Washington Capitals Top Ten Prospects: Winter 2015

Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

The Washington Capitals are playing extremely well this season, which means that many people have forgotten about their farm system. According to HockeysFuture.com, the Washington Capitals have the 15th best prospect talent in the NHL. That is to be taken with a grain of salt because I wouldn’t call guys like Evgeny Kuznetsov, Nate Schmidt, and Andre Burakovsky prospects at this point, though that website considers them to be prospects. For the sake of these rankings, they’re not prospects. Only players who have not had substantial time in the NHL are a part of this ranking.

Before I begin the rankings, here’s an assessment of what I believe to be the strengths and weaknesses of the Washington Capitals and their farm system.

Washington Capitals Organizational Strengths

Goaltending. They have at worst an above average goalie in

who looks like

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he might be the franchise goalie that the Washington Capitals have lacked since the days of

. They have two high-talent goalie prospects in Vanecek and Grubauer who should be able to contribute at the NHL level. Pheonix Copley is their most NHL-ready goalie. Grubauer could be an interesting trade piece for the Capitals.

Washington Capitals Organizational Weaknesses

1. Left-handed defensemen. This could be an issue in a few years if they lose Karl Alzner. They have Schmidt and Dmitry Orlov, but Orlov’s health is an obvious concern. Outside of those two, the only left-handed defenseman in the Washington Capitals’ system who I’d call NHL-caliber is Cameron Schilling, and he’s a bottom pairing guy. Look for the Caps to draft one.
2. Left wings. The Washington Capitals’ best left wing prospect is probably Liam O’Brien or Galiev. That’s not good. Burakovsky wouldn’t even fall under this category because I feel if he’s not a center, he’s a right wing. That’s where he’s had most of his success.

So, without further ado, here are the Washington Capitals’ top ten prospects! I used potential and upside as my main focus for the rankings.

Washington Capitals Prospects Rankings #10: Shane Gersich

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Shane Gersich was drafted in the fifth round of the 2014 NHL draft by the Washington Capitals. He’s 18 years old. He’s a forward who can play center or wing, though I like him more as a wing. He shoots left-handed. He stood out to me during Washington Capitals development camp due to his exceptional skating and high hockey IQ. His shot was one of the best in training camp due to his quick release. Here’s what Future Considerations had to say about him:

Gersich is a game breaking talent with incredible speed, agility and first step quickness. He needs just three steps and he is gone and uses his speed as he looks to take the puck wide and beat defenders to the outside. He also displays a strong shot that absolutely jumps off his stick in the blink of an eye. (August 2013)

Shawn Reznik from The Hockey Writers had this to say about him:

Gersich can bolt around the ice with immense speed and quickness. A shorter player, he has some of the best agility I’ve seen and rarely loses momentum in his turns. In the offensive zone, Gersich is a scoring threat when he has possession of the puck. Even for his size, he doesn’t mind driving the net or getting creative in tight. His speed lends him to be a great forechecker and backchecker as well. Gersich developed his defensive game quite nicely with the NTDP season this year, but could stand to buffer it a bit more when he goes to North Dakota.

I agree with that assessment. Gersich fits into the mold of guys who I want the Washington Capitals to draft. Gersich has a lot of upside on offense thanks to that shot and his speed, which he loves to use to his advantage, as you can see in this video. In the first goal, you can see how good his shot is and how quick his release is. In the second goal, you can see how he’s not afraid to play around the boards and he uses his great quickness and instincts to add a second goal.

He is still a very raw prospect and still looks lost in the defensive zone at times, but I’ve definitely noticed improvement in that area, which is what you want to see from guys at his age. He’ll be attending the University of North Dakota and will start playing for them next season. I’m very excited to see how he develops. He could be a very valuable weapon for the Washington Capitals.

Washington Capitals Prospects Rankings #9: Christian Djoos

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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.

Washington Capitals Prospects Rankings #8: Stanislav Galiev

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Just when Washington Capitals fans were ready to give up on Stanislav Galiev, Galiev gave Washington Capitals fans a reason to be excited about him. Galiev is a 23 year old left wing (though he shoots right handed) for the Hershey Bears. The Washington Capitals drafted him in the third round of the 2010 NHL draft. He joined the Washington Capitals organization in 2012. Until this season, he would always do well in the ECHL, but not in the AHL. This season, Galiev is starting to have the same kind of success that attracted the Capitals back in 2010.

In 33 games with the Hershey Bears before this season, Galiev had just seven points. He has scored 18 points in 30 games with them so far this season. Galiev is a very skilled forward who can do some pretty incredible things with the puck. He’s more of a scorer than a play maker. This video highlights Galiev’s great skating and moves.

Yes, he really did a full 360 move. As you can see, Galiev is extremely skilled with the puck. The concern has always been his defense. From what I’ve seen, I think that it has improved noticeably. I think if utilized properly, Galiev could still have success with the Washington Capitals. The Washington Capitals could use him right now. He’s extremely good on the power play. The Caps power play has been lacking a bit as of late. Galiev could add a spark to the second power play unit.

