out, seeming as though he has the puck on a string quite often. He’s not always consistent in his effort, as is sometimes seen with young offensive talents. He has the skill to be a middle-six forward, but if he can’t find that missing consistency, could cap himself as a depth option.

7. Clay Stevenson

One of the oldest prospects in the Capitals system, Clay Stevenson has had to be patient in his road to the pros. An undrafted netminder, Stevenson came up through the BCHL where he spent three seasons, including a dominant final year, earning recognition as the top goaltender in the league. He moved on to Dartmouth College in the NCAA but lost his freshman year due to the pandemic. After one season in the league, posting a .922 save percentage, the Capitals came calling, signing him to an entry-level deal. He mainly played in the ECHL this season but did play a handful of AHL games where he looked very strong. Goaltenders tend to bloom late, and the Capitals have landed an intriguing one. He’ll need time in the minors to determine his ceiling, but at this point, he looks like a solid AHL goalie who could earn the occasional call-up.

8. Ludwig Persson

Drafted 85th overall in the 2022 NHL Draft, Ludwig Persson has spent the last three seasons (including the current campaign) seeming always on the verge of making the jump to the SHL. Instead, he spent two strong seasons in the J20 Nationell and spent this season on loan in the HockeyAllsvenskan. It may very well be his last season in Sweden though, having signed his entry-level deal in November 2022. The winger is an intelligent, offensive talent that can drive a line. The issue is that he doesn’t always take advantage of that, seeming to sit in the sidelines and let his teammates take over. He has a hard, quick release and a soft touch on his passes. The potential is there but he does come with a low floor as much as a high ceiling. The best-case scenario would be a middle-six role, but he may settle in as an AHL/depth option.

9. Joaquim Lemay

A mid-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft at 119th overall, Joaquin Lemay has gotten used to being a rookie in recent years. You’d have to go back to 2018-19 to find a season where he played with the same team for a second season. He went from playing AAA to the BCHL to the USHL’s Lincoln Stars, to the NCAA this season with the University of Nebraska-Omaha. He’s currently a two-way defender but as this season has shown, he likely leans more toward a defensive role if he is to move up. He does defend well, playing a physical game and angling out very well. He does show flashes of offense, especially in his playmaking, but lacks creativity in that department. He’ll need some time to develop but has the potential to become a strong depth defender. It will depend on how he can adjust his game to fit what’s needed of him.

10. Bogdan Trineyev

Selected 117th overall in the 2020 NHL Draft, Bogdan Trineyev was coming off his second season in the MHL, taking a big step forward but not exactly stealing glances from scouts. His development since being drafted has been slow, splitting time between the MHL and VHL in 2020-21 and the MHL and KHL in 2021-22 before sticking in the KHL this season. Upon his season in Russia ending, he joined the AHL’s Hershey Bears for what should be a deep playoff run. He’s a power forward that’s seemed to finally grow into his frame, but he does lack the offensive skill that you’d hope for with his playing style. He’s been improving on his defensive side of the puck though and may develop into a role player. The base is there, but there’s no real defining trait that will carry him to the NHL. He seems more likely to become an AHLer at this point.

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – WASHINGTON CAPITALS – Top 20 Prospects

Sun, 18 Sep 2022 22:50:31 +0000

1 - Hendrix Lapierre C

Hendrix Lapierre is a pure playmaker drafted 22^nd overall by the Washington Capitals at the 2020 NHL Draft. Some executives mentioned back then that they would not have taken Lapierre in the first round due to his concussion problems. However, the Caps did not have the same line of thought. Lapierre, at some point during the beginning of his junior career, would always never shoot the puck: he was always looking for a pass. However, he did round out his game recently as he had 21 goals and 30 assists last season with the Acadie-Bathurst Titans. On top of that, He’s an extremely gifted stickhandler that can weave his way through an entire team. It was his high skill level that caught the attention of the Capitals as they gave him an early season six game audition this past season (that saw Lapierre score his first career NHL goal). Now aged out of the QMJHL, Lapierre will attempt to crack the Capitals full time this season. More than likely, he will need some additional seasoning in the AHL to help him round out his game as a more complete player. However, there is no doubting Lapierre’s upside as a future top six player for Washington. - EB

2 - Ivan Miroshnichenko LW

Miroshnichenko was the 20th selection by the Washington Capitals in the 2022 draft. The Capitals are confident that this is the kind of player who can become the team’s future goal scoring leader following in the footsteps of countryman Alex Ovechkin. There were high expectations for Miroshnichenko in the 2021-22 season, as he was expected to be one of the top players available heading into the draft year. Despite the fact that the previous season was not outstanding for Miroshnichenko, he was able to show the world his warrior character by overcoming all difficulties, particularly his battle with cancer. Although the decision to select Miroshnichenko in the first round may have been a risky decision, the club sees great promise in Miroshnichenko and believes in his talent. Miroshnichenko is a technically skilled sniper. He played last season in the VHL (2nd men’s league in Russia) and finished among his team’s top five scorers. He possesses excellent technical skating as he is a wide and fast skater. Miroschnichenko also has great stick-handling ability, which he pairs with a very good wrist shot and excellent slap shot. He uses his shooting arsenal correctly. A physical player, he's got a mature game and will play through contact to make a play. Consistency is an issue he will look to correct, and his defensive play does need to improve as he has a tendency to chase and lose his man. A potential future top six scorer, Miroshnichenko is expected to be able to play in the NHL as early as the 2023-24 season at the end of his current contract in Russia. - DB

3 - Ryan Chesley D

Ryan Chesley was a divisive prospect during the 2022 draft cycle, with many debates being heard about the true nature of his NHL upside. Chesley’s offensive production at the U.S. National Team Development Program was underwhelming, and many have wondered if that’s an indication that he just doesn’t have the skill level to be more than a defensive specialist at the next level. But while his abilities in one zone are the subject of fierce debate, Chesley’s value in the other two zones generates more consensus. Starting with the defensive zone, Chesley’s value is more readily apparent. He’s a mobile defenseman, able to close on pucks and incoming defenders in a timely fashion. He’s a physical player who willingly engages in board battles and has unleashed some rattling hits. He’s not a massive defenseman but standing at six feet tall he has enough size to play the sort of defensive style he prefers. In the neutral zone, Chesley’s abilities puck skills combined with his skating give him definite transition value, and while some might mistakenly typecast him as a stay-at-home, throwback defender Chesley is absolutely a fit for what the modern NHL expects from its blueliners. The issue with Chesley lies in the way he sees the game. Too often, Chesley’s ability to make the right reads at the right times betrays him, and that has kept him from achieving the sort of heights as a prospect his tools would indicate he can reach. With the proper development, he could become a valuable two-way defenseman in a team’s top-four, but he needs some work to get there. - EH

4 - Aliaksei Protas C

In his first full season with the Capitals organization, Protas managed to suit up for 33 games, performing admirably. The 6’6”, 225-pound mammoth certainly has size, but his maturity and ability to responsibly play a lower line role paid out in spades for the 2019 3^rd round draft pick. His strong start with Hershey of the AHL moved him up the list of call-ups very quickly in a year where the Capitals introduced more rookies to the line-up than had in years. This shouldn’t be surprising for Protas after he broke out with the WHL Prince Albert Raiders in 19-20 and then followed that up with considerable step in development in the 20-21 season. He potted 10 goals in the KHL for Dinamo Minsk, which tied him for first among U20 players in Russia’s top league That was followed by a 16-game stint with Hershey in which he accumulated another seven points. As his size and ever-increasing weight would indicate, Protas can be an absolute handful down low, and this was evident even at the NHL level this year. His movement to the net combined with a propensity for cycling in the corners makes him difficult to defend against. He also uses his body very well to protect the puck. Just how far he goes will be determined by his progress in the skating department. He is already at a point where he can swim at the NHL level. A gig with the Capitals is not a guarantee heading into this season. – CL

5 - Alexander Alexeyev D

The road to an NHL spot has been a bumpy one for Washington’s 2018 first rounder. After spending the majority of the 20-21 season on loan to KHL Salavat, putting up 17 points in 64 total games, he concluded that season on a high note with nine points and a +11 in 12 games with AHL Hershey. An extremely solid player who presents a fine balance between his responsibilities on the defensive side and his acumen in supporting the attack, Alexeyev spent nearly the entire 21-22 season in the AHL. Much had been expected last season, but he barely doubled his AHL season over season despite playing over five times as many games. Even though he was considered a defensively oriented defenseman, his accumulation of exactly one goal presented quite the letdown in light of the steps he had taken in prior seasons. Thought to be on the cusp of an NHL spot this time last year, Alexeyev heads into the 22-23 season facing great competition in taking the next step. Internal competitor Martin Fehervary appears to have earned himself a spot in the line-up moving forward and Washington made several veteran depth signings while also adding former first rounder Gabriel Carlsson this summer. With this in mind, Alexeyev heads into camp needing to push Washington’s hand or Hershey will be his destination once again for his third and final season of his ELC. – CL

6 - Bogdan Trineyev

Trineyev is easy to notice with his mobility and big frame, along with effortless puck control and a strong shot from the right-hand side, all making it easy to see why Washington has made a bet on his upside. On the other hand, he is coming off a very uneven season, as after a good start and earning decent minutes in the KHL he suffered a broken thumb, which sidelined him for a lengthy stretch. After recovering from that he found himself back in junior hockey, where he looked good, but he also left the impression that he didn’t want to be there. After the season ended, Trineyev signed an entry-level deal with the Capitals and even managed to play couple of AHL games on a tryout agreement with Hershey. It might still be too early in his development to succeed in North American hockey, as he needs to add maturity and well-roundedness to his game, and he also needs to further fill his frame. It was no big surprise when it was announced that Trineyev would be loaned back to Dynamo Moscow for the 2022-23 season, to better prepare him for his hopefully brighter future. It would be a safe bet to see the big winger come back to North America after the KHL season ends in April, to see how the added time at home better prepared him for life in the AHL. The NHL is still a very realistic future goal. - VF

