2018 Caps NHL Draft Thread

[Langway]

Figured it was time given some of the mid-term rankings out:

Central Scouting midterm rankings. EP's Draft Center with ISS top 31 and links to others. Ryan Kennedy top 40. Bob McKenzie's rankings are out Friday.

The Caps currently have: WSH 1st, FLA 2nd, TOR 3rd, WSH 3rd, WSH 4th, WSH 6th & WSH 7th. The FLA/TOR picks were acquired in the Johansson trade. Their 5th was moved for Graovac.

It's a pretty D heavy draft overall but the top 40 seems pretty fair.

Click to read more...

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

We really need top-6 prospects, but maybe we get a nice C/W & D with the top two picks.

 

[BiPolar Caps]

Wasn't that impressed from what I saw of Quinn Hughes in the WJC. Hopped in the car over the weekend and listening to Sirius they had the prospects show on the NHL station and they were specifically talking about Serron Noel (6'5", his size and his great hands). He's ranked around 30 in the lists that you provided.

 

[Langway]

The CHL Top Prospects Game is Thursday on NHLN. Noel will be playing in that one. Fellow Oshawa General McShane is another option worth checking out. He's a center that could go in the 25-40 range. Merkley, Sandin and Addison could be among the better D still available in that range.

Ideally at this point I'd hope one of the following forwards fall to them in the first round: McLeod, Kotkaniemi, Farabee, Thomas or McBain. If they're not in range for any of them then there's a load of defensemen that dominate that end of the first round range (and shouldn't be ruled out despite the pipeline glut if there's enough upside).

 

[Langway]

Top Prospects Game about to be under way on NHLN.

Orr:
71 Nizhnikov - 91 McLeod - 14 Svechnikov
42 Fonstad - 61 McShane - 8 Noel
92 MacDonald - 19 Groulx - 17 Zavgorodny
27 Burzan - 18 Foudy - 41 Sutter

15 McIsaac - 53 Dobson
24 Smith - 2 Addison
88 Bahl - 55 Bernard

1 Gravel
31 Mandolese

Cherry:
53 Dellandrea - 8 Hillis - 44 Thomas
91 Fortier - 9 Veleno - 18 Dudas
26 Sokolov - 27 Hayton - 11 Zadina
14 Florchuk - 96 Kurashev - 23 Kotkov

19 Sandin - 2 EBouchard
66 Gross - 6 Merkley
12 Vallati - 20 XBouchard

33 Rodrigue
1 Ingham

 

[Langway]

Bob McKenzie's midterm top 80. No huge surprises. I thought Merkley might come in lower based in part on how he's fallen in other rankings but no such luck. It seems like there's maybe a tier starting at right around 20 where it opens up until 34 or so with strong potential first rounders. Michal Pivonka's son, Jacob, sits at 64. Still a bit early but some decent value to be had...

@25ish: C McBain, LD MSamuelsson, RD Woo, C Groulx, LD Miller, RW Bokk
@35ish: LD Sandin, LD Bahl, LD Tychonick, RW Kravtsov, LW Dellandrea, LW McLaughlin, C McShane

Again, it's D heavy so maybe it doesn't line up ideally with projected organizational needs but they could always move out whoever ends up as the odd man out in the coming years. You can bet that will happen to one or two of them regardless of whether they go D with either pick (assuming they're retained).

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Anyone stand out in that game?

 

[Langway]

Zadina, Bahl, EBouchard, Dellandrea, Dudas and Burzan probably helped themselves the most. Svechnikov wasn't overly dominant, though part of it may have been his linemates. It seems like there are a lot of newer age bottom six forwards available in this draft between the second and fourth rounds. It's D heavy overall but there's a good mix of energy type forwards in there as well.

Ideally, I think I'd hope for one of Veleno, McLeod, Kotkaniemi, Lundestrom or Olofsson to drop to the Caps. Lundestrom would be a perfect high IQ middle six center prospect for the coming years. If not, there's probably still decent value to be had there but it might take a bit longer to provide impact (though at both spots it depends on how well the class finishes). There's still lots of time yet between various league playoffs and the U18s for further separation.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

thx for the feedback!

 

[Corby78]

When it comes to the NHL draft, I've always been a fan of "best player available." Once you get out of the top handful these kids are years away. Get the best talent you can, develop them, and then you can either use them or trade them to fit your need. To me projecting what your going to need 3-4 years from now causes you to look past talent and guess too much. The NHL draft is much more like MLB than NBA/NFL.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Figured it was time given some of the mid-term rankings out:

Central Scouting midterm rankings. EP's Draft Center with ISS top 31 and links to others. Ryan Kennedy top 40. Bob McKenzie's rankings are out Friday.

The Caps currently have: WSH 1st, FLA 2nd, TOR 3rd, WSH 3rd, WSH 4th, WSH 6th & WSH 7th. The FLA/TOR picks were acquired in the Johansson trade. Their 5th was moved for Graovac.

It's a pretty D heavy draft overall but the top 40 seems pretty fair.

Don't we have our 2nd as well? I thought we already gave 2 2nds to Montreal?

 

[BackToTheBasics]

Don't we have our 2nd as well? I thought we already gave 2 2nds to Montreal?

I think the 2 2nds were for the 2017 and 2018 draft. Feels like Eller has been with the Caps for longer than only one season.

 

[Langway]

March ISS top 31.

