Washington Capitals: Grading The 2009 NHL Draft
Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Over the next several weeks, we will be taking a look back at past Washington Capitals drafts and grading them. We will use hindsight within reason. For example, just because player A was drafted in the seventh round and is an NHL All-Star, that doesn’t mean we’ll say that the Washington Capitals should have drafted player A over player B in the first round. Today, we look at a draft that has turned out surprisingly well for the Washington Capitals: the 2009 NHL Draft.
The Washington Capitals had seven draft picks in that draft, picking 25th in each round. In the first round, the Washington Capitals selected forward Marcus Johansson. In the second round, the Caps selected defenseman Dmitry Orlov. In the third round, the Caps selected forward Cody Eakin. In the fourth round, they selected defenseman Patrick Wey. In the fifth round, they selected defenseman Brett Flemming. In the sixth round, they selected forward Garrett Mitchell. In the seventh round, they selected forward Benjamin Casavant.
Each of those picks will be graded on several factors. First of all, what have they done in their career? Secondly, could the Washington Capitals have reasonably chosen a better player? We’ll look at the next five picks for each first and second round pick and the next ten for each of the subsequent rounds. Thirdly, what value did they bring the Washington Capitals, if any? Fourthly, what were the realistic expectations of the pick? It’s not worth getting upset over a seventh round pick, but it would be worth getting upset over a first round pick.
Next: First Round Pick: MoJo
Washington Capitals First Round Pick: Marcus Johansson
Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
The Washington Capitals drafted Marcus Johansson with their first round pick. He was the 24th overall selection. Let’s take a look at how he compares to the other skaters that were selected in the 2009 NHL Draft.
Credit: Hockey Reference
As you can see, the Washington Capitals got a terrific value drafting Johansson 24th overall. He has more points than all but three of the players that he was drafted after. If you prefer goals, Johansson ranks seventh among all 2009 NHL draftees in that regard.
In hindsight, the Washington Capitals made a terrific pick. Arguably the second best pick of the top 50 (next to Ryan O’Reilly). Also in hindsight, I suppose that the Washington Capitals would be better off had they drafted O’Reilly over Johansson. However, Johansson was clearly viewed as a first round talent (eighth best European skater) and O’Reilly was viewed as a second rounder.
HINDSIGHT PICK: I’d go with O’Reilly, but the Washington Capitals did get a very good player in Johansson and they did it despite drafting in the late first round.
GRADE: A-. Other than the Caps reaching for O’Reilly, they couldn’t have done a better job with this pick.
Next: Second Round Pick: Orly
Washington Capitals Second Round Pick: Dmitry Orlov
Photo credit: Tori Hartman
Dmitry Orlov was selected by the Washington Capitals in the second round with the 55th overall pick. People thought that the Caps found a bargain there, as he was ranked as the ninth best European skater. However, in hindsight, perhaps that wasn’t the case. This is largely due to injuries, but Orlov has not produced like the Caps had hoped that he would. He’s played in just 119 NHL games and has 31 points. It’s hard to call Orlov a bust because the main reasons that he hasn’t produced at the NHL level are injuries and two idiot head coaches who didn’t utilize him as well as they could have (Dale Hunter and Adam Oates).
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In hindsight, the Washington Capitals could have drafted one of two forwards that were drafted within five picks after Orlov: Brandon Pirri or Tomas Tatar. Either one of the two would have been better picks than Orlov. However, it’s worth noting again that it’s very difficult for me to blame the Washington Capitals for drafting Orlov. He’s an extremely talented defenseman who can’t seem to catch a break. Hopefully Orlov can have a healthy year and make me look silly for writing this.
HINDSIGHT PICK: I would love to have someone with Pirri’s extremely funny stat line of 22 goals and two assists in 2014-2015, but Tatar is one of my favorite non-Caps, so I’ve got to go with Tatar.
GRADE: C+. I can at least understand the logic behind the pick. If Orlov wasn’t a victim of circumstances beyond his control, this wouldn’t look like a bad pick at all.
Next: Third Round Pick: Cody Eakin
Washington Capitals Third Round Pick: Cody Eakin
In the third round of the 2009 NHL Draft, the Washington Capitals drafted forward Cody
Weasley
Eakin with the 85th overall pick. Eakin has turned out to be a fringe second line center who is at worst an above average third line center. However, he’s not currently playing for the Washington Capitals. He’s playing for the Dallas Stars.
The Washington Capitals traded Eakin (along with their 2012 second round pick) to the Stars for center Mike Ribeiro. Ribeiro clearly has his issues, but I don’t see any problem with that trade. The Washington Capitals gave up someone who might just be a bottom six forward (albeit a pretty good one) for a second line center who helped them in the 2013 lockout shortened season.
Still, the Eakin trade is a little frustrating. Considering the Washington Capitals’ lack of center depth right now (consider that Eric Fehr and Jay Beagle will be hitting the free agent market in just over a month), I’d sure love to have Eakin right now and I’m sure the Washington Capitals agree.