7 - Jake Karabela C

The 149th selection in the 2022 NHL Draft, Jake Karabela didn’t have many expectations coming into the season, but he quickly made an impression and was able to become a utility knife for the Storm. He adapted to different roles, played with different teammates up and down the lineup, and was able to play both on the wing and centre when needed and was effective consistently wherever he played. Karabela plays a pretty simple game, but he’s very effective at what he does. He makes smart decisions with and without the puck consistently and has great awareness, finding open space to make it easier on teammates. He’s able to play a strong 200ft game and compete hard every shift. Like others, Karabela missed the 2020-2021 season due to the Covid-19 shutdown. In the 2021-2022 season, Karabela finished with 45 points (12G,33A) in 68 games, which was 7th in the league for assists by a rookie and 4th on the team in points. Karabela’s best assets are his puck handling and competitiveness. He’s able to beat opponents one-on-one with deception and quick hands and has the ability to protect the puck and drive through traffic, being able to get many chances in the slot and near the net. Karabela has a motor that never quits on a play, showing great determination to finish a play. He displays great energy along the boards and gives himself a chance to win every puck battle. Going into the 2022-2023 season, Karabela will look to increase his point totals and become a lock in the top six. - DK

8 - Alexander Suzdalev LW

Suzdalev was recently selected 70^th overall by the Washington Capitals in the 2022 NHL draft. He is known mainly for his playmaking ability. His hands are silky with the puck, which allows him to make last second plays in tight. He also has a good combination of size (6’2”) and speed. He is able to generate speed through his skating stride, however he has also proven his ability to slow the game down when necessary. This past season, Suzdalev had polar opposite play between his time with HV71 in the J20 league and his international play. In the J20, he showed his polished playmaking ability by finishing with 36 assists and 51 points in 45 games. That was enough for Suzdalev to finish in the top 10 in scoring for the J20. On the other hand, he struggled in international play, especially at the U18 tournament in April, where he looked sloppy and was held pointless. Ultimately for someone his size, he could benefit from attacking the middle of the ice more, rather than always playing along the boards. He also would benefit from adding strength to his current frame. This could improve his puck protection and his ability to generate speed through his first stride. Next season, there is a strong chance he plays in the WHL for the Regina Pats. This could be an extreme plus for Suzdalev as he is known for his playmaking ability and may have the chance to play with the expected 1^st overall pick in 2023, the prolific goal scorer Connor Bedard. - ZS

9 - Brent Johnson D

Brent Johnson hasn’t had the easiest transition to college hockey since being drafted 80th overall by the Capitals at the 2021 NHL draft. The five-foot-eleven Johnson had surgery before his freshman year that impacted his readiness and ability to play at 100% for the University of North Dakota last season. As a result, Johnson’s role was limited last season and his effectiveness was limited as well. Johnson’s best tool is his skating, and he can absolutely move around the ice quite well. Johnson’s mobility gives him upside on both ends of the ice, especially as someone who can help his team exit the defensive zone and enter the offensive zone. On the rush, his speed also allows him to maintain proper gap control With that being said, the strength of his skating isn’t backed up by major strengths in other areas of his game. Johnson’s decision-making can be lacking at times, and his overall defensive impact was quite poor last season, despite his skating. It’s not that he’s simply being overwhelmed and is unable to handle the responsibilities of being a defenseman in the NCAA, it’s more that Johnson’s attempts to make sound defensive plays weren’t often successful and his lack of size and strength left him ill-equipped to handle larger forwards. Johnson’s season in the USHL was promising, though, and he’s a project. If he can make tangible steps to improve other areas of his game in college, his mobility can be the tool that makes him a notable pro prospect. But he has work to do. His progress will definitely be something to watch for those who follow Capitals prospects. - EH

10 - Joaquim Lemay D

Joaquim Lemay had only played fifteen games at the Junior A level in his draft season, but that didn’t stop the Washington Capitals from using a fourth-round pick to nab Lemay at the 2021 NHL draft. Their scouts obviously saw something in Lemay that most others didn’t, as he barely registered in media rankings and was ranked 224th among North American Skaters by NHL Central Scouting for the 2021 draft. After Lemay’s debut USHL season, it’s become a lot clearer why the Capitals felt confident enough to select him despite Lemay receiving very little outside attention. Lemay was an instant-impact two-way defenseman for the Lincoln Stars, flashing talent on both ends of the ice. Like fellow Capitals prospect Brent Johnson, Lemay’s best attribute is his skating talent. He’s an incredibly mobile defenseman, and his skating ability is the foundation of his game that he builds the rest of his habits on. Lemay is more than just his feet, too. He is a facilitator when he’s in the offensive zone and should contribute on the power play at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. As one would expect, Lemay’s defensive game is more about zone exits, closing out on pucks quickly, and using his speed to cover ground and get into passing lanes as they develop. The bottom line with Lemay is that his skating is good enough to make him a legitimate NHL prospect, and if he can build off of that tool at the college level and become an offensive difference-maker, he could rise quickly in the Capitals’ prospect rankings. - EH

11 - Vincent Iorio

Iorio’s calling card at the next level might be in the defensive end, but the WHL defender is coming off of a strong offensive season. A strong skating right shot defender with size, Iorio is likely to start playing in the AHL this year, however he could also be sent back to the WHL for an overage year.

12 - Axel Jonsson-Fjallby

The speedy winger stands out most in a high energy role and as a penalty killer. He has a chance to make the Capitals full time this season in that exact role.

13 - Lucas Johansen

Injuries have derailed the former first round pick’s development thus far. But Johansen was finally healthy last season and responded with a strong season for Hershey. He could be a sneaky candidate for a roster spot this season.

14 - David Gucciardi

Gucciardi’s freshman season at Michigan State was a success, making him a draft selection of Washington in 2022. An excellent powerplay QB because of his mobility, Gucciardi still needs to work on his decision making at both ends.

15 - Fabian Wagner

An intriguing athlete, Wagner’s draft season was mired in inconsistency. His upside may be a little clearer after this coming season in the Linkoping program.

16 - Mitchell Gibson

Gibson, the starting netminder at Harvard, will return for another season with the Ivy league program. He has been solid so far and will look to become one of the better goaltenders in the NCAA this season to increase his stock in the system.

17 - Chase Clark

The big netminder ended last season on a high note with Muskegon in the USHL and will now try to secure consistent playing time at Quinnipiac as a freshman this season.

18 - Clay Stevenson

A free agent signing out of Darthmouth after a single NCAA season, the Capitals are intrigued by Stevenson’s combination of size and athleticism in the crease. It will be interesting to see what the team’s goaltending development coaches can do with him.

19 - Garrett Pilon

This is a make-or-break season in the Capitals system for Pilon. The son of former NHL’er Rich Pilon is a competitive power forward, but his lack of pace has held him back thus far.

20 - Ludwig Persson

A 2022 draft pick by Washington, Persson had a disappointing draft year after being thought of as one of Sweden’s top players in the draft class previously. He has speed to burn but his offensive capabilities may be more limited than previously thought.

2021-22 TOP 15 PROSPECTS: WASHINGTON CAPITALS – RANK: #28 – TIER VI

McKeen's Hockey — Sat, 11 Sep 2021 12:20:36 +0000

Washington Capitals

#28 Washington - Washington has been trying to add some higher end players of late, but not enough of them. There may not be ten real future NHLers in this system.

Connor McMichael

Connor McMichael

It was an excellent development year for McMichael, especially given the circumstances surrounding his first pro season (thrust into the AHL as a 19-year-old because of the OHL’s cancellation). McMichael finished the season as Hershey’s leading scorer and was subsequently named to the AHL’s All-Rookie team. The 2019 first round selection has put himself firmly in competition for NHL playing time as early as this upcoming season.

The former London Knights star has the potential to be an extremely versatile player. He can play any forward position. He has the intelligence level to play in any situation. And he is a more than competent finisher, due to a great wrist shot and scoring instincts. While he may not project as a first line all-star at the NHL level, he does have a chance of becoming a consistent 20-goal scorer and someone who can play a middle six role for Washington in the near and distant future. Look for him to split the year between the AHL and NHL this upcoming season, likely serving as the Capitals’ top injury call-up. In that situation, he should establish himself as an NHL regular by the time the 2022/23 season comes along. - BO

Hendrix Lapierre

How good it feels to see a healthy Hendrix Lapierre! This past season Lapierre finally managed to distance himself from his previous injuries. Visually, he appeared much better equipped to play a more physically engaged brand of hockey. He was sturdier, stronger and he looked like he had added serious lower body power. It had been a difficult season for everyone last year (COVID-19), but especially so for Lapierre. He earned the nickname "King of Quarantines" after spending 63 days in administrative quarantine during the season, split between the camp for Junior Team Canada, the pro camp in Washington and a return to Chicoutimi with his junior team.

It was an emotional season for the young man from Aylmer, Quebec too. A heartbreaking cut at Team Canada junior selection camp, a surprise invitation to the Capitals camp, a trade after the season (In the QMJHL), etc. His periods of isolation (quarantine) had to be difficult, and it did prevent him from finding consistency early on. But he got better over the year, finally living up to some of his hype. A highly skilled player, Lapierre has the talent to be a top six forward for the Capitals in a few seasons. He will play this year with the AB Titan and should be among the leading scorers in the QMJHL. He just needs another year without injuries. - BB

Alexander Alexeyev

Despite Alexeyev being a first round pick back in 2019 and leaving a very good impression at every level where he has played so far, somehow, he continues to fly under the radar and is rarely mentioned in the conversation as an elite level prospect. Playing on loan to the KHL to start last season, Alexeyev was quick to adjust to the KHL game again after playing in North America the previous four seasons (WHL and AHL). Alexeyev showed that he doesn't have a lot of weaknesses and was very good at finding the balance between the defensive responsibilities and supporting the attack offensively. When the KHL season ended, Alexeyev returned to the AHL a more confident offensive player, which was converted to improved offensive production.

While the Capitals plans are unclear for their bottom pairing this upcoming season, Alexeyev will have to beat out NHL veteran Trevor Van Riemsdyk or fellow prospect Martin Fehevary for a role. He is likely ready to play on the third pairing right away after a very successful 2020/21 season. His potential probably lies on the Capital’s second pairing in the future, where he can play a variety of roles and be a steady presence on the blueline. - VF

Martin Fehervary

A former second round selection by the Capitals in 2018, Fehervary has progressed very well since. The former captain of the Slovak World Junior Team, Fehervary took an unconventional road by playing out of Sweden for the majority of his junior career. However, since signing and coming to play in North America two seasons ago, Fehervary has established himself as one of Washington’s top prospects. In his first pro year, he actually got into a couple NHL games, including a few in the playoffs for the Capitals. Last season, he played strictly in the AHL, but played very well, improving his offensive production, while remaining one of Hershey’s best defensive players.

