The 2026 NHL draft is just over two weeks away and the Washington Capitals own the 16th and 18th overall picks. The Caps have some exciting young players that are ready to take the next step the NHL, but it will leave the Caps pretty thin at a few positions in system. While they have a stable of promising young wingers, the other positions have been somewhat neglected. While the Capitals have usually drafted the best player available, they should focus on upgrading these three other positions to improve their organizational depth:
Center
The Caps look good at center with the emergence of Ilya Protas close and Justin Sourdif to go with Pierre-Luc Dubois and Dylan Strome. They have Hendrix Lapierre and Connor McMichael who can play the pivot when needed. All the other levels are pretty bare when it comes to centers. The Capitals haven’t drafted a center since they took Hendrix Lapierre with the 22nd pick in 2020. Except for Milton Gastrin (who played in Sweden last season), the Capitals don’t have any real center prospects with NHL chops. The position has been neglected for a long time, and the Capitals need a promising center prospect or two in this draft if they are to stay strong down the middle. Alexander Command or Tynan Lawrence could be around when the Caps are on the clock in the first.
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