Most of Galiev’s struggles were due to not fitting into Mark French’s system with the Bears. Troy Mann has tweaked his system to fit Galiev’s talents and it’s shown in his play this year. Galiev is playing with a lot more confidence this year and I think he could be making his NHL debut at some point this season.

I see him as a bottom six forward as this point, but he’ll be a fixture on any team’s power play because of his shot, and I wouldn’t be too surprised if he winds up being a top six forward.

Washington Capitals Prospects Rankings #7: Thomas DiPauli

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Thomas DiPauli is a 20 year old left-handed center who has made a huge jump into this list. The Caps drafted him in the fourth round of the 2012 draft. Before this season, I would have ranked him around 15th. Part of that was due to an injury-ridden sophomore season, but DiPauli wasn’t showing the potential on offense that the Caps saw in him. Thanks to an extremely strong year so far, DiPauli has made a huge leap and has caught the eye of Capitals fans.

Here’s what his team has to say about him:

high-energy player who is relentless … constant threat to make something happen on the ice … plays the game with reckless abandon and is fearless on the ice … strong forechecker who can give opponents fits as they attempt to move the puck out of their own zone … strong on faceoffs and is an outstanding penalty killer … has good offensive skills due to his speed and skating ability – Notre Dame Profile

DiPauli has stood out to me this year for several reasons. First of all, his offensive production has improved. His first two years, he played 57 games and scored 17 points. This season, in 21 games, he has 17 points. He’s never been a very good shooter, but his passing and instincts have really improved. That’s great to see. Secondly, he has become even better defensively. I’ve always compared DiPauli to Jay Beagle because of how strong both of those players are in the defensive zone. Even with his almost point per game production, DiPauli’s defense has not suffered at all. In fact, it’s even better. Despite being a tad undersized (5’11”, 191 pounds) DiPauli is great at winning face-offs and isn’t afraid to be physical.

I see DiPauli as being a very solid checking line center option for the Washington Capitals. He should be a staple on their penalty kill and perhaps his ability to win face-offs will earn him some power play time as well.

Washington Capitals Prospects Rankings #6: Vitek Vanecek

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Vitek Vanecek is a 19 year old goalie from the Czech Republic who was drafted by the Washington Capitals in the second round of the 2014 NHL draft. He is still an extremely raw goalie, but you can see that he has a ton of talent. Here’s what Future Considerations had to say about him back in November of 2013:

Vanecek is a small but quick, reflex goaltender who can make the highlight reel save. He moves well in the crease and has both a quick glove and the ability to shoot out both pads in a blink. He has so much to work on but the raw potential is there.

Most of that stuff he has to work on involves his positioning and learning to control his rebounds. Those are the two main problem areas that I’ve noticed with Vanecek. They were highlighted during the 2015 World Juniors, when he had a GAA of 4.31 in three games with a save percentage of just 82.9%. He wasn’t helped by his defense, but still, that’s a pretty poor performance.

Despite that performance, I think that Vanecek still has a bright future. I’m not the only one who thinks that, as HockeysFuture.com thinks quite highly of him as well:

Vaněček is an athletic, 6-foot-1 and 181-pound goaltender who uses his reflexes, a quick glove and blocker to stone the opponents. He’s been able to make big saves all season long, relying on his reflexes and athleticism. On the other hand, he’s been suffering from inconsistency as he sometimes just has a bad day. Not only has Vaněček been an efficient netminder in junior hockey, but he’s also made the first couple of steps towards the professional leagues.

Once he gets to North America, Mitch Korn and Kolzig can start working with him and I’m sure his development will improve. It’s difficult to predict if he will be an NHL goalie at this point, but the talent is definitely there.

Washington Capitals Prospect Rankings #5: Philipp Grubauer

Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Philipp Grubauer is a 23 year old goalie who was drafted by the Capitals in the fourth round of the 2010 draft. He is currently the starting goalie for the Hershey Bears. Grubauer’s development meant so much to the Caps that he’s basically the only reason Justin Peters is with the Capitals. They wanted Grubauer to develop properly in Hershey as their starter as opposed to potentially stunting his growth by making him be a backup goalie. Here’s what HockeysFuture.com had to say about him:

Grubauer is a big, technically sound, calm goaltender. His strength is his ability to fill the net and utilize his quick legs to make seemingly impossible saves while deflecting pucks out of harm’s way. Grubauer is also possesses an above average glove hand. Having played at a lower level of competition in his native Germany, and seeing limited ice time in his first season with Belleville, he is still learning to deal with the more sophisticated scorers and higher quality shooters in North America. He can sometimes be deked out of position or beaten by accurate shots – particularly in the top of the net.