The 6’2, 203lbs defender is a rock in the defensive end. His defensive instincts are sound. He brings a physical element. His high-end mobility makes him a suffocating presence and someone who should be able to at least fill a shutdown role at the NHL level. However, Fehervary’s confidence in using his plus skating ability to start the breakout and his confidence in his puck handling abilities have grown considerably in the last calendar year. He appears primed for an NHL role as early as this season, but he will need to beat out veterans like Trevor Van Riemsdyk and Matt Irwin for a spot on the third pairing. Fehervary projects as a second pairing defensive anchor and a long time NHL defender. - BO

Aliaksei Protas

A year after a breakout campaign with the Prince Albert Raiders of the WHL, hulking Belarussian forward Aliaksei Protas followed that up with a very strong performance in 2020/21. His 10 goals in the KHL for Dinamo Minsk were tied for the most by any U20 player in the top men’s league with Columbus first round pick Yegor Chinakhov. Following the KHL season, he joined Hershey of the AHL and performed admirably in a smaller sample size. Then to close out the year, he played for Belarus at the World Championships.

The 6’6, 215 lbs center is an absolute load to handle down low for opposing defenses, as he dominates the cycle game and works his way to the net. Not really your typical power forward, Protas relies more on his skill and puck protection ability to create in traffic. The key for him is to continue putting in the work to improve his skating ability. He will likely spend the entire upcoming season in the AHL, adjusting to the pace and strength of the pro game in North America. Protas projects as a middle six forward for Washington but will likely require several years of development before being ready for a full-time role. - BO

Garrett Pilon

Slow and steady wins the race. That saying certainly personifies Pilon’s professional development thus far in Washington’s system. The former WHL standout (and son to former NHL pugilist Rich Pilon) has slowly improved over the course of three seasons with Hershey of the AHL, finally breaking through as a top contributor last season. As a reward, Pilon was even given a small taste of NHL action. Now eligible for waivers this season, the Capitals will have a decision to make this training camp.

The highlight of Pilon’s game has always been the stocky center’s two-way play and awareness on the ice. A high-end playmaker, he has finally gained the confidence to be more creative at the AHL level and has learned how to control the pace from the middle, becoming a difficult player to separate from the puck. The finer points to his game, like his faceoff ability, strong neutral zone play, and positional versatility, make him a great candidate to earn a depth role on the Capitals this season. Given his progression, it seems unlikely that the Caps would risk sending him through waivers unless he really struggles at training camp. His upside may not be significant, but he does have the potential to be a high-end checking line player or depth option moving forward. - BO

Vincent Iorio

A 6’3, right shot defender, Iorio was a rock for a strong Brandon Wheat Kings team this past season. A late born ‘02, Iorio emerged as an all-situations, minute-cruncher for Brandon, anchoring the second pair behind New York Rangers first round pick Braden Schneider. Iorio is the modern day shut down defender, blending size, mobility, and physicality to stymie attackers. Using his strong four-way quickness, Iorio is aggressive in defending transitional attacks, stepping up early to angle attackers off, always minding a tight gap. Iorio is also a highly intelligent defender who makes a good outlet pass and possesses good awareness at both ends of the ice. This is what allows him to excel at the WHL level in all situations.

That said, Iorio’s game does appear to have some limitations. His even strength production was pretty limited, with the majority of his points coming on the powerplay. He is at his best when he keeps things simple because he does not possess the creativity or hands to be a topflight puck mover. The Capitals are likely hoping that Iorio’s offensive skill set can continue to blossom with Brandon and that he can eventually become a really solid #4 defender for them in the future. - McKeen’s Draft Guide 2021

Brent Johnson

Johnson is a toolsy defender, who even likes to play rough, despite his clear size disadvantage. He throws his body around, gets involved in scrums regularly, and often defends with an ornery edge. That said, Johnson’s best strengths come in the offensive end. His speed allows him to drive the transition, and he looks impressive carrying the puck up the ice. He isn’t the type to engage very deep in the offensive zone, but can control play rather well from the point, with quick and accurate puck movement from high to low, or a solid shot. Even though he comes across as an offensive-minded defender, he is not absent in his own zone, and played a regular shorthanded role for the Stampede of the USHL last year.

There is a valid question of how effective he can remain at higher levels against more uniformly bigger and stronger players, but Johnson has a dynamic element that is worth gambling on, especially if his lack of a high-level resume means he will have more to show in the coming years, which will include time playing collegiately for North Dakota. He will look to bounce back this year as a freshman after shoulder surgery ended his season in 2021. - McKeen’s Draft Guide 2021

Kody Clark

When the Capitals took Kody, the son of Toronto Maple Leafs legend Wendell Clark, in the second round in 2018, the hope was that he could develop into an elite power forward not all that dissimilar from their very own Tom Wilson. Unfortunately, the offensive side of things has been fairly slow to develop. Clark never reached the point per game mark in the OHL before graduating to the AHL and his first pro season was fairly underwhelming. However, Clark’s sophomore effort last year did show marked improvement from an offensive perspective, suggesting that there could be hope yet for him to become an NHL player.

An intense physical competitor, Clark is a human missile on the forecheck. He knows his role on the ice is to cause havoc by driving the net and by forcing turnovers on the opponent’s side of the ice. While Clark is not likely to be a Tom Wilson type, he could still be a serviceable checking line player for the Capitals in a couple of seasons. Washington will be looking for Clark to continue to show improvement offensively this season in the AHL before earning a look the following year (when he is waivers eligible in 2022/23). - BO

Brett Leason

It’s been quite the meteoric rise for Leason, who was passed over twice in the NHL draft before his skating caught up to the rest of his game and he exploded on the scene in 2018-19 with a monster season that included a point-per-game stint at the world junior under-20 tournament. This resulted in Leason hearing his name called in the second round of the draft by the Washington Capitals. Since then, while the pandemic has perhaps stalled the development of many other prospects around him, Leason has continued to blossom, with two successful seasons in the AHL with the Hershey Bears. Last year was another step forward, with 20 points in 33 games for the big winger.

Leason brings size, scoring punch and the motor of a player half a foot shorter. His skating continues to improve, and his hockey sense allows him to be effective with or without the puck. He uses his massive frame well and distributes the puck well, to go with an NHL-calibre shot. He could stand to be even more physical and continue to improve his first three steps. Already 22-years-old, it would be easy to discount Leason as a potential middle-six winger at best in the NHL, but he continues to make inroads and has beaten the odds thus far. With a fairly thin prospect cupboard in front of him, it’s not a stretch to think Leason could see a cup of coffee in the NHL this upcoming season, if the stars align. - AS

Axel Jonsson-Fjallby

The upside may not be incredibly high, but Jonsson-Fjallby’s talents as a forechecker and penalty killer can be used at the NHL level. After parts of three seasons at the AHL level, the time is now for the Swedish spark plug to earn a fourth line role for the Capitals this season.

Mitchell Gibson

A former fourth round pick, Gibson had a solid freshman season for Harvard two seasons ago, establishing himself as the program’s starter. However, due to the pandemic, Harvard did not play last season, leaving Gibson with nowhere to play. He will look to get his development back on track this season as he re-assumes the starter’s role on what should be a strong Crimson team.

Garin Bjorklund

Bjorklund had an excellent post draft season with Medicine Hat (WHL) last year, as he emerged as one of the top netminders in Western Canada. Bjorklund has the skill set to be an NHL netminder and worked hard to correct some technical flaws to become a more consistent performer. He should be a contender for the WHL’s goaltender of the year this season.

Martin Has

The plan for Has was to have him play a full season in the OHL last year, after a partial year prior to that. But the pandemic had other plans and as such, Has played sparingly outside of a few international appearances for the Czech Republic (including the World Juniors). The stay-at-home defender can be an asset in the defensive end because of his strong transitional defensive ability, however his play with the puck needs to improve. His playing location this season remains a mystery, especially since he has not yet been signed by the Capitals.

Beck Malenstyn

The previous season was not a good one for the competitive and physical, former WHL winger. An achilles tear ended his season before it began and has even put the start of this season in jeopardy. Malenstyn will look to bounce back strong at some point with Hershey. He still possesses the potential to be an impact fourth liner for the Caps.

McKeen’s 2020-21 Hockey Yearbook: Washington Capitals Top 20 Prospects

Rachel Howard — Wed, 23 Dec 2020 22:30:38 +0000

McKeen's Top 20 Washington Capitals prospects for the 2020-21 season. You can read an organizational assessment prior to the draft in Ryan Wagman's article found here. Following the draft we provided a review on each teams performance based on our rankings found here.

Connor McMichael, C (25^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 1)

Few 2019 draft selections progressed as well as McMichael did this past season with London, where he went from a strong complimentary piece to the lifeblood through which the offense flowed. A strong skater, he showed much more confidence when carrying the puck, allowing him to dominate touches. He can beat you in transition because of his speed and he can beat you down low because of how well he protects the puck and how sound his decision making is. We also saw a huge improvement in his shot, especially his powerful wrist shot, and he uses different shooting angles to deceive goaltenders. McMichael also showed improved strength away from the puck, and paired with his high-end IQ, is now a strong two-way presence. Originally projecting as a winger in the NHL, he has shown enough to alter this belief. He is a very versatile player. Given the improvements he made last year, it is not impossible to see him playing in the NHL next year with the Capitals. He already skates well enough for the NHL. At this point, his projection is that of a two-way, goal scoring forward who can play inside the first two lines. – BO

Hendrix Lapierre, C (22^nd overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Lapierre battled consistency and injury issues all season, but of his high-end IQ and skill combination make him a potential steal. Originally thought to a concussion victim, it was later found to be a cervical spine issue. He has a very dynamic skill level and can make the spectacular look easy. He is smooth with the puck in transition and is a precise, pass-first center. He is a strong skater, who gets separation through excellent acceleration. He can work well along the wall and behind the net, with crisp turns, making him elusive in coverage. Lapierre is also a terrific two-way player who excels in all three zones because of his high-end hockey IQ. He uses anticipation and a quick stick to force turnovers on the backcheck, which he excels at transitioning the other way. He needs to take a step forward as a goal scorer. His game can be too predictable at times and to keep the opposition on their toes, he could stand to become a more well-rounded offensive player, shooting more often. Even despite a poor year, his potential remains high as a two-way, all situations center who can make his teammates better players. – BO