The Caps most likely made the right choice in drafting Eakin because nobody else drafted after Eakin has even played in the NHL yet. Eakin will most likely never be as productive as Ribeiro was in 2013 for the Caps, so it’s a trade that I can at least justify (though not agree with).
HINDSIGHT: Man, George McPhee was really good at trading promising players, wasn’t he? At least he got something of worth for Eakin.
GRADE: B+. This got raised because Eakin has done quite well when you consider that he’s a third rounder.
Next: Fourth Round Pick Is Still Finding His Wey
Washington Capitals Fourth Round Pick: Patrick Wey
Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
The Washington Capitals drafted Wey with their fourth round pick (115th overall) in the 2009 NHL Draft. It’s at this point that my expectations for picks begins to take a huge nose dive. Wey’s offense didn’t pan out like the Caps had hoped that it would, but he’s at least a serviceable depth defenseman. In nine NHL games, Wey has three points. He played three games with the Bears this season before getting injured.
Wey hasn’t panned out, but most fourth round picks don’t. I have to go 15 picks before I find someone who I really wish the Capitals would have picked over Wey: Mike Hoffman. Could you imagine how giddy for the future Washington Capitals fans could be if the second line for the near future featured Hoffman and Kuznetsov, two of the most impressive rookies this season? Yeah.
HINDSIGHT PICK: This one’s a stretch, but yeah, I really wish the Caps had drafted Mike Hoffman. Other than that, no one of consequence was drafted anywhere near Wey (though Sami Vatanen went nine picks before Wey).
GRADE: C+. Kind of annoying that they could have had Hoffman, but at least Wey is a solid depth defenseman.
Next: Fifth Round Pick: Brett Flemming
Washington Capitals Fifth Round Pick: Brett Flemming
The Capitals drafted Flemming in the fifth round with the 145th overall pick of the 2009 NHL Draft. Flemming, like most fifth round picks, didn’t really pan out. He has yet to play in an NHL game and he most likely never will play in an NHL game. His game never developed like the Caps had hoped that it would and he turned into a glorified depth defenseman.
While most fifth rounders don’t pan out, there are two players who were drafted within the ten picks after Flemming that I’m sure the Washington Capitals would like to have. The Blackhawks selected Marcus Kruger with the 149th overall pick. Kruger is at least a serviceable checking line center. He’d be a viable fourth line center option on the Capitals. The guy who the Caps really missed out on was drafted with the 152nd overall pick: Anders Lee. In hindsight, Lee would have been a great addition to the Caps second or third line this season. As a double whammy, drafting him would have robbed the Islanders of a 20+ goal scorer.
HINDSIGHT PICK: It stinks that I can’t fully appreciate Anders Lee because he’s an Islander. It hurts my heart that he could have feasibly be a Capital.
GRADE: D. I expect fifth round picks to at least be serviceable depth guys. Flemming was never even that and likely never will be that.
Next: Sixth and Seventh Round
Washington Capitals Sixth Rounder: Garrett Mitchell
The Caps drafted Mitchell with the 175th overall pick in the sixth round of the 2009 NHL Draft. Originally, as a Regina Pats fan, I was excited. I thought that Mitchell could be one of those late round picks that winds up contributing at the NHL level. Thanks to injuries, that wasn’t the case. At least Mitchell has turned out to be a valuable locker room guy for the Bears and a serviceable depth forward. Can’t have enough of those. Only seven players drafted after Mitchell have played a single game in the NHL. None of them are players worth getting upset about not having.
GRADE: B-. If it wasn’t for injuries, Mitchell would most likely be a decent fourth liner for the Caps.
Washington Capitals Seventh Rounder: Benjamin Casavant
The Caps drafted Casavant with the 205th overall pick in the seventh round of the 2009 NHL Draft. He never panned out and hasn’t played professional hockey since the 2011-2012 season.
GRADE: C
Next: Overall Grade
Washington Capitals 2009 NHL Draft Grade
Looking at this draft six years later, the Washington Capitals did fairly well for themselves. They got Johansson, Orlov, Eakin (and I’ll include Ribeiro in this grade), Wey and Mitchell. The later rounds in this draft produced very few NHL players and even fewer impact players, so the fact that only three of their picks turned into full-time NHL players isn’t that relevant.
I can’t help but think what this draft could have been had the Caps made a few picks differently. That said, I’d consider this draft a win for the Caps. An awesome top six forward, a talented (albeit cursed) defenseman, a bottom six forward who I loved to root for, a depth defenseman, a depth forward and 49 points in 48 games from Ribeiro.
GRADE: B. This would have been an A had the Washington Capitals drafted Hoffman and/or Lee.
Next up: We’ll grade the 2008 draft, which definitely wasn’t as successful as the 2009 NHL draft.