The Capitals were eliminated from moving up in the draft lottery.
The Washington Capitals will choose 16th overall in the 2026 NHL Draft, as they didn't change position after the NHL Draft Lottery.
Washington had five of the 1,000 possible combinations, giving them just a 0.5 percent chance of moving up. The Capitals were eliminated early on both draws, and the furthest that they could have moved up was 10 picks to sixth overall.
The Toronto Maple Leafs won the first overall selection.
Washington just missed out on the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, so will first pick in the middle of the pack.
The Capitals also own the Anaheim Ducks' first-round pick as a result of the John Carlson trade, so will have two selections to kick things off.
General manager Chris Patrick said on breakdown day he will explore all options relating to the picks, whether it's bringing in more top prospects to add to the depth chart or using them as trade chips as the team looks to add more scoring depth this offseason.
"I imagine that's a pretty good ace to have up your sleeve," Patrick said. "Even if you don't trade those picks, you're getting two more young players into the fold that are potential assets or maybe make other prospects more expendable."
The 2026 NHL Draft will be held from June 26-27 in Buffalo, New York.