Alexander Alexeyev, D (31^st overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 2)

Alexeyev brings size (6-4”) and hockey IQ to the Washington organization. Making the jump from the WHL, he managed to make it through his first professional season with no serious injuries despite his shaky health track record. He struggled early in the beginning of the season to adjust to the pace of the AHL, but as the season went along his confidence grew and the skills that got him drafted began to show themselves, particularly in the form of his passing ability and offensive zone positioning. Alexeyev will need to demonstrate better conditioning when the next season gets underway to remain consistent throughout the full 60 minutes and he will need to find another gear to add more speed to his game. Numerous times last season opponents blew past him when driving the net and he will need to improve at keeping them to the outside. As he continues to develop and his game matures, there is little doubt that he has the overall ability to become a top pairing defenseman at the NHL level, it is simply a matter of opportunity and Alexeyev staying healthy, as he cannot sustain another serious injury without suffering major career setbacks. – SC

Martin Fehervary, D (46^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 3)

Tight competition between Fehervary and fellow Hershey Bears roommate and first round pick Alexander Alexeyev has been good for Fehervary’s development, pushing him hard in order to see results. The results of that developmental push have been evident as the lanky Slovakian has managed to impress in his rookie North American professional season, often using his tremendous skating to sail past opponents and earn scoring opportunities. He is the complete package as a future NHL defenseman; he plays a physical and rough game, can skate, carry the puck, and his defensive zone coverage is good. The only downsides come in the form of patience, passing, and decision making with the puck. He is not as well known for his passing abilities as he is for his skating and skill level and at times it was evident this past season with turnovers and missed important passes that oftentimes led to icings or offsides. Fehervary will need to tighten up his passing and work on how he moves the puck as well as when he moves it in order to be able to make the right choices in the NHL. - SC

Aliaksei Protas, C (91^st overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 4)

Protas has a very solid offensive toolkit. His unique size and frame enable him to be an elite puck protector. He can pace the game to his level and allow plays to develop. He is able to shed defenders and maintain control just a half step longer than most which dovetails perfectly with his playmaking and passing. He has excellent vision and can play the half-wall or behind the net equally comfortably. He has a deft touch and can make highlight reel passes due to his soft hands and a great ability to hit teammates in stride. His shot is above average and enables him to always be a dual threat to defend. His willingness to shoot the puck has helped his offensive game blossom. The knock on Protas was always his cumbersome footwork and lack of pace, but he has made some serious strides in that part of his game as well. He still needs to work on his overall defensive commitment and has struggled in the faceoff dot but those have improved with coaching. He is still a long-term project but the potential upside here is much higher than most expected in his draft year. - VG

Garrett Pilon, C (87^th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 5)

Standing out in the NHL will always be hard due to Pilon’s style of play. A hard-working grinder who can skate and who keeps his feet moving at all times, there is nothing particular that stands out about the way that he plays. To get too the next level, he will have to broaden his play, bettering his offensive production and puck possession skills next season. A top penalty killer using speed and determination, Pilon works hard every shift but at the next level it is about putting all of those things together and he will have to have a better, more cohesive and consistent game to earn a bottom six spot on the NHL club. He is a passionate player, and he will also need to keep his temper and frustration in check to avoid spending more time in the box than on the ice. He will be a big-league asset soon enough should he continue to put his overall game together and mature. - SC

Brian Pinho, C (174^th overall, 2013. Previous ranking: 6)

Pinho is the flashy forward with good puckhandling skills that every team has or needs. For a sixth-round selection, he has taken the long route for his development, finally coming into his own this past season, finishing top in prospect points. For his performance with the Hershey Bears, Pinho earned a spot on the Washington Capitals playoff roster and managed to also make his debut suiting up for two playoff games. Throughout the season, he was a clutch player for Hershey, often earning overtime marker and tying goals. He dominates in the offensive zone and often times earns breakaways on turnovers and long passes. That being said, he needs to work on bringing that competitive level to every game and on further developing his defensive play. With the recent call up to the Capitals, Pinho may have earned his chance at next season’s roster as a member of the bottom six. - SC

Kody Clark, RW (47^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 7)

After a decent season with the OHL Ottawa 67’s, Clark swung his talents over to the AHL’s Hershey Bears for his rookie professional season. He quickly realized that the next level would not be as smooth sailing as major junior and he was a scratch for majority of the first half of the season. Following in father Wendel’s footsteps, Clark brings the grit and offensive prowess to a mildly physical Hershey roster, but that is where his talents stop until he finds a way to keep up at the AHL pace. He is a strong skater but his puck possession was simply not there last season and he will have to find a way to get to the net if he wants to even be considered as a top priority call up option. Serving more time in the penalty box than often necessary, Clark will have to prove himself as a skilled player first more than anything in terms of next season and working his way towards a call up. He has the potential and skill to play as a bottom six forward in the NHL, but he still has a lot of learning to go before that will happen. - SC

Brett Leason, RW (56^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 8)

For a player who was passed over two years in a row in the draft, Leason has managed to defeat the odds, becoming a second-round pick for the Capitals. He has the size to play and to stay safe at the next level, proving so during his rookie season with AHL Hershey, however speed and skill is another thing. This is where the Washington offensive prospect structure starts to thin out and with Hershey last season, Leason failed to mark more than five goals, a disappointing drop from the 36 goals he scored in major junior the year before to being a healthy scratch for Hershey towards the season’s end. Leason will have to find another gear and start playing up at a professional level, as right now he is simply not fast enough to cut it and if he cannot find another gear it will be uncertain if he will ever be given a chance with the Washington Capitals as a bottom six. - SC

Lucas Johansen, D (28^th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 9)

With an expired contract and only nine games played this past season, it is unsure as to where Johansen will be playing next season. It is assumed the Capitals will re-sign him; however he has not had the best of progressions in the organization as his play has gotten worse over the course of his three seasons with the Hershey Bears. As a first-round pick, Johansen needs to perform better, he has offered little in the way of point production and the quantity of turnovers he gives up is just bad. Having missed the bulk of the season with a leg injury, Johansen will need to show that he spent the time off well to come back better than ever to prove to Capitals management that he is deserving of a call up at least. As the time goes by, the Capitals are drafting more and more high-quality defensemen and Johansen’s name is getting further and further down their organizational depth list. It is now or never to prove that his passing, hockey IQ, and composure with the puck are good enough for a bottom four spot in Washington’s lineup. - SC

Vitek Vanecek, G (39^th overall, 2014. Previous ranking: 10)

For a Washington Capitals organization which may be missing a goaltender next season with the expiring contract of incumbent starter Braden Holtby, it means that the young prospects in the system are getting their much-awaited shot. Although the current future may be Ilya Samsonov, recent backup and first call up Vitek Vanecek has the talent and hockey IQ to read NHL speed plays and the focus to get him to the next level. With a tight goaltender race, Vanecek will have to show his composure every time he gets a chance to be up with the Capitals. His quick reflexes and athleticism in the net are what set him apart from his counterparts as he is very active and aggressive in his crease, he fights for positioning well, and sees plays with good vision. His rebound control could use a little work and his timing when playing the puck can sometimes be a worrisome issue, however the Capitals look to have a promising goaltender tandem for the future as Vanecek could manage the starting role just as well as Samsonov. - SC

Axel Jonsson-Fjallby, LW (147^th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 11)

Despite starting his North American professional career off a little shaky, including a return trip to Sweden to finish the season, Jonsson-Fjallby has redeemed himself this past season, completing the full season in North America, finishing with 23 points. It is clear to see that the winger has the speed and the offensive hockey ability to make an impact at the next level when it comes to getting to the net and putting forth the necessary individual effort. That being said, he lacks instincts as a two-way player and in the defensive end, and there is little else to be said about his giveaways and ill-advised passes in the neutral zone and on breakouts. Jonsson-Fjallby is a difficult prospect to talk about because he has NHL-level skills, but his hockey sense is poor and hard to overlook. With any luck, he will find himself in a Capitals jersey within the next season as a first choice call up to a bottom six position. - SC

Damien Riat, LW (117^th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 12)

While some in the hockey world have dismissed Switzerland as a nation worth heavily scouting, the Capitals have always been believers. Look at NHLer Jonas Siegenthaler, their second-round pick in 2015, now an established NHLer. Look at Tobias Geisser, their first selection in 2017, albeit in the 4^th round. And look at Riat, taking in between the two blueliners, who signed an entry level deal with the Capitals in March after five successful seasons in the NLA. A speedy winger with intriguing puck skills, he has been the top scorer in his age cohort ever since being overshadowed by a young Auston Matthews in 2015-16, until finally being overtaken again last year. For an organization that rarely drafts out of Europe, Riat has a chance to convince the Capitals to change their scouting direction once more if he adapts well to the North American game this year. - RW

Oskar Magnusson, LW (211^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

A top scorer as a youth, Magnusson took off in his second season in SuperElit, finishing second in the league in scoring among all U18 players, behind only Carolina draft pick Zion Nybeck. Magnusson has a fine collection of offensive tools and can contribute as both a finisher as well as a playmaker. He has good instincts for the game and reads the play well, helping him to maximize his physical tools. On the other hand, he is very physically underdeveloped, and his skating is average at best. He is actually fairly explosive on his feet, but his strides are short, causing him to burn out too much energy too quickly. He earned a four game call up to Malmo’s senior side last year and is expected to have a chance to compete for a regular SHL role this season. Before even thinking of a move to North America, he will have to prove that his offense-first game can succeed against men at home in Sweden. – RW

Bobby Nardella, D (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Apr. 5, 2019. Previous ranking: 14)

At 5-9” Nardella is certainly undersized as defenseman go in professional hockey, however, do not be fooled as this crafty and highly offensive defenseman is a threat no matter where he is on the ice. He finished seventh on the Bears in points and tops for defenseman this past season, his rookie professional campaign. Having been trusted for a role on the Bears’ top powerplay unit, Nardella clearly shows his maturity and that he is focused enough to manage high pressure situations and smart enough to make the right plays. He also has the skill as a top-level skater and puckhandler to get to the net for scoring opportunities which can make him an asset in today’s game. The major downside is size and if the Capitals can get past that, rest assured that Nardella has the potential to be a top four pairing defenseman. The delay in cracking the Washington lineup simply comes from defensive depth and prospect hierarchy politics, because as a player Nardella offers nothing but good things to a team. - SC

