Washington Capitals: Top 3 players worth drafting in Round 1

The Washington Capitals are gearing up for the NHL Draft.

The NHL Draft will take place beginning on Tuesday night with Round 1. Which players could the Washington Capitals potentially select. We’ll highlight the three most likely candidates that they’ll take.

Last year the team hit a home run with their 25th pick, selecting Connor McMichael. This year the team will be selecting at the 24th pick for the third time in franchise history.

In the past, the team used their 24th overall pick to select Marcus Johansson in 2009 and Errol Rausse in 1978. In the last 10 NHL Drafts, players selected 24th overall have played a combined 1,321 NHL games, with Kevin Hayes of the Philadelphia Flyers leading the way with 270 points (115 goals, 155 assists) in 450 career games.

The Caps hold five picks in the NHL Draft. Last year the team made four selections. Besides McMichael, Brett Leason had a successful first professional season. Leason was selected in the second round last year.

Leason recorded 14 points with three goals and 11 assists in 50 games with the Hershey Bears in the AHL. Aliaksei Protas, Washington’s third round pick, registered 80 points with 31 goals and 49 assists in 58 games with the Prince Albert Raiders of the Western Hockey League (WHL).

#3 Justin Barron

Justin Barron is a defenseman from Halifax of the QMJHL. He was featured in The Score’s mock draft. They had this to say about Barron.

NHL front offices generally covet a mobile, right-handed defenseman with size like Barron (6-foot-2, 198 pounds). However, Barron falls down the board because of some health issues that may scare teams. He missed significant time last season due to a blood clot, and he’s currently sidelined after undergoing a corrective procedure on his shoulder. The Capitals could use someone to slot in behind John Carlson on the depth chart, so they take Barron, who tallied 19 points in 34 QMJHL games last year.

The only problem I have with this pick is the injury issues. Other than that, he can be a good defenseman added to an already deep prospect pool that already features Alex Alexeyev, Martin Fehervary, and more.

Elite Prospects added this about Barron:

Barron produces points in two ways: through the rush and with his shot from the blue line. He loves to transport the puck up-ice, accelerating away from forecheckers while switching from one skating lane to the next. When he breaks in the offensive zone, he looks to cut to the slot or drop a pass to a teammate.

That is one option on who the Caps could draft. If injured players aren’t your cup of coffee there are two other options.

#2 Lucas Reichel

Lucas Reichel is one player that we selected in one of our very early mock drafts when we were bored waiting and seeing who the next Capitals coach could be. Naturally, the left winger from Eisbaren Berlin of the DEL was also selected on Yahoo’s mock draft.

Brock Otten wrote this about Reichel:

It is a German take over! Back to back Germans in the back half of the first round as Washington selects the nephew of former NHL player Robert Reichel. Lukas is a well-rounded, high IQ winger who excels in a variety of different roles and who profiles as a terrific complimentary piece on a scoring line at the NHL level. The Capitals have not shied away from taking players out of Central Europe in recent years and Reichel would certainly fit in well with the Capitals current roster, in addition to being the best player available at this spot. Could Reichel have the same sort of impact as another German icon in Washington; Olaf Kolzig?

Reichel is coming off a season where he scored 12 goals and 12 assists for 24 points with Eisbaren Berlin’s varsity squad. He has an offensive knack, a good skating ability, and decent size to someday be a top six in the NHL.