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Washington Capitals: 2018 NHL Draft a huge success

By Ron Juckett

DALLAS, TX - JUNE 22: Alexander Alexeyev poses with team personnel after being selected thirty-first overall by the Washington Capitals during the first round of the 2018 NHL Draft at American Airlines Center on June 22, 2018 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)
DALLAS, TX - JUNE 22: Alexander Alexeyev poses with team personnel after being selected thirty-first overall by the Washington Capitals during the first round of the 2018 NHL Draft at American Airlines Center on June 22, 2018 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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The Washington Capitals had work to do during the 2018 NHL Draft. They cleared cap space and drafted good players. Mission accomplished.

The Washington Capitals pulled a coup this weekend during the 2018 NHL Draft as they went to Dallas and pulled off their game plan to perfection.

Washington executed the salary dump of the century in the moments before the draft started. By clearing Brooks Orpik’s salary, along with getting Philipp Grubauer out of the Eastern Conference, the Caps opened their off-season giving themselves unlimited options with $21 million in cap space. Somewhere, John Carlson smiles. He will stay and get his eight-year deal.

Then came the draft.

Without a pressing immediate need, Washington set out to restock their minor-league system with two-way players and kids oozing in hockey intelligence. From first-round defenseman Alexander Alexeyev to Riley Sutter, mission accomplished.

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Alexeyev and Martin Fehervary are stars on the rise. Kody Clark and Sutter are children of NHL stars Wendel Clark and Ron Sutter, respectively. Add goalie Mitchell Gibson from the growing United States Hockey League and you have five solid players ready to grow into the system.

Without a fifth-round pick, Washington traded up in the sixth for defenseman Alex Kannok-Leipert. With the last selection of the draft, the Caps grabbed Eric Florchuk, a forward from Saskatoon from the Western Hockey League as “Mr. Irrelevant.”

The WHL was the Caps common theme. Alexeyev plays for Red Deer. Those scouting trips to the west coast were fruitful.

Without an immediate need, and faced with the last pick in most rounds, Washington had no immediate gaps to fill. Alexeyev was slated as a late first-rounder and has a full personality. He likes ice cream and chatted with Alex Ovechkin Friday night. On the surface, he is not overwhelmed by the moment.

Some prospect lists had Fehervary and Clark lower than the 40s on their sheets, but Washington understood they drafted prospects two-three years away from having an AHL impact, let alone on the ice with the Caps.

Clark and Sutter know the pro hockey lifestyle warts and all. In a draft teeming with prospects of former NHL players, Washington nabbed two with a combination of talent and toughness.

It is tough to give a thorough grade as none of these players will be on your televisions and smartphones this fall in a regular-season Washington Capitals game. But, when you consider this weekend was for stocking depth, they get an “A” for doing that. The development system is deeper, and they drafted smart players.

Next: Fehervary and Clark are new Caps

Job well done.

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