Martin Hugo Has, D (153^rd overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 15)

A late arrival to the OHL made Has a bit of a mystery and a difficult player to evaluate. Some may wonder about why he only played a single game for the North Bay Battalion before being moved to Guelph. The answer is because the OHL has a rule that imports cannot be traded until they play at least one game for the drafting team. In Guelph, Has was eased into a top four role for the Storm, playing as a stay at home defender with partner Daniil Chayka (a top 2021 eligible player). At 6-4”, he certainly has good length and exhibits good gap control when containing the transition game of the opposition. As an offensive player, we saw Has struggle at times with his decision making and the pace of play in the OHL. It remains to be seen just how much potential he has as an NHL prospect moving forward. Next year he will return to Guelph and will likely resume his partnership with Chayka. As he becomes more comfortable, we should get a better idea of the type of player he is and can become. – BO

Garin Bjorklund, G (179^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Playing as art of a platoon with Ottawa draft pick Mads Sogaard, Bjorklund didn’t have the kind of year that scouts hoped of him, as consistency issues plagued him in his intermittent starts. Part of that may have come from not playing consistently as part of a routine. He still has the size (6-2”) and quickness to be an NHL netminder and the potential to turn it around given more regular time between the pipes. To his credit, he tracks the play well and seems to have a solid grasp of the technical nuances of the position. A former first round pick in the WHL Bantam Draft, even in his struggles, he showed flashes of pro caliber ability, but was done in too often by juicy rebounds, and seeming to lose his composure after surrendering a bad goal. Reports of his commitment to the game are promising, and, even though he was outperformed last year on the whole by the Danish second round pick, more often than not, there was little to separate the two performance-wise, and there may be a lot of room for growth in this profile. – BO

Mitchell Gibson, G (124^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 17)

If we want to search for rays of hope with Bjorklund (#17), we need look no further than Gibson, who struggled badly in his first post draft season making the adjustment from the NAHL to the USHL. Moving on to Harvard, his performance improved by several grades. Given the chance to play regularly, he took the bulk of a time-share from senior Cameron Gornet and kept the Crimson in pretty much every game, something he could not say for his time with Central Illinois. Gibson is on the smaller side for a modern netminder but moves well and fights for every puck. He did a good job at limiting second chances and has a knack for puck play as well. Where concerns remain are in his ability to track the play through traffic, where his height works against him, as well as his propensity to lose the finer details of his technique in the crease. A second season like the last one with Harvard and he will rise up this list. - RW

Beck Malenstyn, LW (145^th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 18)

Re-read everything written above about Garrett Pilon and just make him a winger instead of a center, and then lower the ceiling a fair bit. Considering how low we stated the ceiling was for Pilon, we are basically stating that Malenstyn projects as a replacement level player. His hands have promise, and he plays a hard and tough style of game, but it is hard to see him as more than an injury replacement callup. The simple fact is that his offensive contributions are meagre. Even in the WHL, he was a secondary scorer. Through two seasons in the AHL, he hasn’t exceeded 16 points, although, to be fair, he could have cracked 20 if last season wasn’t ended early due to the pandemic. He could have been a regular in the 1980s, but it is hard for players of his ilk to establish themselves in the NHL anymore, and we don’t see why Malenstyn will break that mold. - RW

Riley Sutter, RW (93^rd overall, 2018. Previous ranking: UR)

One of the few of the next generation of the Sutter family to still retain NHL hopes, Riley Sutter’s projection was stunted over the previous two injury-plagued seasons. He has always carried the grit and smarts of his father’s generation, but the knock on him, from the time of his draft year, has been his heavy feet. Now, with only 63 combined games played in the last two years, split between the WHL and AHL, his chances have taken a hit with the missed development time. We can give him a mulligan for his poor numbers in his abbreviated rookie pro season, as he has solid puck skills and reads the opposition well, but he can scarcely afford a repeat of the last two seasons. A return to health and improved performance will help Sutter re-ascend this list. Continued injuries can end his NHL hopes. He has the size and strength to play a bottom six role in the future, but he has a ways to go to achieve that goal. - RW

McKeen’s 2020-21 Hockey Yearbook: Top 300 Prospect Rankings

McKeen's Hockey — Fri, 04 Dec 2020 17:09:56 +0000

These are our final prospect ranking prior to the start of the season. As a subscriber you can download the list in an excel chart and can link to the player pages in the chart found here. As always, the rankings you see below are based on our 20-80 scouting system looking at five categories for skaters (Skating, Shot, Puck Skills, Hockey Smarts, Physicality) and six for netminders (Athleticism/Quickness/Speed, Compete/Temperament, Vision/Play Reading, Technique/Style, Rebound Control, Puck Handling). Our prospect team spent large portions of their last few months pre-COVID in the rinks, watching the players below and many others, and further work on video (Instat Hockey has been a terrific resource in recent days) before passing judgement on their future projections.

The 20-80 scouting system is meant to allow players from different leagues in different parts of the world to be compared to one another, such that grades on a player in the OHL can be directly compared to grades from an AHL player, and to grades of someone playing in the MHL.

PROSPECT CRITERIA

Players under 26 years of age as of the September 15th prior (Sep. 15, 1994) to the season in question who have appeared in less than 60 NHL games (30 for goalies) and less than 35 in any one season – or 25 last year (20 for goalies, 15 last season) are considered prospects

