Team Analysis

Nikolaj Ehlers is the top free agent still available not just in terms of name value, but because of how seamlessly his game would fit into Washington’s biggest area of need. Few players in the league can generate speed through the neutral zone like Ehlers. His edgework is elite, his first few strides are explosive, and he has the puck control to slice through defensive layers while still scanning the ice. That skillset becomes even more valuable when paired with someone like Alex Ovechkin, who thrives when he’s freed up off the puck. Ehlers has shown in his time in Winnipeg that he can play both wings and skill that show he’d be a natural fit beside Ovechkin and Dylan Strome.

The Washington Capitals, again, had a quietly outstanding NHL Draft, pulling off what many consider two early-round steals. At 27th overall, they selected Lynden Lakovic, a 6’4″ playmaking power-forward from the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors. Scoring 58 points in 47 games while serving as team captain, Lakovic is a beast and will thrive in an environment where he can learn from Tom Wilson (6’4″) who has mastered a rare type of game in today’s NHL. His physicality and playmaking ability are a rare 1-2 punch. What makes Lynden’s production even more impressive is that Moose Jaw finished last in the WHL, Lakovic had little support offensively and he still managed nearly 1.25 points per game. Despite an injury-shortened season, he impressed scouts with his rare combination of size, skill, and leadership, traits that could have easily earned him a top-20 pick. Just ten selections later, Washington landed Milton Gästrin at 37th overall, a smart, two-way center already playing against men in Sweden’s SHL. With a bronze at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and a silver at the U18 Worlds, Gästrin’s poise, international experience, and reliable play in all three zones made him a steal in early round two. Being almost 200lbs and projected to go much higher, Gästrin hopes to become the next great Swede for the Caps and make an immediate impact. In the later rounds, Washington added depth with some intriguing upside plays. Maxim Schäfer, taken 96th overall, is a German winger (6’4″) with good aggressive offensive instincts who could develop into a net-front, Corey Perry style of contributor with time. Jackson Crowder, a forward from the USHL’s Chicago Steel, selected at 155th, brings strong skating for a bigger guy (6’3″) and solid point production given the talent of this years Steel. We’ll see how he does at Ohio State. At 180th overall, they took Aron Dahlqvist, a 6’4″ Swedish defenseman who plays a tough game and shows the kind of physicality that with some work could translate well as his skills continue to develop. While the top of this draft class is what stands out, the Capitals also took calculated swings on big, heavy prospects who could prove valuable in a league where strength and physicality are becoming increasingly important to championship hockey.