The Capitals will make the eighth overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.
The Washington Capitals officially another item to their offseason to-do list on Monday, as they found out they'll be making the eighth-overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. It also provided an opportunity for general manager Brian MacLellan to speak a bit on the summer.
MacLellan caught up with NBC Sports Washington's Alexa Landestoy following the NHL Draft Lottery, where he shared his thoughts on the team winning the No. 8 pick and the game plan going into the NHL Draft, which takes place on June 28-29 in Nashville.
There was a six percent chance that the team would jump up and win the No. 1 overall pick to take Connor Bedard, but MacLellan is still confident the team can get a strong piece for the future at eighth.
"It's still a good pick. Our guys are excited about the depth of this draft, and I think we'll get a good player at eighth and a player that we can build around and guys are excited about it," MacLellan said.
"I think there's a lot of good players right at the top. And then there's a group right under that that our guys are excited about. A lot of good forwards, couple good defensemen, so we'll see," he added. "We'll do a lot of homework down the stretch and see what we come up with and hopefully make a good pick."
In addition to the draft, free agency and exploration of the trade market, MacLellan also cashed in by signing top prospect Ivan Miroshnichenko and top European free agent defenseman Hardy Häman Aktell.
He also said that the situation with Miroshnichenko was a bit surprising, but that it provides a major opportunity for the organization, along with the Häman Aktell signing, to get younger and faster while preparing for the future when the Alex Ovechkin era comes to an end.
"Ivan coming over is a big deal. I don't know that we were expecting it. At some point we were thinking he's going to spend one more year over there," MacLellan explained. "Got him over here for this year, so we're excited to get control of him. We'll get him in a development camp and go from there in training camp.
"Häman is a good defensemen in Sweden. Had a couple injuries that sent him back and we're looking forward to seeing what he can do for us," he added.