RANK	PLAYER	NHL	POS	AGE	HT/WT	ACQUIRED
1	Alexis Lafreniere	NYR	LW	19	6-1/195	`20(1st)
2	Tim Stutzle	Ott	C	18	6-1/185	`20(3rd)
3	Quinton Byfield	LA	C	18	6-4/215	`20(2nd)
4	Trevor Zegras	Ana	C	19	6-0/170	`19(9th)
5	Kirill Kaprizov	Min	LW	23	5-10/200	`15(135th)
6	Lucas Raymond	Det	LW	18	5-11/170	`20(4th)
7	Dylan Cozens	Buf	C	19	6-3/185	`19(7th)
8	Bowen Byram	Col	D	19	6-0/195	`19(4th)
9	Peyton Krebs	VGK	C	19	5-11/180	`19(17th)
10	Jake Sanderson	Ott	D	18	6-1/185	`20(5th)
11	Moritz Seider	Det	D	19	6-3/185	`19(6th)
12	Jamie Drysdale	Ana	D	18	5-11/175	`20(6th)
13	Igor Shesterkin	NYR	G	25	6-1/190	`14(118th)
14	Alexander Holtz	NJ	RW	18	6-0/190	`20(7th)
15	Cole Perfetti	Wpg	LW	19	5-10/180	`20(10th)
16	Marco Rossi	Min	C	19	5-9/185	`20(9th)
17	Vasili Podkolzin	Van	RW	19	6-1/190	`19(10th)
18	Victor Soderstrom	Ari	D	19	5-11/180	`19(11th)
19	Nick Robertson	Tor	LW	19	5-9/160	`19(53rd)
20	Cole Caufield	Mtl	RW	19	5-7/165	`19(15th)
21	Yaroslav Askarov	Nsh	G	18	6-3/175	`20(11th)
22	Spencer Knight	Fla	G	19	6-3/195	`19(13th)
23	Philip Broberg	Edm	D	19	6-3/200	`19(8th)
24	Jack Quinn	Buf	RW	19	6-0/180	`20(8th)
25	Matthew Boldy	Min	LW	19	6-1/190	`19(12th)
26	Nils Lundkvist	NYR	D	20	5-11/180	`18(28th)
27	Seth Jarvis	Car	RW	18	5-10/175	`20(13th)
28	Ty Smith	NJ	D	20	5-10/180	`18(17th)
29	Grigori Denisenko	Fla	LW	20	5-11/185	`18(15th)
30	Barrett Hayton	Ari	C	20	6-1/190	`18(5th)
31	Alex Newhook	Col	C	19	5-10/195	`19(16th)
32	Thomas Harley	Dal	D	19	6-3/190	`19(18th)
33	Alex Turcotte	LA	C	19	5-11/185	`19(5th)
34	Vitali Kravtsov	NYR	RW	21	6-3/185	`18(9th)
35	Philip Tomasino	Nsh	C	19	5-11/180	`19(24th)
36	Connor McMichael	Wsh	C	19	5-11/175	`19(25th)
37	Dawson Mercer	NJ	C	19	6-0/180	`20(18th)
38	Ilya Sorokin	NYI	G	25	6-2/180	`14(78th)
39	Gabriel Vilardi	LA	RW	21	6-3/200	`17(11th)
40	Ryan Merkley	SJ	D	20	5-11/170	`18(21st)
41	Alexander Romanov	Mtl	D	20	5-11/185	`18(38th)
42	Kaiden Guhle	Mtl	D	18	6-2/190	`20(16th)
43	Samuel Poulin	Pit	LW	19	6-1/205	`19(21st)
44	K'Andre Miller	NYR	D	20	6-3/205	`18(22nd)
45	Scott Perunovich	StL	D	22	5-10/175	`18(45th)
46	Evan Bouchard	Edm	D	21	6-2/195	`18(10th)
47	Braden Schneider	NYR	D	19	6-2/200	`20(19th)
48	Juuso Valimaki	Cgy	D	22	6-2/205	`17(16th)
49	Cam York	Phi	D	19	5-11/175	`19(14th)
50	Anton Lundell	Fla	C	19	6-1/185	`20(12th)
51	Morgan Frost	Phi	C	21	5-11/180	`17(27th)
52	Owen Tippett	Fla	RW	21	6-1/200	`17(10th)
53	Albert Johansson	Det	D	19	5-11/165	`19(60th)
54	Liam Foudy	CBJ	C	20	6-0/175	`18(18th)
55	Kieffer Bellows	NYI	LW	22	6-0/200	`16(19th)
56	Arthur Kaliyev	LA	RW	19	6-2/190	`19(33rd)
57	Oliver Wahlstrom	NYI	RW	20	6-1/205	`18(11th)
58	Nils Hoglander	Van	RW	20	5-9/185	`19(40th)
59	Matias Maccelli	Ari	LW	20	5-11/170	`19(98th)
60	Tobias Bjornfot	LA	D	19	6-0/200	`19(22nd)
61	Jacob Bernard-Docker	Ott	D	20	6-0/180	`18(26th)
62	Connor Zary	Cgy	C	19	6-0/180	`20(24th)
63	Dominik Bokk	Car	RW	20	6-1/180	T(StL-9/19)
64	Ryan Suzuki	Car	C	19	6-0/180	`19(28th)
65	Dylan Samberg	Wpg	D	21	6-3/190	`17(43rd)
66	Jake Bean	Car	D	22	6-1/175	`16(13th)
67	Josh Norris	Ott	C	21	6-1/195	T(SJ-9/18)
68	Rasmus Kupari	LA	C	20	6-1/185	`18(20th)
69	Jakob Pelletier	Cgy	LW	19	5-9/165	`19(26th)
70	Drake Batherson	Ott	RW	22	6-1/190	`17(121st)
71	Jan Jenik	Ari	RW	20	6-1/180	`18(65th)
72	John-Jason Peterka	Buf	LW	18	5-11/190	`20(34th)
73	Kirill Marchenko	CBJ	LW	20	6-3/190	`18(49th)
74	Bode Wilde	NYI	D	20	6-2/195	`18(41st)
75	John Beecher	Bos	C	19	6-3/210	`19(30th)
76	Tyler Madden	LA	C	21	5-10/155	T(Van-2/20)
77	Jack Studnicka	Bos	C	21	6-1/170	`17(53rd)
78	Jake Oettinger	Dal	G	22	6-4/210	`17(26th)
79	Alex Formenton	Ott	LW	21	6-2/165	`17(47th)
80	Matthew Robertson	NYR	D	19	6-3/200	`19(49th)
81	Calen Addison	Min	D	20	5-10/180	T(Pit-2/20)
82	Ty Dellandrea	Dal	C	20	6-0/185	`18(13th)
83	Akil Thomas	LA	C	20	5-11/170	`18(51st)
84	Mavrik Bourque	Dal	C	18	5-10/180	`20(30th)
85	Ian Mitchell	Chi	D	21	5-11/175	`17(57th)
86	Jason Robertson	Dal	LW	21	6-2/195	`17(39th)
87	Hendrix Lapierre	Wsh	C	18	5-11/180	`20(22nd)
88	Brendan Brisson	VGK	C	19	5-11/180	`20(29th)
89	Theodor Niederbach	Det	C	18	5-11/175	`20(51st)
90	Zac Jones	NYR	D	20	5-10/175	`19(68th)
91	Robert Mastrosimone	Det	LW	19	5-10/160	`19(54th)
92	Joe Veleno	Det	C	20	6-1/195	`18(30th)
93	Rodion Amirov	Tor	LW	19	6-0/170	`20(15th)
94	Jake Neighbours	StL	LW	18	5-11/195	`20(26th)
95	Julien Gauthier	NYR	RW	23	6-4/225	T(Car-2/20)
96	Justus Annunen	Col	G	20	6-4/215	`18(64th)
97	Egor Zamula	Phi	D	20	6-4/175	FA(9/18)
98	Shane Pinto	Ott	C	20	6-2/190	`19(32nd)
99	Noel Gunler	Car	RW	19	6-2/175	`20(41st)
100	Ridly Greig	Ott	C	18	5-11/165	`20(28th)
101	Jesse Ylonen	Mtl	RW	21	6-1/185	`18(35th)
102	Samuel Fagemo	LA	RW	20	6-0/195	`19(50th)
103	Mattias Norlinder	Mtl	D	20	5-11/180	`19(64th)
104	Olli Juolevi	Van	D	22	6-3/200	`16(5th)
105	Kristian Vesalainen	Wpg	LW	21	6-3/205	`17(24th)
106	Raphael Lavoie	Edm	RW	20	6-4/195	`19(38th)
107	Jan Mysak	Mtl	C	18	5-11/180	`20(49th)
108	Cayden Primeau	Mtl	G	21	6-3/180	`17(199th)
109	Pavel Dorofeyev	VGK	LW	20	6-1/170	`19(79th)
110	Morgan Barron	NYR	C	22	6-2/200	`17(174th)
111	Ville Heinola	Wpg	D	19	5-11/180	`19(20th)
112	Dylan Holloway	Edm	C	19	6-0/205	`20(14th)
113	Jack Dugan	VGK	RW	22	6-2/185	`17(142nd)
114	Alexander Khovanov	Min	C	20	5-11/195	`18(86th)
115	Jacob Perreault	Ana	RW	18	5-11/195	`20(27th)
116	Jake Evans	Mtl	C	24	6-0/185	`14(207th)
117	Adam Beckman	Min	LW	19	6-1/170	`19(75th)
118	Jett Woo	Van	D	20	6-0/205	`18(37th)
119	Nolan Foote	NJ	LW	20	6-3/190	T(TB-2/20)
120	Logan Brown	Ott	C	22	6-6/220	`16(11th)
121	Martin Kaut	Col	RW	21	6-1/175	`18(16th)
122	Jack Rathbone	Van	D	21	5-10/175	`17(95th)
123	Ozzy Wiesblatt	SJ	RW	18	5-10/185	`20(31st)
124	Ryan O'Rourke	Min	D	18	6-0/180	`20(39th)
125	Lukas Reichel	Chi	LW	18	6-0/170	`20(17th)
126	Jordan Harris	Mtl	D	20	5-11/180	`18(71st)
127	Lukas Dostal	Ana	G	20	6-1/170	`18(85th)
128	Egor Afanasyev	Nsh	RW	19	6-3/205	`19(45th)
129	Conor Timmins	Col	D	22	6-1/185	`17(32nd)
130	Lassi Thomson	Ott	D	20	6-0/190	`19(19th)
131	Eeli Tolvanen	Nsh	RW	21	5-10/175	`17(30th)
132	Kasper Simontaival	LA	RW	18	5-9/180	`20(66th)
133	Roni Hirvonen	Tor	C	18	5-9/165	`20(59th)
134	Thomas Bordeleau	SJ	C	18	5-9/180	`20(38th)
135	Benoit-Olivier Groulx	Ana	C	20	6-1/195	`18(54th)
136	Tyler Kleven	Ott	D	18	6-4/200	`20(44th)
137	Tyson Foerster	Phi	C	18	6-1/195	`20(23rd)
138	Helge Grans	LA	D	18	6-2/205	`20(35th)
139	Jonathan Dahlen	SJ	LW	23	5-11/185	T(Van-2/19)
140	Marat Khusnutdinov	Min	C	18	5-11/175	`20(37th)
141	Alexander Alexeyev	Wsh	D	21	6-3/200	`18(31st)
142	Pierre-Olivier Joseph	Pit	D	21	6-2/170	`17(23rd)
143	Topi Niemela	Tor	D	18	5-10/160	`20(64th)
144	Oskari Laaksonen	Buf	D	21	6-2/165	`17(89th)
145	Filip Hallander	Tor	LW	20	6-1/185	T(Pit-8/20)
146	Serron Noel	Fla	RW	20	6-5/205	`18(34th)
147	Martin Chromiak	LA	LW	18	6-0/185	`20(128th)
148	Shakir Mukhamadullin	NJ	D	18	6-3/180	`20(20th)
149	Mattias Samuelsson	Buf	D	20	6-3/215	`18(32nd)
150	Janne Kuokkanen	NJ	LW	22	6-1/190	T(Car-2/20)
151	Ryan Johnson	Buf	D	19	6-0/175	`19(31st)
152	Sean Farrell	Mtl	C	19	5-8/175	`20(124th)
153	Martin Fehervary	Wsh	D	21	6-1/190	`18(46th)
154	Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen	Buf	G	21	6-4/195	`17(54th)
155	Will Lockwood	Van	RW	22	5-11/175	`16(64th)
156	Isac Lundestrom	Ana	C	21	6-0/185	`18(23rd)
157	Michael DiPietro	Van	G	21	6-0/195	`17(64th)
158	Jonatan Berggren	Det	RW	20	5-10/185	`18(33rd)
159	Kevin Bahl	NJ	D	20	6-6/230	T(Ari-12/19)
160	Aliaksei Protas	Wsh	C	19	6-5/205	`19(91st)
161	Reilly Walsh	NJ	D	21	5-11/180	`17(81st)
162	Nick Abruzzese	Tor	C	21	5-9/160	`19(124th)
163	Tyler Tucker	StL	D	20	6-1/205	`18(200th)
164	Arseni Gritsyuk	NJ	RW	19	5-10/170	`19(129th)
165	Klim Kostin	StL	C	21	6-3/195	`17(31st)
166	Brayden Tracey	Ana	LW	19	6-0/175	`19(29th)
167	Joel Hofer	StL	G	20	6-3/160	`18(107th)
168	Joey Anderson	Tor	RW	22	6-0/195	T(NJ-10/20)
169	Yegor Spiridonov	SJ	C	19	6-2/195	`19(108th)
170	Sam Colangelo	Ana	RW	19	6-1/205	`20(36th)
171	Joey Keane	Car	D	21	6-0/185	T(NYR-2/20)
172	Jared McIsaac	Det	D	20	6-1/195	`18(36th)
173	Jamieson Rees	Car	C	19	5-10/175	`19(44th)
174	Ivan Morozov	VGK	C	20	6-1/180	`18(61st)
175	Rem Pitlick	Nsh	C	23	5-11/200	`16(76th)
176	Tyce Thompson	NJ	RW	21	6-0/170	`19(96th)
177	Michael McLeod	NJ	C	22	6-2/195	`16(12th)
178	Jaret Anderson-Dolan	LA	C	21	5-11/190	`17(41st)
179	Dustin Wolf	Cgy	G	19	6-0/165	`19(214th)
180	Antti Tuomisto	Det	D	19	6-4/190	`19(35th)
181	Brett Berard	NYR	LW	18	5-9/155	`20(134th)
182	Luke Evangelista	Nsh	RW	18	5-11/170	`20(42nd)
183	Joel Blomqvist	Pit	G	18	6-1/180	`20(52nd)
184	Joni Ikonen	Mtl	C	21	5-10/170	`17(58th)
185	Olivier Rodrigue	Edm	G	20	6-1/165	`18(62nd)
186	Lucas Elvenes	VGK	RW	21	6-0/175	`17(127th)
187	Anthony Angello	Pit	RW	24	6-5/205	`14(145th)
188	Tuukka Tieksola	Car	RW	19	5-10/160	`19(121st)
189	Declan Chisholm	Wpg	D	20	6-1/190	`18(150th)
190	Cole Koepke	TB	LW	22	6-1/195	`18(183rd)
191	Valtteri Puustinen	Pit	RW	21	5-9/185	`19(203rd)
192	Ty Smilanic	Fla	C	18	6-1/175	`20(74th)
193	Patrik Puistola	Car	LW	19	6-0/175	`19(73rd)
194	Justin Barron	Col	D	19	6-2/190	`20(25th)
195	Andrew Peeke	CBJ	D	22	6-3/210	`16(34th)
196	Michael Vukojevic	NJ	D	19	6-3/210	`19(82nd)
197	Alec Regula	Chi	D	20	6-3/200	T(Det-10/19)
198	Connor Corcoran	VGK	D	20	6-1/185	`18(154th)
199	Jeremy Swayman	Bos	G	22	6-1/190	`17(111th)
200	Pyotr Kochetkov	Car	G	21	6-1/175	`19(36th)
201	Mikey Anderson	LA	D	21	6-0/195	`17(103rd)
202	Carter Savoie	Edm	LW	18	5-9/190	`20(100th)
203	Samuel Walker	TB	C	21	5-11/160	`17(200th)
204	William Wallinder	Det	D	18	6-4/190	`20(32nd)
205	Jack Drury	Car	C	20	5-11/180	`18(42nd)
206	Emil Andrae	Phi	D	18	5-9/185	`20(54th)
207	Cal Petersen	LA	G	26	6-3/190	FA(7/17)
208	Jeremie Poirier	Cgy	D	18	6-0/200	`20(72nd)
209	Tarmo Reunanen	NYR	D	22	6-0/180	`16(98th)
210	Simon Holmstrom	NYI	RW	19	6-1/185	`19(23rd)
211	Aleksi Saarela	Fla	RW	23	5-11/200	T(Chi-10/19)
212	Anton Johannesson	Wpg	D	18	5-9/155	`20(133rd)
213	Lauri Pajuniemi	NYR	RW	21	6-0/185	`18(132nd)
214	Morgan Geekie	Car	C	22	6-2/180	`17(67th)
215	Shane Bowers	Col	C	21	6-2/190	T(Ott-11/17)
216	Sasha Chmelevski	SJ	C	21	5-11/190	`17(185th)
217	Ruslan Iskhakov	NYI	C	20	5-8/155	`18(43rd)
218	Cole Schwindt	Fla	RW	19	6-2/185	`19(81st)
219	Hugo Alnefelt	TB	G	19	6-3/195	`19(71st)
220	Nikita Okhotyuk	NJ	D	20	6-1/195	`19(61st)
221	Sampo Ranta	Col	LW	20	6-2/205	`18(78th)
222	Alexander Volkov	TB	LW	23	6-1/190	`17(48th)
223	Alexander True	SJ	C	23	6-5/205	FA(7/18)
224	John Leonard	SJ	C	22	5-11/190	`18(182nd)
225	Carl Grundstrom	LA	LW	23	6-0/195	T(Tor-1/19)
226	Dmitri Semykin	TB	D	20	6-3/200	`18(90th)
227	Cal Foote	TB	D	22	6-4/215	`17(14th)
228	Jean-Luc Foudy	Col	C	18	5-11/175	`20(75th)
229	Alex Barre-Boulet	TB	C	23	5-10/165	FA(3/18)
230	Tristen Robins	SJ	RW	19	5-10/175	`20(56th)
231	Max Gildon	Fla	D	21	6-3/190	`17(66th)
232	Nikita Alexandrov	StL	C	20	6-0/180	`19(62nd)
233	Michael Benning	Fla	D	18	5-9/180	`20(95th)
234	Justin Sourdif	Fla	RW	18	5-11/175	`20(87th)
235	Tanner Laczynski	Phi	C	23	6-1/200	`16(169th)
236	Eamon Powell	TB	D	18	5-11/165	`20(116th)
237	Kaedan Korczak	VGK	D	19	6-3/190	`19(41st)
238	Drew Commesso	Chi	G	18	6-1/180	`20(47th)
239	Nikolai Kovalenko	Col	RW	21	5-10/175	`18(171st)
240	Pius Suter	Chi	C	24	5-11/170	FA(7/20)
241	Wade Allison	Phi	RW	23	6-2/205	`16(52nd)
242	Bobby Brink	Phi	RW	19	5-10/165	`19(34th)
243	Lukas Cormier	VGK	D	18	5-10/180	`20(68th)
244	David Farrance	Nsh	D	21	5-11/190	`17(92nd)
245	Roby Jarventie	Ott	RW	18	6-2/185	`20(33rd)
246	Dmitri Voronkov	CBJ	LW	20	6-4/190	`19(114th)
247	German Rubtsov	Phi	C	22	6-2/190	`16(22nd)
248	Vitaly Abramov	Ott	RW	22	5-9/175	T(CBJ-2/19)
249	Alex Laferriere	LA	RW	19	6-0/175	`20(83rd)
250	Trey Fix-Wolansky	CBJ	RW	21	5-8/185	`18(204th)
251	Isaac Ratcliffe	Phi	LW	21	6-5/200	`17(35th)
252	Kale Clague	LA	D	22	6-0/180	`16(51st)
253	Landon Slaggert	Chi	LW	18	5-11/180	`20(79th)
254	Wyatt Kalynuk	Chi	D	23	6-1/180	FA(7/20)
255	Mikko Kokkonen	Tor	D	19	5-11/200	`19(84th)
256	Kevin Mandolese	Ott	G	20	6-4/180	`18(157th)
257	Daniil Tarasov	CBJ	G	21	6-5/185	`17(86th)
258	Evan Barratt	Chi	C	21	6-0/190	`17(90th)
259	Tyler Benson	Edm	LW	22	6-0/200	`16(32nd)
260	Yegor Korshkov	Tor	RW	24	6-4/215	`16(31st)
261	Hunter Skinner	NYR	D	19	6-2/175	`19(112th)
262	Riley Damiani	Dal	C	20	5-9/165	`18(137th)
263	Ryan McLeod	Edm	C	21	6-2/205	`18(40th)
264	Ilya Konovalov	Edm	G	22	6-0/195	`19(85th)
265	Will Cuylle	NYR	LW	18	6-3/205	`20(60th)
266	Evan Vierling	NYR	C	18	6-0/165	`20(127th)
267	Emil Heineman	Fla	LW	19	6-0/180	`20(43rd)
268	Zayde Wisdom	Phi	RW	18	5-10/195	`20(94th)
269	Hunter Jones	Min	G	20	6-4/195	`19(59th)
270	Ty Tullio	Edm	RW	18	5-10/165	`20(126th)
271	Jordan Spence	LA	D	19	5-10/165	`19(95th)
272	Dmitri Zavgorodny	Cgy	LW	20	5-9/175	`18(198th)
273	Alex Beaucage	Col	RW	19	6-1/195	`19(78th)
274	Matiss Kivlenieks	CBJ	G	24	6-2/190	FA(5/17)
275	Artyom Zub	Ott	D	25	6-2/200	FA(5/20)
276	Urho Vaakanainen	Bos	D	22	6-0/185	`17(18th)
277	Dmitri Samorukov	Edm	D	21	6-2/180	`17(84th)
278	Michal Teply	Chi	LW	19	6-3/185	`19(105th)
279	Colby Ambrosio	Col	C	18	5-8/170	`20(118th)
280	Mads Sogaard	Ott	G	20	6-7/195	`19(37th)
281	Jeremy Lauzon	Bos	D	23	6-3/205	`15(52nd)
282	Dennis Gilbert	Col	D	24	6-2/200	T(Chi-10/20)
283	Trent Frederic	Bos	C	22	6-4/215	`16(29th)
284	Lucas Carlsson	Chi	D	23	6-0/190	`16(110th)
285	Zack Macewen	Van	RW	24	6-3/205	FA(3/17)
286	Brandon Hagel	Chi	LW	22	6-1/175	FA(10/18)
287	Vasily Ponomarev	Car	C	18	5-10/180	`20(53rd)
288	Jakub Zboril	Bos	D	23	6-1/200	`15(13th)
289	Garrett Pilon	Wsh	RW	22	5-11/190	`16(87th)
290	Jeremy Bracco	Car	RW	23	5-9/180	FA(10/20)
291	Dylan Sikura	VGK	RW	25	6-0/170	T(Chi-9/20)
292	Kyle Capobianco	Ari	D	23	6-1/180	`15(63rd)
293	Sami Niku	Wpg	D	24	6-0/175	`15(198th)
294	John Farinacci	Ari	C	19	5-11/185	`19(76th)
295	Jackson Lacombe	Ana	D	19	6-1/170	`19(39th)
296	David Cotton	Car	LW	23	6-3/205	`15(169th)
297	Erik Portillo	Buf	G	20	6-6/210	`19(67th)
298	Jacob Truscott	Van	D	18	6-1/170	`20(144th)
299	Mikhail Berdin	Wpg	G	22	6-2/165	`16(157th)
300	Cam Hillis	Mtl	C	20	5-10/170	`18(66th)

