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Washington Capitals: 15 All-Time Best Draft Picks

By Michael Marzzacco

SUNRISE, FL - JUNE 26: Ilya Samsonov poses after being selected 22th overall by of the Washington Capitals in the first round of the 2015 NHL Draft at BB&T Center on June 26, 2015 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
SUNRISE, FL - JUNE 26: Ilya Samsonov poses after being selected 22th overall by of the Washington Capitals in the first round of the 2015 NHL Draft at BB&T Center on June 26, 2015 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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CHICAGO, IL – JUNE 23: A general view of the Washington Capitals draft table is seen during Round One of the 2017 NHL Draft at United Center on June 23, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Dave Sandford/NHLI via Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL – JUNE 23: A general view of the Washington Capitals draft table is seen during Round One of the 2017 NHL Draft at United Center on June 23, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Dave Sandford/NHLI via Getty Images) /

With the NHL Draft coming up tonight, Stars and Sticks looks at the 15 all-time best Washington Capitals draft picks.

This was a hard process because there were many great players that suited up in a Washington Capitals uniform. There were unfortunately some that didn’t make the cut. We dove into the past, the present and heck even the future.

This lists consists of 14 first rounders and the franchise’s biggest steal to round out this list. These players were listed based on both contributions and uniqueness. Another factor of this is based on experience following the team for a decade and a half.

The purpose of this is to spark a healthy debate and get more ready for the excitement and suspense of 2019 Draft night in Vancouver. Without further ado let’s begin.

Eric Fehr

NASHVILLE, TN – JUNE 21: Eric Fehr of the Washington Capitals is introduced to his new team during the 2003 NHL Entry Draft at the Gaylord Entertainment Center on June 21, 2003 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images/NHLI)
NASHVILLE, TN – JUNE 21: Eric Fehr of the Washington Capitals is introduced to his new team during the 2003 NHL Entry Draft at the Gaylord Entertainment Center on June 21, 2003 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images/NHLI) /

Eric Fehr was taken 18th in the 2003 NHL Draft and appeared in 11 games in the 2005-06 season. Fehr spent the rest of that season with their AHL affiliate Hershey Bears. He spent most of the following season in Hershey but did make stops in Washington for callup stints.

Fehr’s first goal came on Jan. 27, 2007 in a 7-3 win against the Hurricanes. Fehr scored a career-high 21 goals in 2009-10. On New Years Day in 2011 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, the Capitals played their first ever NHL Winter Classic with an epic contest against the Penguins.

Although the rain delayed the game from afternoon to evening, the night backdrop under the gridiron lights set the stage for a memorable contest. The Capitals won that historic game 3-1 with Fehr scoring twice.

Fehr was traded to the Winnipeg Jets that summer but returned to the Capitals following the end of the 2012 NHL lockout. Fehr’s best season in his second stint in Washington came in 2014-15 where he scored 19 goals and added another Winter Classic memory to his name when the outdoor spectacle came to Washington.

Fehr left for that team in Pittsburgh for a season and a half before being placed on waivers prior to the deadline in 2017. He was claimed by the Toronto Maple Leafs, San Jose Sharks and the Minnesota Wild. He is an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Overall in Fehr’s nine seasons in Washington, he finished with 87 goals and assists in 419 games.

Marcus Johansson

MONTREAL – JUNE 26: Marcus Johansson poses with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, Washington Capitals Director of Amateur Scouting Ross Mahoney and VP & GM George McPhee after being drafted during the first round of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft at the Bell Centre on June 26, 2009 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
MONTREAL – JUNE 26: Marcus Johansson poses with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, Washington Capitals Director of Amateur Scouting Ross Mahoney and VP & GM George McPhee after being drafted during the first round of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft at the Bell Centre on June 26, 2009 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

Marcus Johansson was the 24th pick in 2009 and was a mainstay on some great Capitals teams before being traded to the New Jersey Devils to save up cap space after Evgeny Kuznetsov’s big pay day in summer of 2017.

Johansson was signed to a three-year entry level deal on May 17, 2010 and made his NHL debut the next season. Johansson scored his first NHL goal against Tim Thomas of the Boston Bruins and spent his first seven seasons in Washington.

Johansson scored 102 goals and 188 assists during his time in D.C. that ended sooner than himself or any Capitals fan would’ve wanted. Johansson watched his old teammates lift the Stanley Cup in 2018 but had a chance at Stanley in 2019 after a midseason trade to the Boston Bruins. Despite coming short, the series did go seven.

There might be a return to D.C. on the horizon for Johansson as he enters the summer as an unrestricted free agent and the word on the street is they have him on their radar. This comes from a report by Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos on the Prime Time Sports podcast. Caps Nation would welcome him back with open arms if that is the case.

Alex Semin

WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 2: Alexander Semin #28 of Washington Capitals skates during warmups before Game Three of the Eastern Conference Semifinals of the 2012 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs against the New York Rangers on May 2, 2012 at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/NHLI via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 2: Alexander Semin #28 of Washington Capitals skates during warmups before Game Three of the Eastern Conference Semifinals of the 2012 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs against the New York Rangers on May 2, 2012 at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Alxander Semin was taken in 2002 with the 13th pick and made his Capitals debut in the 2003-04 season and scored 10 goals and added 12 assists. His first During the 2004 NHL lockout, Semin returned to Russia to play for the Lada Togliatti instead of playing for the Washington’s then-AHL affiliate Portland Pirates.

Washington preferred he went the latter and was suspended for not reporting to said affiliate. He also missed Alex Ovechkin’s rookie 2005-06 due to military Armed Forces obligations in Russia but returned back to D.C. in 2006-07.

Semin blossomed and scored 38 goals and 35 assists and even added six game-game winners. He had blazing speed and a quick shot. For a few years in the “Young Guns” era, the “Alex-to-Alex” was an unstoppable force.

Semin added a career-high 40 goals in 2009-10 and carried that over with 28 the second season before his offensive numbers started to dip. Part of this was from his poor play in the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs. Out of all the players who were Jaroslav “Halak’d”, Semin couldn’t get a puck past him despite leading the team with 44 shots that spring.

Despite this, Semin still had a great seven-year run with 197 goals and 211 assists. Semin was signed to the Carolina Hurricanes in 2012 free agency and spent three seasons there. His career ended in Montreal when he was waived and unclaimed. When he cleared, he refused to report to the AHL and his contract was terminated. He’s back in Russia playing in the KHL. 

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