As of right now, the Washington Capitals won’t have a first round pick in this year’s NHL Draft. That means they won’t be picking until the second round with the 55th overall pick. Who could be available on the draft board by that time? Let’s dive into three potential candidates.
When making this list, I looked at both forwards and defensemen. I think the Caps are well stocked on goalies right now. They could continue their recent trend and draft a forward and that’s who I have them taking with the 55th pick. With Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom not getting any younger, the time is now to fill up forwards into the pipeline.
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The Caps could also draft a defensemen depending on what happens in the expansion draft. No matter who they take, don’t expect to see them make the varsity squad just yet. The Caps like to give their prospects time to develop.
Tristan Broz: Elite Prospects compared him to a shark sniffing out blood while on the ice. That is honestly a cool comparison. He’s got an attacking mentality. With Fargo Force of the USHL last season, Broz scored 19 goals and added 32 assists for 51 points and had 11 points in eight playoff games with three goals and eight assists.
Anton Olsson: Corey Pronman of The Athletic (subscription required) has the Caps taking Olsson with the 55th pick. He’s a left handed defensemen from Malmo of the SHL. Elite Prospects says that he brings shutdown abilities to the table. He can match the defensive talent in the NHL beyond his years.
Prokhor Poltapov: That’s right, we have a Russian to round out this list. Poltapov is a right winger with excellent puck handling and isn’t afraid to throw the big hit. Will he be the next Ovechkin or at least somewhat of a decent version of him? We can’t wait to find out if the Caps make this selection.
Who do you see the Caps taking in the second round of the NHL Draft? We are only a week away from finding out.