2020 NHL Draft: Jimmy Hamrin on Value Picks and Misses

Jimmy Hamrin — Fri, 23 Oct 2020 15:41:18 +0000

First off, I feel the need to complain about how tough it was to follow the draft this year living in Sweden. I of course get that we have many bigger issues in the world but doing the draft two weekdays in a row with the first day being from 1 am to 5 am local time, then getting up at 7 am and try to go through the day like you were a normal, functioning human being and then have the second day of the draft span begin at 5.30 pm, lasting until 2 am and then getting up at 7 am again was… tougher than usual.

Secondly, I still would like to thank the NHL for being able to do this draft in these times and all in all I get that they did it the best that they could under the circumstances.

My overall takes from the actual drafting that went on is that games played in this season played a big part in how Europeans were drafted, even if they only had played a single digit number of games. In the later rounds some teams got creative with picking off-the-board players that had got off to good starts. Even in the first round, I like to think that Detroit was more comfortable with picking Lucas Raymond at four after the strong start he has had and the same with New Jersey picking Alexander Holtz. Those forwards in the 4-10 cluster of players was a tight race all season and the fact that Raymond and Holtz actually got to show that they have taken the expected big steps in their development helped them being the first two forwards picked there, bookending a pair of blueliners. I also think that Yaroslav Askarov’s impressive first three games in the KHL did not hurt when Nashville picked him at 11 and of course the real proof of recent performance-based drafting was when Columbus picked Yegor Chinakhov at 21 after he had scored five goals in the last five KHL games heading up to the draft.

