While the 1st round of the 2021 draft isn’t regarded as one of the deepest 1st rounds by any stretch, including by the Caps themselves, it was a round that was quite kind to the Caps thus far. Sillinger has proven to be a quality pro player and Chinakhov has been showing flashes of brilliance at the pro level as well. There is one player left from the 1st round picks of the Caps that hasn’t been covered, and he may prove to have the highest ceiling of all of them.

Logan Stankoven was drafted 24th overall by the Caps, and at the time it could have been seen as a stretch. He only played 6 WHL games last year due to the pandemic, so it was an extremely small sample size compared to more safe options that were left on the board at the time. However, he has been showing that he might’ve been the best bang for their buck pick at that spot. Stankoven has been dominant in the WHL this year, with 28 goals and 37 assists in only 38 games. He has a ton of talent, along with a great motor and work ethic. Stankoven’s biggest drawback however is his size. Only 5’8, he’s far from an intimidating presence. Stankoven projects to be (if he makes the show) a player very similar to that of Brendan Gallagher, but with a better shot. The Caps have had luck the past 2 drafts with short WHL players. First was Tristen Robins and now Logan Stankoven. Will the WHL be kind to the Caps in the 2022 draft as well?