The Washington Capitals have had a weak prospect pool for years as a perennial playoff contender. Recent draft picks could change that, writes prospect expert Tony Ferrari.
The Washington Capitals have had a weak prospect pool for years as a perennial playoff contender. Recent draft picks could change that, writes prospect expert Tony Ferrari.
As the NHL off-season ticks on, Tony Ferrari continues to analyze each team’s prospect pool, with the Washington Capitals next up.
In this series, Tony Ferrari digs into each team’s strengths and weaknesses, their latest draft class, where their positional depth chart stands, and who could be next in line for a shot at the NHL. Note that a player who no longer holds rookie eligibility in the NHL is considered graduated and no longer considered a prospect for the purposes of these exercises unless mentioned otherwise.
Introduction
The Washington Capitals have been a perennial playoff team and Stanley Cup contender throughout the Alexander Ovechkin Era, which made last season that more disappointing because they never reached their usual dominance. They limped through the season with injuries and inconsistent play, but Ovechkin's goal record chase improved the mood as he now sits just 72 goals back of Wayne Gretzky.
As they remain competitive, the prospect pipeline has suffered. They’ve managed to add some very solid prospects over the last couple of years, however, and the 2023 draft did wonders for their prospect pool, with Ryan Leonard and Andrew Cristall joining the fold.
After a draft season of ups and downs followed by a Hodgkin’s lymphoma diagnosis, Washington drafted Ivan Miroshnichenko 20th overall in 2022. He looked very good in his return to hockey last year after successful treatments and a clean bill of health. He will come to North America this upcoming season with some AHL time most likely, but he could be a dark horse to make the NHL team out of camp. His skating, puck skill and shooting talent are all tantalizing, and he very well could force his way onto the team. Miroshnichenko is the Caps' top prospect, and he could be an addition that helps get Washington back into the playoff mix.
Hendrix Lapierre could factor into the NHL lineup sooner rather than later. He is an ultra-skilled, shifty distributor who can feather a pass through traffic and create for his teammates. His goal-scoring has always been average at best, but he should keep goalies honest if he increases his shot volume at the very least. Lapierre was inconsistent last season in the AHL, but his upside and flashes of high-end play are more than enough to make him one of Washington’s top prospects.
After a very good year in Swedish junior hockey, Alexander Suzdalev went to the Capitals in Round 3 and moved to the WHL for his draft-plus-one season. He was a stud for the Regina Pats, putting up 86 points in his first North American season. His hands were impressive, and he worked well with Bedard but showed he could also lead the second wave of attack. He could return to junior hockey, but he could also turn to pro hockey in the AHL or Sweden. Where he plays next season will be something to track, and it will likely be decided in training camp with the Capitals.
Through two NCAA seasons with Michigan State, David Gucciardi played his typical steady brand of hockey. He certainly isn’t a world-beater with the puck on his stick, but he retrieves pucks efficiently below the goal line and evades pressure with his feet. Gucciardi must figure out how to be more effective with the puck to make an impact at the next level, but he will have time in college to do so.
Vincent Iorio’s rookie season in the AHL went about as well as anyone could have hoped. The 6-foot-3 blueliner was solid in his own end, using his frame and reach to defend in space while his breakout passing carried over from the WHL to the AHL. Iorio made life easy on his teammates, using his skating to draw opposing players in before exploiting the gaps in coverage. He saw three games of NHL action and could see more this upcoming season if injuries strike.
In his first season at the University of Minnesota, Ryan Chesley stepped in and looked like he’d been there for years. He is an intelligent breakout artist who can move the puck as a skater or passer. He plays more physically than his size would let on, as the six-foot defender is more than happy to close in along the boards. If Chesley can unlock some of the creativity he had in his early NTDP days and maintain his defensive strengths, he could be a very good player at the next level.
2023 NHL Draft Class
Round 1, 8th overall - Ryan Leonard, RW, U.S. NTDP (USHL)
Round 2, 40th overall - Andrew Cristall, LW, Kelowna (WHL)
Round 4, 104th overall - Patrick Thomas, C, Hamilton (OHL)
Round 5, 136th overall - Cam Allen, RD, Guelph (OHL)
Round 7, 200th overall - Brett Hyland, LW, Brandon (WHL)
Round 7, 206th overall - Antoine Keller, G, Geneve-Servette U-20 (Swiss Jr.)
For the first time in a long time, the Capitals drafted in the top 10. Their prospect pipeline has routinely been one of the worst in the league because of their perennial contender status and constantly looking to bolster their squad for a playoff run. This year, they were on the outside looking in when the post-season came, and they were able to add some solid talent from the 2023 NHL draft class.
