For a team at the peak of their Stanley Cup window, legitimate prospects might seem like a back-burner issue at this crux. With Holtby potentially leaving for more money and the Capitals continue to roster the best lineup every night with a significantly flatter cap, the organization might have bigger things to worry about this offseason. Yet, it’s just this issue that makes their draft the last few years as well as this year so important. With aging stars like Backstrom and Ovechkin, Washington will need to supplant talent on the roster amidst a league-wide budget cut. Players like Alexis Protas and Connor McMichael, in the coming years, seem to be on pace to provide that. While on their thrifty, entry-level contracts, the Capitals could keep their window open for that much longer while starting the new era.
With this year’s draft uncertainty, Washington holds the 24th overall pick, a pick based off of point percentage when the season abruptly ended on March 12th. While they understandably won’t get the likes of Stutzle or Perfetti, some of the Capital's best work has been in the late stages of the first round for the last decade. Mike Green, Yevegni Kuznetsov, and Connor McMichael all have been drafted at 25th overall or later, proving that talent has to be found. They just can’t miss this critical point.
With a desperate need of skill and depth at all areas of their prospect pool, only four actually stand above the rest. This group includes Alexis Protas, Connor McMichael, Alex Alexeyev, and Martin Fehervary. What stands out about them is that there is not a single winger. Since Vrana, Washington’s winger depth hasn’t been plentiful or skilled enough to push for an impactful roster spot. Since this is a forward heavy draft, below are the three choices that, if still on the draft board, Washington should select.
Jan Mysak, C/LW, Hamilton (OHL)
Age: 17 | Ht: 5-10 | Wt: 175 | Shot: L
Games Played (OHL): 25 | Goals: 15 | Assists: 10
Games Played (Czech): 26 | Goals: 5 | Assists: 4
Mysak might be one of the most interesting prospects in this draft. One of the youngest players available, Mysak has been tearing it up in Czech junior leagues for several years now. After posting 5 goals and 9 points in 26 games this season in the Czech men’s league, Mysak transferred to Hamilton of the OHL. If you look at his points per game percentage for the half-season, Mysak was on pace for topping Martin Necas who was drafted 12th overall by Carolina. He continued to post respectable numbers with 15 goals and 25 points in 22 games. His biggest strengths are that his IQ is off the charts and his ability to enter/lead the transition game is remarkable. If you look up videos of Mysak challenging the defense one on one off the rush, you would have more than enough videos to supplant Netflix for a long time. In light of his transition to North America and the small sample size of gameplay because of the lack of u18 tournaments, Mysak might slip down into the end of the first round. If he does, this should be a no-brainer selection for the Capitals.
Jacob Perreault, RW, Sarnia (OHL)
Age: 18 | Ht: 5-11 | Wt: 192 | Shot: R
Games Played: 57 | Goals: 39 | Assists: 31
Son of former NHLer Yanick Perreault, Jacob Perreault has risen the draft board this season quite substantially. Lead by his elite, heavy shot, Perreault scored 39 goals this season in the OHL. Describe as a phenomenal shooter, Perreault play tends to leave him a bit one dimensional as his playmaking and play away from the puck still suffer. Although less dynamic than Mysak, his shot might be the best in the draft, making him a must grab at this range in the draft. In a draft year littered with offensive talent, Perreault could drop a bit from initial projections that have him closer to 21st overall than 26th.
Hendrix Lapierre, C, Chicoutimi (QMJHL)
Age: 18 | Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 181 | Shot: L
Games Played: 19 | Goals: 2 | Assists: 17
The most interesting of the three, Hendrix Lapierre, after last season’s end of the year tournaments, was a consensus top 10 pick. That all changed when he sustained a concussion that limited his season to just 19 regular-season games in the QMJHL and none internationally. While this injury concern might scare away teams, plummeting his spot in this draft, he has all the tools to become one of the best NHL players in this year’s draft. Last year, his playmaking ability and high-end hockey IQ were apparently clear as he won the QMJHL rookie of the year. On a team laden with budding stars such as Cole Perfetti and Quinton Byfield, Lapierre might have been the best overall forward in last year's Ivan Hlinka u18 tournament for team Canada. The risk is there with Lapierre but, if he slides all the way to 26th overall, Lapierre might be the potential key to keeping the Capitals window open.
All three of these players have exceptional tools that will guide them into becoming productive, if not elite, NHLer’s. With no playoffs or international tournaments to end this year, these players all could slip due to the incomplete season. Likelihood dictates that potentially all of them could be drafted well before that Capitals take the podium, but if one or more remain, these players could provide new life on a Capitals team that will attempt to continue their winning ways for the foreseeable future.
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