Washington Capitals: 5 College Hockey Players They Should Sign
Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
The Washington Capitals have recently been quite active as far as signing NCAA free agents. Two years ago, they signed Nate Schmidt from Minnesota. Last year, the Washington Capitals signed goaltender Pheonix Copley from Michigan Tech. The Washington Capitals are expected to be aggressive again this year, and they ought to be.
Why Should The Washington Capitals Sign Undrafted College Players?
College hockey free agents can be a diamond in the rough for NHL teams. Here’s a list of some of the players who were undrafted free agents from college:
- Torey Krug
- Rene Bourque
- Dustin Penner
- Chris Kunitz
- Mike Weaver
- Jeff Halpern
- Andy McDonald
- Mark Eaton
- Brian Rafalski (though he spent a year in Europe after college)
- Dan Boyle
As you can see, good players can be found in the NCAA even if they go undrafted. The Washington Capitals should take advantage of that. They’re sort of like buying a lottery ticket. If they don’t pan out, oh well, you didn’t really lose that much anyway. If they pan out, they’re a blessing.
There are more talented undrafted college players coming out of the NCAA this year than in most years. As an avid watcher of college hockey, I’ve watched almost all of them. Here are five players who stood out to me and who I think the Washington Capitals should try to sign.
Next: The next Chara?
Oleg Yevenko
Oleg Yevenko (from Belarus) is a very unique player. When I first watched him play for the University of Massachusetts, the first thing I noticed was his incredible size. He’s listed as 6’7″. When I first saw him in 2011, he was sort of awkward. He was really tall, but he couldn’t have weighed more than 180 pounds. Fast forward to 2015, depending on who you ask, he’s anywhere from 230 pounds to 250. Despite his weight (I think he’s closer to 250 than 230), he has a rather nice frame and certainly isn’t bulky like one might expect.
The Washington Capitals could use someone like him. Despite his size, he has nice footwork. He’s not the quickest skater, but he more than makes up for it with his unfair range. Here’s what Hockeys Future has to say about him:
Yevenko, who serves as one of the Minutemen’s assistant captains, has posted five points (all assists) in 33 games. He leads UMass with 72 blocked shots and ranks second on the team with 49 penalty minutes. Yevenko is a physical, defensive defenseman who uses his enormous frame, strength and especially long reach quite well in taking away space and shutting down opposing players. He is one of the nation’s best shot-blockers and excels on the penalty kill. Although Yevenko doesn’t rack up many points, he does have some offensive ability. He possesses a very heavy shot and can get pucks to the net. His passing skills are also quite good. In addition to his sheer size, scouts have also taken notice of Yevenko’s physicality. He does an excellent job of finishing his checks and can deliver some bone-jarring hits. While most collegiate players add size to improve their game, it has been the opposite for Yevenko. His combination of a lighter frame and vastly improved skating has allowed him to be a more mobile and effective rearguard, which can be seen in his stepped-up transition game. Although Yevenko lacks foot speed, he still moves well for a big man.
I think the Washington Capitals should roll the dice on this kid. Why not? Let him develop his offense in Hershey and see if he can be a legitimate defenseman. After all, you can’t teach size.
Next: A man with no position
Ahti Oksanen
Oksanen reminds me so much of Brent Burns for one reason: Oskanen doesn’t have a true position. I’ve seen the Finnish skater as both a forward and a defenseman. I’d say he’s a better forward than a defenseman, but he’s quite capable on the blue line.
As a defenseman in 2013-2014, Oksanen had 24 points in 35 games. This season, Oksanen leads his Boston University Terriers in goals with 22 and has 33 points in 33 games. He has a great slap shot and an above average wrist shot. He’s very aggressive with the puck. Here’s what Hockeys Future has to say about him:
Oksanen is versatile in that he can play both forward and defense almost equally well. His style has often been described as that of a rover. Oksanen possesses good size (6’3”, 209 lbs.) and utilizes his strong frame at both ends of the ice. This has been especially evident in his drives to the net and in his ability to protect the puck. He is a strong yet fluid skater with very good foot speed. One of Oksanen’s attributes that scouts have taken particular notice of is his shot; he possesses a hard, lethal shot and can get pucks to the net. Oksanen also possesses an excellent stick. While Oksanen plays with a good amount of grit, he also plays with remarkable discipline.
The Washington Capitals should sign him and probably use him as a forward (he’s a natural left wing but with some time in Hershey, he could be a right wing as well). Though the Washington Capitals could very easily use him as a blue liner too. At worst, the Washington Capitals could use a player from Finland.
