Washington Capitals Top Ten Prospects: Winter 2015
Washington Capitals Prospects Rankings #9: Christian Djoos
Christian Djoos is a left-handed defenseman who is 20 years old. The Washington Capitals drafted him in the seventh round of the 2012 draft. He’s a guy who has developed a lot over the past few years and I think stands a decent chance at making in the NHL. The question is, will his skill set fit the NHL? I think if utilized properly, the answer to that question is yes.
The main concern about Djoos has always been his frame. He’s 6’0″, which is sort of small for a defenseman, but he weighs 165 pounds. He’s steadily added weight, but he needs to put on at least another 15 pounds for me to feel comfortable about his frame. He’s not very physical so he doesn’t need to be big.
The greatest assets to Djoos’s game has always been his skating and his ability to make plays. You rarely see a defenseman who can skate up the ice and lead rushes like Djoos can. That’s certainly something that the Washington Capitals could use. The Washington Capitals might have a spot for him if/when they let Mike Green go.
One spot where I think Djoos has made a ton of improvement is his slap shot. It’s much better than it was. As you can see in this video, the Washington Capitals could use a shot like that on their blue line.
Will his skill set translate over to the NHL? I have no idea. But I think he has a ton of upside and Barry Trotz loves to have his blue line get involved on offense, so I’m sure Trotz will keep an eye on Djoos’s progress.