The Caps made a big draft day trade that currently looks like this (after a second move was made)

Pick 7 (Luke Hughes)

for

Pick 14 (Cole Sillinger)

Pick 43 (Daniil Chayka)

Montreal 3rd 2022

 

Pick 43 and Montreal 3rd 2022 were acquired after trading pick 30 that was acquired with pick 14, but that is beside the point. Right now we will be looking at the Caps clear 2nd best prospect at this point in time (behind only Byfield) which is Cole Sillinger. Sillinger has made the NHL at the young age of 18 which surprised many including Caps GM MacPherson, and he has played well in a top 6 role with 4 goals and 2 assists in 10 games thus far. Is this current pace sustainable? Probably not since he is so young, but the thing about Sillinger is that he isn’t making these high end plays that aren’t sustainable, he’s just such a smart player and is always in the right place at the right time. It has been a welcomed surprise for the Capitals and if he can reach about 20 goalsish they’d be even more thrilled than they already are. Sillinger likely won’t have the ratings to carry the Caps next season but he could be part of an interesting line with players such as Taylor Hall, Mike Hoffman, Eeli Tolvanen, and whomever else steps up to the plate. It’s still early but Sillinger is showing the Caps that trading back to draft him was the right choice to make.