Their top choice was human wrecking ball Ryan Leonard from the USA Hockey National Team Development Program. He is a power winger who insists on pushing his opponents to their limit. Leonard is a very good skater who can gather speed quickly, and when he is skating downhill at a defender, he invites contact on his way to the net. Just when the defender adjusts and attempts to use their strength in an effort to prevent Leonard’s path, the Caps’ new top prospect will break out a finesse move and dance around them. Leonard could be a difference-maker in Washington’s top six within a couple of years. There is even some hope he can be the rare winger who transitions back to center as he approaches the pro game, having moved off because he played on a loaded NTDP squad.
Washington’s second-round pick was one of the most interesting players in the draft class. Andrew Cristall has incredible passing ability, and his shooting talent is impressive. He is a true dual-threat attacker. His puckhandling ability is entertaining and effective, with the talent to stickhandle in a phone booth. He finished with 95 points, good for sixth in the WHL, and his 1.76 points per game were fourth best in the league. The issue is that his skating and overall mobility are major flaws. Would you like Mitch Marner if he couldn’t skate? If Cristall can improve his skating from a technical and power generation standpoint, he could be a top-10 talent in the draft class. At 40th overall, that’s a good bet.
After missing his rookie year in the OHL because of COVID-19, Patrick Thomas got his game going last season at 19 years old. He wasn’t able to get to a point-per-game pace, which is a bit of a concern, but he has good habits. He makes simple passes, goes to the net and tries to make positive things happen when he is on the ice. The Caps will hope his offensive game really pops this upcoming season.
Heading into the 2023 draft cycle, Cam Allen was widely regarded as one of the top defensemen. He captained Team Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup prior to the season as he came off a 37-point draft-minus-one season. From that point forward, everything went poorly. His defensive game improved a bit, but the decision-making, puck-moving, offensive skill and just about every other aspect of his game took a step back. It was a tough year for Allen, which led to a fall from a possible top-10 choice to being selected in the fifth round. He will be out to start next season after off-season shoulder surgery and should return after the new year, which is yet another hurdle for the once-promising defender.
The Capitals then took Brett Hyland late in his final year of draft eligibility. His puck skill is the best trait he has, and his skating is at least up to par when it comes to NHL prospects. The issue is he often doesn't put all of his tools together and hasn’t really ever blown the WHL away, barely surpassing a point per game this past season as one of the older players in the league.
A seventh-round swing on a netminder is never a bad choice, and the Caps took that swing on Swiss goalie Antoine Keller. He had respectable numbers in the Swiss junior leagues and played some second-level men’s games with mixed results. He certainly isn’t a stud in net, but goaltenders develop slowly, and he has a long runway.
Strengths
The Capitals' best player in franchise history is Ovechkin, who's played on the left flank for almost his entire career except for a brief experiment at right wing. So it’s fitting that their pipeline's one true strength is on the left wing.
Miroshnichenko, Cristall and Suzdalev all look like possible impact NHLers down the road, but they also boast depth at the position. Bogdan Trineyev is a big-bodied winger with some skilled passing in his repertoire. Ludwig Persson is an intelligent forward who can do a bit of everything but tends to lack the willingness to get to the hard areas in an effort to avoid contact. Washington’s left-wing depth is one of their only true strengths in the pipeline.
Weaknesses
The Capitals' prospect pool is among the weaker groups around the NHL, and they have virtually nothing on the left side in their defense pipeline. While right-shot defenders are often the more sought-after players, the Capitals find themselves in the odd position of being short on the left. Rasmus Sandin was acquired from Toronto at the trade deadline last season, and at just 23 years old, he is set to take on a big role with the Caps. They will need to find a few players to come in as the next wave over the next few years, though.
Next Man Up: Hendrix Lapierre, C/W
A year after being drafted, Lapierre had a six-game tryout with the Capitals in 2021-22, but they sent him back to the QMJHL after they deemed him not quite ready. Last year, he spent the season in the AHL and wasn’t quite as productive as many expected. Nevertheless, Lapierre has excellent hands and very good vision. His passing ability is his biggest strength offensively. He does a very good job of maneuvering through traffic and creating passing lanes for himself. He has dealt with a number of concussions and injuries through the years, which has limited his development, but there are shades of the effective playmaking forward still in his game.
Prospect Depth Chart Notables
LW: Ivan Miroshnichenko, Andrew Cristall, Alexander Suzdalev, Ludwig Persson, Bogdan Trineyev
C: Hendrix Lapierre, Jake Karabela, Ryan Hofer
RW: Ryan Leonard, Oskar Magnusson, Henrik Rybinski
LD: David Gucciardi
RD: Vincent Iorio, Brent Johnson, Ryan Chesley, Cam Allen
G: Garin Bjorklund, Mitchell Gibson
For a deeper dive into the prospect pool with player rankings, check out the Yearbook, Prospects Unlimited, and Future Watch editions of the Hockey News print edition.