Recapping their current slate of picks (6): WSH 1st, FLA 2ns, TOR 3rd, WSH 4th, WSH 6th, WSH 7th.

I did a mock recently to get a sense of what might be available to them and winded up with the center Groulx in the first and Swedish winger Hallander in the second. That was with Florida's pick a bit earlier than it is today with that pick trending more toward the 45 range. But there should still be just enough depth to get a pretty decent prospect in the second. The depth seems decent up until around 50.

With seven teams currently within four points of the Caps, including the two PA teams, it's possible they could wind up picking around 20 or a bit earlier should they scuffle in the final month. It would probably doom them to opening the playoffs on the road and perhaps being one-and-done but at least it would position them to get a better player should they indeed get bounced early. IMO there's a tier cutoff right around 20 to 22 with another six players or so that seem like they should be first rounders. A few other wildcards could boost their stock further down the stretch so it's shaping up to at least have the potential of a strong first round with a number of intriguing talents available thereafter.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

I thought we got our 2nd back from Shattenkirk trawhen we failed to advance to ECF

 

[Langway]

That was next year's second. This year's was the second of two that went to Montreal for Eller. (Montreal, btw, currently has four second rounders.)

 

[KWPower]

I believe someone B-O Groulx is a bit underrated this year, and I think the Caps should take a flyer on him. His offensive production is average but he's a tough, gritty 2-way player with goal scoring talent and isn't afraid to go in the corners from what I've read. I'm really high on the guy from the few viewings I've had of him too.

 

[Langway]

I believe someone B-O Groulx is a bit underrated this year, and I think the Caps should take a flyer on him. His offensive production is average but he's a tough, gritty 2-way player with goal scoring talent and isn't afraid to go in the corners from what I've read. I'm really high on the guy from the few viewings I've had of him too.

It depends on his perceived offensive upside. It's a good stylistic fit, even if he'd be blocked at 3C for a while, but he needs to produce in the Q playoffs I think.

Meanwhile, Vitaly Kravtsov has 4+1 in 5 KHL playoff games for Kuznetsov's old team (Chelyabinsk). He could Russian Factor his way to their pick. It's mainly been Denisenko that's been the candidate for that this year but Kravtsov may be even better, esp. from a finishing standpoint and in terms of frame/size.

 

[GoCaps2004]

I believe someone B-O Groulx is a bit underrated this year, and I think the Caps should take a flyer on him. His offensive production is average but he's a tough, gritty 2-way player with goal scoring talent and isn't afraid to go in the corners from what I've read. I'm really high on the guy from the few viewings I've had of him too.

When's the last time the Caps picked anyone from the Q, like 2010? they seem to have some sort of animosity an aversion toward the Q

 

[SherVaughn30]

Most talented player has never done this organization any good in the Caps awful playoff history. Maybe it's time they go for best player with clutch playoff performance, best player at having the will to win, or best player that has the most team character? Langway, Hunter and Oates, were from other teams. To me Scott Stevens was one of the best Caps players ever drafted, but they gave up on him due to dumb Abe Polin not wanting to pony up the money to keep him! Olaf Kolzig was another as I still hold him in high regard even over Holtby. I bring this all up because I don't always agree with taking the best player available. If you go off the board a little, then you have to have good scouts to allow it work in the long term for that picked player.

 

[Dr John Carlson]

I'd prefer somebody who isn't a soft winger.

 

[Langway]

Maybe it's time they go for best player with clutch playoff performance, best player at having the will to win, or best player that has the most team character?

It's tricky, though. If you miss on those picks early then what kind of player do you get? Brian Sutherby? There needs to be production and projection or else it (at best) runs the risk of having to develop it out over a number of years. It's eventually come with Wilson compared to it not manifesting itself much early but it has taken time and they don't have a great track record in that regard. Ideally, they'd be in position to land a Boeser or Konecny type NA winger but a European could again be the best fast-track option from a skill standpoint. There's value to be had in that given the age of the core. (Of course, they ignored the fast track and need with Samsonov vs. those two wingers so who knows...) I'd say they're still very much BPA when they believe it warrants it and it remains mostly defined by skill level to the detriment of well-roundedness or other more subtle areas.

It's easier to get more creative with picks toward a particular identity when having a wealth of them. Then again, I don't think they have a coherent organizational identity or a true valuation of those areas beyond more limited grinding type players. There is an opportunity this year in that 45ish range to select a forward that checks off those boxes but knowing them we can't rule out them going with finesse Europeans at both spots. It really wouldn't be so bad if they just had a developmental system more along the lines of a Detroit that better marries player strengths with tactics and more applied development beyond one-on-one battles and defense.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

The drafting has been pretty bad under GMBM. Not sure I liked any of his picks or trades in the draft.

 

[GoCaps2004]

The drafting has been pretty bad under GMBM. Not sure I liked any of his picks or trades in the draft.

I don't know if I agree with this. I think his drafting has been pretty solid, at least average to above average. I don't think it has been bad

 

[Barry Amsterdam]

Jake wise is teetering on the first and second rd . Was compared to Eichel/ matthews before last year . He’s been injured mostly and would be a good target

 

[Kuz]

Getting one of the russian wingers Denisenko/Kravtsov would be a solid choice looking at potential and team needs. Denisenko are more skilled, but Kravtsov are stronger and bigger and have a better shot.