Grubauer has definitely benefited from that extra year in Hershey, as he has ironed out a few of the wrinkles in his game. I’ve noticed that he has been doing better against the better competition, though he has yet to do that at the NHL level. Probably the biggest concern with Grubauer is his durability. He played just 45 games last season, and injuries have limited him to 24 this season. He has to show that he can handle 60 game seasons if he wants to be a starter in the NHL.

Grubauer could be trade bait for the Washington Capitals. That’s more due to Holtby, Vanecek, and Copley than Grubauer though. As much as I hate saying this, if the Caps sign Holtby long-term, Grubauer would probably benefit from a trade. I think he has the stuff to be an average to slightly above average starting goalie and he hasn’t shown that he can handle a backup role. If trading him helps the Caps solve an immediate problem, I wouldn’t be too upset.

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Washington Capitals Prospect Rankings #3: Madison Bowey

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Madison Bowey is a 19 year old right handed defenseman who was drafted by the Washington Capitals in the second round of the 2013 draft. Here’s what HockeyFutures.com has to say about him:

Big-bodied rearguard is an excellent skater. Does not shy away from physical play. Rushes the puck with confidence. Plenty of exposure through international experience with Hockey Canada programs. Shows good leadership abilities as well given his alternate captaincy with Team Canada in 2012-13.

Bowey is an offensive defenseman who could wind up being a two-way defenseman. He is not a liability in the defensive zone, but he has room to grow before he’s NHL ready. His offensive game, however, is NHL-ready, in my opinion. He is a great puck handler who can lead the rush. His slap shot is extremely good, though it’s not very accurate. You can see what Bowey brings to the table defensively in this video:

He generates scoring chances, is very confident bringing the puck up the ice, is terrific at finding the open man and getting passes to them, and his slap shot tends to find its way through traffic. The Washington Capitals must develop him properly. He probably needs a year in Hershey to continue to improve defensively. He reminds me a lot of Mike Green.

Washington Capitals Prospect Rankings #2: Riley Barber

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Riley Barber is a 20 year old right wing who was drafted by the Washington Capitals in the sixth round of the 2012 draft. He’s been a late-round gem for them, as he has emerged as a very strong prospect. Here’s what HockeysFuture.com has to say about him:

Barber was an underrated sixth-round draftee in the 2012 NHL Entry draft. He has average size at 6’0” and possesses a very solid all-around game. His offensive instincts are very strong however and his 39 point freshman season with Miami University can attest to that. He played time on the squads top powerplay and penalty killing unit, showing a tremendous amount of mental fortitude for such a young player in NCAA. He was a surprise selection for Team USA’s U-20 World Junior Championship team and played a pivotal role during the tournament.

Barber started off as a more offensively talented forward, but now he’s much more of a two-way forward. That’s not a knock on his offense, as he’s been nearly a point per game player in college. That’s a testament to how good he has become defensively. Combine that with Barber’s elite skating abilities and you can see why the Washington Capitals love him so much.

Barber projects to be a top six forward for the Washington Capitals. However, due to their depth at right wing, he might just be a checking line wing. Considering how strong Barber is in the defensive zone and how he can provide a spark on offense, I think that would be a great role for him.

Barber shows off what he can do during a shootout win:

Barber could be on the Washington Capitals roster as soon as next year. I think he’s very close to being NHL ready.

Washington Capitals Prospect Rankings #1: Jakub Vrana

Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Jakub Vrana is an 18 year old wing who is left-handed and was drafted by the Washington Capitals in the first round of the 2014 NHL draft. After a weak season before being drafted, Vrana has come back with a very strong season, which cements his status as the Washington Capitals’ best prospect. Here’s what HockeysFuture.com has to say about him:

Vrana has played against men for parts of two seasons already. A Czech who went to Sweden at the age of 15, his development has been steady while he’s statistically remained around the point-per-game level for Linkoping’s U20 team the past two seasons. Already a veteran of three U18 World Championships (recent silver medalist) and two WJCs, Vrana has grown into a leader and go-to player for his nation. He possesses good offensive instincts and a nose for the net. Has a knack for timely goals. Unafraid to shoot from anywhere, he loves to come in off the right wing side and find the far inner goalpost. His release and accuracy are obviously tricky for goaltenders, as no less than his most recent international offensive success has demonstrated. Strong laterally in movement and very good with the puck, often displaying above-average creativity with it. Although one doesn’t expect it right away when watching his unselfish play, Vrana is generally more of a goal scorer than a playmaker. Vrana can have periods of time where he seems unconcentrated or simply not in the game. Has been known to show frustration when certain things aren’t working or aren’t going his way. Still doesn’t have the size or frame to withstand the physical pressures of the men’s game. There are also times where his first few steps don’t generate much speed. In general, a player that will need to see his defensive zone game become much more polished.

Vrana still has a ways to go in order to be NHL ready. However, he should be in North America next season. Playing with the Hershey Bears should help speed up his development. Troy Mann, the Bears head coach, is a defensive-minded coach, so I think that he should be good for Vrana’s development. Vrana has the potential to be a top six scoring forward.