Capitals end draft with two picks in seventh round

The Washington Capitals ended the 2023 NHL Draft with a bang making not one but two selections in the seventh and final round.

First with the 200th pick that they had coming into the draft, the Caps selected Brett Hyland, a forward from Brandon of the WHL.

Then the Caps acquired the 206th pick from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for the Caps 2025 seventh rounder. The Caps used that pick to take goalie Antonie Keller from Geneve Servette in Switzerland.

Last season with the Wheat Kings, Hyland had 26 goals and 21 assists for 47 points while adding 13 goals and 16 assists for 29 points the season prior.

Elite Prospects said this about Hyland in their 2021 NHL Draft Guide:

1-on-1 skill provides the flash, and he’s capable of beating players off the backhand, usually to get inside. Occasional deception keeps passing lanes open and he consistently builds runways of space for his passing recipient to skate into.

Keller went 8-13-2 with a 3.40 goals against average for Geneve Servette U20 of U20 Elit. On a loan for HCV Martigny of MyHL he went 2-1-1 with a 2.42 goals against average.

Internationally with France U20, he went 2-1-0 with a 2.70 goals against average and a .921 save percentage in the WJC 20 D1A. In International Jr. play for France U20, he went 3-4-0 with a .920 save percentage and a 2.15 goals against average.

Hyland is listed as five foot 11 and 188 pounds. He ranked first on Brandon in plus minus rating with a plus 11 while being tied for second in power play goals with 11 while ranked third in goals and fourth in points.

The Caps are all wrapped up for the 2023 NHL Draft. We hope you enjoyed following along and tuning in. Even though the draft is over the offseason games have just begun.

Trades could happen literally any second and this weekend marks Development Camp and the first day of NHL Free Agency.