The Washington Capitals take Zach Benson eighth overall in the 2023 NHL Draft. Here's more on the versatile and talented playmaker.
With the No. 8 overall pick, the Washington Capitals select...
Zach Benson from the Western Hockey League's Winnipeg Ice.
Why pick him?
Benson was second in the WHL in scoring this past season, trailing only Connor Bedard. He tallied 36 goals and added 62 assists for 98 points in just 60 games.
The 18-year-old is talented at both ends of the ice and can play center or wing. He's an outstanding playmaker known for his attention to detail, high hockey IQ and unparalleled passing ability. It also helps that he owns a strong shot.
Though Benson could work on his skating and lacks size at 5-foot-9 and 163 pounds, the way he sees the game, his pacing and his awareness at both ends makes him a dangerous all-around player. He's one of those players that plays with consistency and 100 percent effort on a nightly basis, and he does a good job of finding his teammates at the right time and creating time and space for himself and others.
What are the other options?
Washington's approach to the 2023 NHL Draft will be to take the "best player available" when it's on the clock. Assistant general Ross Mahoney was very vocal about this in his pre-draft presser, explaining that the Capitals won't base their pick on a positional need.
What the pick may be based on, though, is if Matvei Michkov is still available. Per reports, Washington is "seriously aimed" at taking Michkov, who's arguably the top forward available behind Bedard but could fall in the top 10 due to still being under KHL contract under 2026, having reported "character issues" and having a reputation of being difficult to get in touch with before this week.
If Michkov isn't available and Benson is, it'd be a wise pick at 8, especially given the club's history of taking players from the WHL. However, if he's not, other strong choices would be Dalibor Dvorský, Ryan Leonard or David Reinbacher.
New reports also speculate that the Capitals could be looking to move up in the draft, so it remains to be seen if they stay at No. 8.
What else is on the agenda?
As mentioned, Mahoney stressed that it would be a "best player available" situation. However, there are some needs that could be addressed, including getting more high-scoring wingers with the team losing Alex Ovechkin in a few years. Center depth is always a positive; though Connor McMichael and Hendrix Lapierre are on the way up, Nicklas Backstrom and Evgeny Kuznetsov's futures hang in the balance.
On the defensive side of the coin, the team is pretty stacked when it comes to depth on the blue line, though more right-side depth is a plus.