I believe that kind of thinking is a bit risky at most times but with teenage prospects there also are so many uncertainties anyway so I cannot blame the clubs for choosing what they have actually seen in development rather than what they project the development to become.

From a Swedish standpoint I also like what Detroit did, especially picking both Lucas Raymond and Theodor Niederbach who are two players that I really like. Both are player types that Detroit has had success with in the past, smallish creative forwards with strong hockey IQ. I thought there were better players available when they picked William Wallinder at 32 (even if we only look at Swedish defenseman, I would have like Helge Grans better) but Wallinder is still an intriguing prospect due to his foundations of size and speed. If he can get his whole game together, he could become a strong pick there but for me there are too many risks with his game to like the pick. I think that Detroit has a better Swedish defenseman prospect in Albert Johansson who they picked 2019.

Luleås Noel Gunler during the ice hockey match in SHL between Luleå and Malmö on October 26, 2019 in Luleå. Photo: Simon Eliasson / BILDBYRÅN /

If we keep to the subject of Swedes getting drafted, I think Carolina found smart value in picking Noel Gunler at 41 and Zion Nybeck at 115. Neither of them are certain NHLers but both have top six upside. Especially Gunler, who I think looks better this season even if his ice time is still not optimal for his development. Another team that got an interesting Swede later than his talent shows is Winnipeg, with Anton Johannesson at 133. His small size combined with injury issues makes him a risky pick but at that spot in the draft most players are risky picks and if he can get healthy, he can play at a fast pace up in the SHL and make a lot of people excited with his tremendous puck skills and mobility.

In the same 5^th round I also liked Dallas’ 154^th pick in Daniel Ljungman. He is an intelligent center with a good shot. He has started the season strong and will soon be playing in the SHL. Last season, he scored only 10 goals in 40 games and fell in the rankings. This season he has started very strong with 12 goals in 12 games. Those two 5^th rounders have potential of becoming steals.

Four other Swedish picks who I liked were they were taken were Helge Grans (35) to the LA Kings, Emil Heineman (43) to Florida, Emil Andrae (54) to Philadelphia and Leo Lööf (88) to St. Louis. They all have strong foundations in their game at least to become NHL players and none of them went too low or too high if we factor in risk, upside, and pure talent and performance so far.

Sweden had a record strong draft with 31 players based inside the country picked. I was also glad to see some older players getting picked after being snubbed in earlier years. Adam Wilsby (101 NSH) is the one who has most upside and has the best chance of reaching the NHL, but a smart and hardworking center like Albin Sundsvik (160 ANA) who is established in the SHL, might lack elite tools but will be a good player and gives the team depth in their prospect pool. He can be a good AHL player or a useful bottom six center option. Other older, bottom six options, include Nils Åman (167 COL) and Eric Engstrand (155 OTT). Good size, good skaters, and good character with decent puck skills. Defenseman Samuel Johannesson (176 CBJ) could be a puck-moving low risk playing bottom pair defenseman too.

If we go really deep in the draft, into the 7^th round, I think the best Swedish pick there was Florida’s taking Elliot Ekmark at 198. A small sized center but with some good skills and hockey sense. He had a down year coming into the draft with injury issues and a tough time producing what you could expect from a player of that grade of pure talent. He is the kind of player who can show a fast development curve when things fall into the right places for him.

To circle back at the top of the draft I am excited about Lucas Raymond going to Detroit and Alexander Holtz to New Jersey. Raymond was the best available pick in our ranking at four and after a quite tough first whole season in the SHL with some bumps it was good to see his talent still being recognized properly. Surely, as I wrote earlier, the strong start to this season helped, but our assessment of Raymond as the fourth best player in the draft was decided in May. Detroit has a long way to go as an organization, but Raymond is going to be a mesmerizing player to watch. He will likely have a strong season with around 30 points in the SHL before stepping over next season. I can see him being able to drive a line in the NHL right away, but I do not think a start in the AHL would hurt his long-term development. Most importantly, he needs to play in a top six forward role and be given trust to drive the offense for that line.

Alexander Holtz was our best available pick at seven as well and he got picked by the best suitable team for his skillset, too. I cannot wait to see him step on the ice as the scorer on a Jack Hughes or Nico Hischier line. The Hughes/Caufield combination was amazing at the USNTDP team two seasons ago and I can see a good fit here with Holtz also being a more dynamic offensive player than Caufield. Holtz has started this season strong in the SHL and his goals seem to come even more frequently. I think he can reach 20 goals as soon as this season. He and Raymond will also be the dominant force of Sweden’s forthcoming WJC team.

My take from an organizational standpoint of the draft has Ottawa being the biggest disappointment. For a team in their position, to have so many picks and to not get more strong prospects was underwhelming. They should of course be excited about Tim Stützle and Jake Sanderson who both are going to be strong core players for the club going in the future but after that I did not think got much value. Ridly Greig, Roby Järventie and Tyler Kleven are not high reward players. I get if you want to have some safe picks and at least one of those will probably play in a smaller role at some point but why not load up your pipeline with high end skill rather than with players who have a limited ceiling even if they pan out?

Another team I thought did well in the draft was San José with Ozzy Wiessblatt, Thomas Bourdeleau and Tristen Robins. All three have high upside. I also like Minnesota getting Marco Rossi, Marat Khusnutdinov and Ryan O’Rourke with the first three picks. New Jersey getting both Alexander Holtz and Dawson Mercer stands out, too. It would have been fun if they would have gone and taken available Hendrix Lapierre or Connor Zary with their third pick in the first just to load up with offensive talent, but they went with a balanced approach and picked defensive KHL prospect Shakir Mukhamadullin instead.

From an individual aspect at the top I was kind of surprised that the LA Kings chose Quinton Byfield over Tim Stützle but when we did our mock draft for Rotoworld I had that second pick and saw risks with both picks, mostly because the next tier had many strong forwards but also because they both can be 70-90 point players at their respective peaks. You get a good player either way but neither of them has the promise that Alexis Lafreniere has of becoming a franchise player, and if you pick at number two you want to end up with at least the second best player of the draft, while this year there were not a slam dunk pick there to make. For me, Stützle should have been the pick because he has shown what he can do against players that can match his individual tools in DEL and still succeeded while Byfield has yet to show how he can adapt his game on higher stages than the OHL. To be fair to Byfield, he only has played in small sample sizes outside of OHL which makes it harder to assess.

The other thing that surprised me at the top was Buffalo choosing Jack Quinn over Marco Rossi. Two players who are born late 2001 who played for the same team with Rossi being the superior point producer of the two. It is always hard to be strongly opinionated about players who I have not seen live myself but from what I have seen on video and read Rossi looks to be the more watchable and exciting of the two.

Hendrix Lapierre – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – WASHINGTON CAPITALS – Team Preview/Player Profiles/Predictions

FORWARDS

DEFENCE

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MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – WASHINGTON CAPITALS – Team Preview

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FANTASY: The Week Ahead – November 27 to December 3rd – Teams with favourable schedules and who to target

Boston Bruins

Florida Panthers

Nashville Predators

New York Rangers

Tampa Bay Lightning

Vegas Golden Knights

Washington Capitals

Winnipeg Jets

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – WASHINGTON CAPITALS – Top 20 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #19

1. Ryan Leonard

2. Hendrix Lapierre

3. Ivan Miroshnichenko

4. Andrew Cristall

5. Vincent Iorio

6. Ryan Chesley

7. Alexander Suzdalev

8. Alexander Alexeyev

9. Clay Stevenson

10. Ludwig Persson

11. Joaquim Lemay

12. Bogdan Trineyev

13. Ethen Frank

14. Ryan Hofer

15. Cam Allen

16. Matthew Phillips

17. Brent Johnson

18. David Gucciardi

19. Jake Karabela

20. Hardy Haman Aktell

MCKEEN’S 2023 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #27 Washington Capitals

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – WASHINGTON CAPITALS – Top 20 Prospects

2021-22 TOP 15 PROSPECTS: WASHINGTON CAPITALS – RANK: #28 – TIER VI

McKeen’s 2020-21 Hockey Yearbook: Washington Capitals Top 20 Prospects

Connor McMichael, C (25th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 1)

Hendrix Lapierre, C (22nd overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Alexander Alexeyev, D (31st overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 2)

Martin Fehervary, D (46th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 3)

Aliaksei Protas, C (91st overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 4)

Garrett Pilon, C (87th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 5)

Brian Pinho, C (174th overall, 2013. Previous ranking: 6)

Kody Clark, RW (47th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 7)

Brett Leason, RW (56th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 8)

Lucas Johansen, D (28th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 9)

Vitek Vanecek, G (39th overall, 2014. Previous ranking: 10)

Axel Jonsson-Fjallby, LW (147th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 11)

Damien Riat, LW (117th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 12)

Oskar Magnusson, LW (211th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Bobby Nardella, D (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Apr. 5, 2019. Previous ranking: 14)

Martin Hugo Has, D (153rd overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 15)

Garin Bjorklund, G (179th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Mitchell Gibson, G (124th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 17)

Beck Malenstyn, LW (145th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 18)

Riley Sutter, RW (93rd overall, 2018. Previous ranking: UR)

McKeen’s 2020-21 Hockey Yearbook: Top 300 Prospect Rankings

2020 NHL Draft: Jimmy Hamrin on Value Picks and Misses

Connor McMichael, C (25^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 1)

Hendrix Lapierre, C (22^nd overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Alexander Alexeyev, D (31^st overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 2)

Martin Fehervary, D (46^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 3)

Aliaksei Protas, C (91^st overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 4)

Garrett Pilon, C (87^th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 5)

Brian Pinho, C (174^th overall, 2013. Previous ranking: 6)

Kody Clark, RW (47^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 7)

Brett Leason, RW (56^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 8)

Lucas Johansen, D (28^th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 9)

Vitek Vanecek, G (39^th overall, 2014. Previous ranking: 10)

Axel Jonsson-Fjallby, LW (147^th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 11)

Damien Riat, LW (117^th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 12)

Oskar Magnusson, LW (211^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Martin Hugo Has, D (153^rd overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 15)

Garin Bjorklund, G (179^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Mitchell Gibson, G (124^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 17)

Beck Malenstyn, LW (145^th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 18)

Riley Sutter, RW (93^rd overall, 2018. Previous ranking: UR)