Next: A Teammate Of A Prospect
Austin Czarnik
Whether Washington Capitals fans know it or not, they already know Austin quite well. He’s been a common linemate of Washington Capitals forward prospect Riley Barber. People question his size as he’s listed at 5’9″, but like Martin St. Louis (who’s 5’8″) and Mats Zuccarello (who’s 5’7″), Czarnik is a heads up skater who is good at avoiding contact thanks to his speed.
Czarnik is having a very nice senior year so far, as he is leading Miami University with 36 points. Though he has just five goals, he’s a pretty solid finisher who consistently generates scoring chances. The Washington Capitals need center depth, so obviously Czarnik makes sense. He’s very skilled and he already has very good chemistry with Barber.
Czarnik was the team captain for Miami in 2013-2014. He has very good leadership qualities. Here’s what Hockeys Future had to say about him:
Czarnik is among the nation’s top playmakers and possesses game-changing speed, two attributes that haven’t been lost on NHL scouts. He can make some of the prettiest passes with great precision. Although Czarnik stands at just 5’9”, he uses his small stature and low center of gravity quite advantageously both offensively and defensively. Czarnik is dangerous in transition and he can get up to speed very quickly. His elusiveness and speed also makes him a difficult player to contain. While his current goal total may not reflect it, Czarnik does have good finishing ability. He possesses great vision and thinks the game exceedingly well.
As I said earlier, the Washington Capitals desperately need center depth. The Washington Capitals would be wise to sign one who’s familiar with Barber in hopes that their chemistry can carry over to the NHL.
Next: Dan The Man
Daniel Ciampini
Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
As a huge fan of Union College hockey, I’ve watched Ciampini more than I’ve watched the other four players on this list. I think he would be a great fit for the Washington Capitals. Like Czarnik, Ciampini lacks ideal size, as he is just 5’10” and roughly 180-200 pounds. Don’t let his size fool you. Ciampini is a very good player.
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Ciampini got on the national radar last year as he played a huge role in Union’s NCAA championship. He had 41 points in 41 games and proved to be a valuable member of both their power play and their penalty kill. His 23 goals in 2013-2014 were the second most goals scored by a Union player in their history. This year, he has 26 goals and 48 points through 36 games. The Washington Capitals could definitely use that kind of scoring.
I typically don’t think there’s much meaning behind someone being “clutch”, but Ciampini has changed my opinion on that matter. Ciampini has come up huge in some of his hugest games. He had a hat trick in the Frozen Four against Boston College. He scored an unforgettable short-handed game winning goal against Clarkson to clinch the Cleary Cup. When Union needed a spark against Harvard, Ciampini came through with two goals in under four minutes.
Not only is he a great player on the ice, Ciampini is a great person off the ice, which fits what the Washington Capitals are all about. He’s very friendly and has helped create some charity programs with Union College. He has every right to have a huge ego, and he doesn’t. He’s as humble as any player who I’ve seen.
Ciampini will be courted by pretty much every NHL team, including his hometown Maple Leafs (which is where I think he’ll end up). Hopefully the Washington Capitals can get him because I think he could be something really special. He plays the game the right way and he does so many things that you just can’t teach. I see him as a second line or third line wing.
Next: The Best Player Available
Casey Bailey
Casey Bailey is a player who I’ve really enjoyed watching. My roommate is a die hard Penn State fan, so when he started raving about this Bailey kid, I took what he said with a grain of salt. I decided to humor him by watching a Penn State hockey game with him last year. I immediately saw why my roommate liked him so much: he’s really good at hockey.
I have him ranked slightly above Ciampini because Bailey has a better build and I think he’s a better offensive player than Ciampini, which is really what you look for in forwards. Bailey has played a huge role in Penn State’s rebirth as a legitimate threat to college hockey. A year ago when I watched him, he was on a really bad team. Even though he had just 13 points in 32 games last year, I could see how good he was. This season, he’s been much better. He has 22 goals and 18 points in 34 games. His +/- has gone from -21 last year to +16 this year. Part of that is due to playing with much better players and playing in a system that takes advantage of his skill, but a lot of it is due to his hard work. He’s a junior this year, so he still might come back next season for Penn State.
The Washington Capitals should be interested in him for several reasons. First of all, he’s a unique playmaker/power forward hybrid. He’s a 6’3″ forward who can either get dirty near the crease or create plays for his teammates. Secondly, his defense is improving. He still has lapses of judgment at times, but he’s a quick learner. I rarely see him make the same mistake twice. Thirdly, I can’t say enough about how good of a shooter he is. He’s very accurate. While his pucks might not always end up going in, he rarely misses his mark. If he wants to play his style of game in the NHL, I’d like to see him gain about 10 pounds or so. He’s hovering around 200-ish pounds right now. I’d really like to see him play for the Washington Capitals, particularly alongside Marcus Johansson and Evgeny Kuznetsov. Despite being 6’3″, Bailey can fly down the ice.